Board Charters are documents that set out the job description and overall role of the board — from the composition, purpose, role, and responsibilities to job descriptions for committees — reminding Board members that they are part of a group with authority over, and liability for, the organization.
To govern consciously, the Board needs to have a Board charter that clearly outlines roles, responsibilities, ethical expectations and operational details of the Board. This enables Board members to have a shared understanding of how the Board works. This is particularly useful in the Board induction process and Board evaluation process.
The information that goes into a Board charter should include at least the following:
* Purpose of charter
* Purpose of the Board
* Roles and Responsibilities
* Membership and team
*Nonprofit Board/CEO relationship
* Induction and continuing education
* Board performance
* Conflicts of interest
* Access to management
* Access to independent professional advice
* Confidential information
* Board Culture
* Reporting
* Review of charter
* Publication of the charter