Board Member Code of Conduct

Decision-making

The Board is committed to effective collaborative decision-making and, once a decision has been made, speaking with one voice. Towards this end board members:

• Reflect their understanding of member and stakeholder interests

• Represent one’s own view as an individual view

• Endeavor to build on other’s ideas or offer alternative points of view as options to be considered and invite others to do so too

• Refrain from trying to influence other board members outside of board meetings that might have the effect of creating factions and limiting free and open discussion

• On important issues, be balanced in one’s effort to understand other board members and to make oneself understood

• Once made, support, indeed defend, board decisions, even if one’s own view is a minority one

• Endeavor in good faith to reach consensus on solutions

Authority, Confidentiality and External Communication

The Board is committed to clear, unified and uncompromising communication with staff, stakeholders and members of the public. Toward this end, board members must:

• Not disclose or discuss differences of opinion on the board outside of board meetings, especially with staff or members

• Respect the confidentiality of information on sensitive issues, especially in personnel matters

• Refrain from speaking for the organization unless authorized to do so by the board

• Disclose one’s involvement with other organizations, businesses or individuals where such a relationship might be viewed as a conflict of interest (see Conflict of Interest Policy)

• Refrain from giving direction, as an individual board member, to the executive director or any member of staff

Internal Communication and Values

The Board is committed to building relationships built on trust with members, staff, directors and volunteers. Towards this end board members must:

• Maintain trust through ongoing transparent communication

• Share credit for the work of the organization with the collaborators, creating a sense of cohesion and mutual value

• Support the common agenda over individual agendas

• Focus on the strengths and abilities of all stakeholders to build lasting change

• Encourage conversations that build deep understanding of all perspectives, to learn together and to seek to build respect and trust

• Share knowledge and work together to co-create new sustainable ideas

• Take a patient and long view, recognizing that ideas and opportunities need the right conditions to take root and will require iterative and sometimes challenging work

• Have a serious regard for the collaboration and a determination not to let it be subverted