High-profile corporate collapses, public-sector scandals and donor funding suspensions share a common cause: a board that did not see, or did not act on, warning signs. Investors, regulators and development partners increasingly judge organisations by the quality of their governance, and expect directors to show how they exercise oversight rather than merely attend meetings.

This programme addresses both the structure and the behaviour of effective boards. Participants review governance frameworks and the legal and ethical duties of directors, then examine board composition, induction, committee mandates and the board calendar. The middle of the programme focuses on leading performance: oversight of strategy, financial reporting, risk and internal audit, executive pay and succession, and the use of dashboards and board packs to direct attention to what matters.

The final sessions turn to evaluation and improvement, covering self-assessment, independent review, conflict management in the boardroom and relations with owners, regulators and the public. The approach is discussion-led and practical, using board case studies and templates that participants can introduce on return to their own organisations.

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Explain the principles of corporate governance and the duties owed by directors.
• Design a board structure, committee mandates and a meeting calendar suited to their organisation.
• Strengthen the working relationship between the chair, the chief executive and the company secretary.
• Oversee strategy, risk management, internal control and financial reporting.
• Review the quality of board packs and management information.
• Plan director recruitment, induction, remuneration and succession.
• Run a board evaluation and turn the results into an improvement plan.
• Manage conflicts of interest, ethics concerns and boardroom disagreement.

The programme is intended for people who sit on, advise or report to boards, including:

• Executive and non-executive directors
• Board chairs and committee chairs
• Chief executive officers and managing directors
• Company secretaries and corporate governance officers
• Members of state corporation, parastatal and county boards
• Trustees of SACCOs, foundations and NGOs
• Chief finance, risk and internal audit officers who present to boards
• Senior managers preparing for board roles

Participants take away:

• A board effectiveness self-assessment tool ready to use.
• Model committee terms of reference for audit, risk and nominations.
• A template for a concise, decision-focused board pack.
• A director induction checklist and succession planning outline.
• A conflict of interest and ethics protocol they can adapt.
• A personal improvement agenda for their own board role.

The sessions are discussion-based and rely on boardroom realism, through:

• Case studies of public, private and non-profit boards
• Simulated board meetings with assigned roles
• Review of sample board packs, charters and minutes
• Peer coaching in small circles of directors
• Structured self-assessment used on participants' own boards

Delegates who complete the full programme and take part in the exercises receive a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion issued by Vision Reach Global Consultancy.