governance
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Integrating ESG practices into your mission
Nonprofits that are just beginning to concentrate on their environmental, social and governance impact can start small and expand from there. As you develop your own strategies, keep abreast of the latest trends and data around ESG strategies. Then ask your employees and board members what is important to them and then tailor your efforts to appeal to their interests. Like most things, the more they are involved, the more they will embrace it. Here are some practical things nonprofits of all sizes can do – from the mundane to the sublime: Set goals for reducing your organization’s environmental footprint – and then keep track of what you have done and…
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Nonprofits should care about ESG, too
This article originally appeared on my LinkedIn page here on August 2, 2021. While the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) discussions have been largely focused on corporate (i.e., for-profit) entities, it is time for our nation’s nonprofit organizations to pay attention – and I would say, embrace – the practice. What is ESG? Wikipedia defines ESG as “the three central factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact of an investment in a company or business.”[i] CNBC has an even simpler description: “investments made with an aim to contribute to a better environment, society, or workplace.”[ii] The operating motive of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) differs markedly from for-profit corporations – achieving their…
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The Five Attributes of High Performing Boards
Florence, ready to present at a Board Orientation session for the Kentucky School Boards Association in 2021. What are organizations looking for from their board members? Sometimes, even the CEO doesn't really know what to do with their board members once they have them. A High Impact Board knows that its job is to determine the WHY of the organization and leave the HOW to the staff. They do that by setting policy and then holding staff accountable for performance. When asked to serve on a board of directors, the first question you should ask yourself is this: What is it about the organization’s purpose that excites me? Does it appeal…
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What kind of board member will you be?
In my previous posts on governance, I covered the essence of board service and then the bad behaviors seen in many nonprofit boards. Today’s post will focus on the types of behaviors that all board members should strive toward. If you are lucky enough to serve on a board full of these board members, count your blessings. And if you aren't, then now is a good time to start working on that. Facilitator: This is the board member who likes to hear all view points while keeping the discussion moving. They make excellent Chairs but if carried out to a fault, can result in meetings that drag on and on.…
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Don’t be like these board members!
Today's post includes those board behaviors that I hope you never have to witness. By exploring these behaviors before you experience them, you will be better equipped to address them when they occur. In Part One of this series on Governance, we talked about board service in general including the basic responsibilities of board members. Before reading part two of the series, I encourage you to start with the Board service basics. Board member characteristics I hope you never encounter: Absentee: This is the member who is using the role as a resume builder or status symbol or who is serving because of their professional role, but who really isn't interested…
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Are You Ready for Board Service?
Nonprofit organizations that have an engaged board of directors are stronger financially, attract qualified staff in greater numbers, and have better outcomes. There are many schools of thought regarding what makes a good nonprofit board - or good board members. Some believe the board must be made up of movers and shakers in the community. Other organizations look for deep pockets willing to contribute financially to the organization. Then there are those who believe that a strong board includes people of varied backgrounds and skills - finance, law, marketing, risk management, etc. And still others seek people who are committed to the cause they are organized around - environmentalists on…
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Workplace Bullies
Bullying in the workplace is a serious problem that doesn't get enough attention. Having experienced workplace bullying, I can attest that it makes work life unbearable. It affects workers, productivity, and culture in significant ways, but is too often ignored. In our consulting work at Leadership Bridges we often (but certainly not always) find that organizations experiencing dysfunction also have a history of harassment and bullying. Pamela Lutgen-Sandvik, Gary Namie, and Ruth Namie, in their article Workplace Bullying: Causes, Consequences, and Corrections, define workplace bullying as "repeated, health-harming mistreatment that takes one or more of the following forms: verbal abuse; offensive conduct and behaviors that are threatening, humiliating or intimidating;…