Induction

Why is our Sector so bad at inducting Board/Committee members?

This is not simply an idle question. Nor is it just my experience (of being invited onto Boards/Committees and working with hundreds of TSOs). It’s been researched. For example:

ICAEW (2023)
* Fewer than half of charities provide new trustees with key information such as governing documents, accounts, and legal responsibilities.
* Only 32% interview trustee candidates, and less than 1 in 10 offer mentoring or shadowing as part of induction.
* Larger charities generally run more structured and effective recruitment and induction processes than smaller ones.

The Charity Commission and Pro Bono Economics (2025) found that:

• Just 6% of trustees are recruited via open advertising; over half of charities rely on personal contacts.

Across the available evidence:

1. UK Third Sector board induction is inconsistent and often insufficient, especially among small charities.

2. Stronger induction correlates with better board performance, confidence, and mission alignment.

3. Regulators and infrastructure bodies acknowledge sector-wide induction weaknesses and have recently strengthened guidance to improve practice.

4. Most research focuses on governance, trustee recruitment, and board behaviour — but these consistently highlight induction issues.

So why is this?

It is self evident that if an organisation has never had a formal induction programme they won’t induct new members – unless something changes.

I have often worked with organisations whose principals (its Trustees, Board members, committee members) came from – as is very common – from the Private sector. Most of these, extremely well-intentioned people in 99.999% of those I’ve met, have technical expertise but haven’t operated in a strategic decision-making environment let alone one where “collective responsibility” and equality of authority (for that read control or power) are actually mandated. I’ve frequently had it said to me “We’re fine as we are, we don’t need to change”

There’s two reasons people resist change (given there’s two types of change – self-directed or impose). To protect power or hide weakness. And sadly lack of understanding leads to a cycle of lack of understanding.

There’s also – despite there being no mention in Charity or Company Law of “Chair” – a tendency among board/committee members to assign extra power and authority to the Chair. Chair’s should show Leadership, but if they don’t “get it” then how can they lead in the right direction?

The governing Regulators are certainly trying. And so am I. The lack of induction in our sector is one of many reasons I have created my comprehensive guide to excellent Governance. It provides a key element of induction packs for Board members, Volunteers and staff.

It also does a lot of other things including getting better outcomes for beneficiaries, complying with Good Governance Codes around the World, and much, much more. But that’s me promoting. Today is about Induction

There is also a fear among Board members that’s a bit like the Emperor’s new clothes. If we actually tell prospective Board members what their duties and responsibilities are, we’ll frighten them off. Every time I’ve been asked to sit on a Board (and I never do, because change has to come from within) it’s been a conversation that goes along the following lines.

“Hi. You’ve got lots of (skills/common sense/knowledge) and our Board is a bit short on members. We’d like to get you on-board! It’s only an hour or two once every (month/two months/three months) for about an hour or so. Oh, and if we don’t get more members our Organisation is in real jeopardy of closing”

Is change necessary? It’s actually inevitable, and for my money a good time to start is right now. I’d much rather be helping organisations get it right now than have to have the difficult decisions I often do when I’m called in as doomsday approaches.

Because, as with everything we do in our Sector getting it right is imperative for our beneficiaries.

Use the contact form to – well – contact me.