Proactive Governance: What Happens Between External Reviews?

Many boards undertake periodic external governance reviews — often every three, four or even five years. These reviews can be extremely valuable, providing independent insight into how governance arrangements are working and where improvements might be made.

But good governance does not only happen every few years.

Between those formal review points lies the day-to-day reality of board life. Decisions are taken, risks evolve, new trustees join and regulatory expectations continue to develop.

Which raises an important question for boards: How do we ensure our governance practice remains current between formal reviews?

Good governance is rarely static. Regulatory expectations evolve, sector practices develop and the organisations boards serve continue to change. Strong boards therefore take time to reflect on their governance practice as part of their ongoing work.

They ask themselves:

• How well are we discharging our fiduciary duties?

• Are our governance processes still serving the organisation effectively?

• Are we keeping pace with emerging expectations of boards and trustees?

The key question is often not whether a board reflects on its governance, but how that reflection takes place.

Sometimes this takes the form of a short discussion at the end of a meeting or an annual board self-assessment. These can be useful prompts. Some boards, however, choose to take a slightly more structured approach — identifying clear criteria, gathering evidence and undertaking an honest assessment of how well governance processes are working in practice.

This does not need to be burdensome. However, it can help ensure that reflection moves beyond general discussion and supports meaningful learning and practical improvement.

Another important consideration is how boards remain aware of developments in governance more broadly.

External reviews provide one perspective. Clerks and governance professionals often attend sector events and brief boards on developments. Trustees may also bring insights from other organisations or sectors in which they serve. All of these can provide valuable perspectives.

Regular updates and sector briefings can also help boards remain informed. Many regulators and professional bodies provide accessible guidance and updates, including organisations such as the Charity Commission, Companies House, the Chartered Governance Institute and the National Governance Association. Law firms, governance specialists and sector organisations also frequently share updates and host webinars exploring emerging governance themes.

These resources are widely available and often free to access. For trustees and governors, they provide a practical way of staying connected to developments in governance practice.

Ultimately, proactive governance is less about formal processes and more about mindset.

Boards that periodically pause to reflect on how they govern — not only when prompted by external review — often find that small adjustments can make a meaningful difference over time.

So, when reviewing the board’s governance planner for the coming year, it may be worth asking a simple question: When will we next take time to reflect on how we undertake our governance?

And if that moment is not yet scheduled, perhaps the governance planner is the right place to begin.