The Work of our Board

The Board of Directors is accountable to Members of Epilepsy Action for the business and affairs of the organisation. In exercising governance, the Board, under Common Law, has a responsibility beyond Members to those in the wider community who might benefit from the organisation´s services.

The Board ensures that funds are utilized effectively for aims of the organisation and are safeguarded in accordance with prudential requirements of fundraising and trustee laws and Government funding and tax obligations.

Functions

Board functions include:

• Examining and approving strategies, policies and plans
• Examining and approving budgets
• Reviewing progress against plans to monitor suitability of strategies and performance of management
• Reviewing operating information to assess continually the state of health of the Organisation ensuring that the organisation acts legally, ethically and responsibly
• Appointing, monitoring and deciding remuneration of senior management.

The Directors

The Constitution permits from 3 to 12 Directors and requires them to be Members of the organisation. Directors of charities cannot be paid for their work without Ministerial approval, so there are no executive directors. Workloads and responsibilities of individual Directors are similar to comparable for-profit public companies. Directors of comparable public companies that are not charities are paid between $35 000 and $145 000.

Board appointments

Growing complexity of charities and onerous obligations on directors require that the Board regularly assesses the mix of skills and experience that it considers appropriate to ensure that the Board can best direct the Organisation. When filling vacancies, the Board seeks persons with skills assessed as appropriate who meet the Guidelines for Appointments. The Board prefers Directors to have a link to epilepsy.

Directors bring to the Board diverse experience and expertise including epilepsy, medicine, nursing, health education, marketing, fundraising, media, public information, organisational change and development, management, law, government, accounting and finance.

By rotation, directors may stand for re-election by Members of the organisation at least every three years. Any Member of the organisation can stand for election if nominated. Directors appointed by the Board to fill casual vacancies must face election at the next annual general meeting. Elections are by resolution in line with Corporations Law.

Guidelines for appointment to the Board

Prospective appointees to the Board of Directors should reflect the diversity of the community we serve and must:

• be, or be prepared to become, Members of the organisation in accord with the Constitution
• have sympathy with, and be prepared to contribute to, the organisation's purposes and objectives
• have abilities and skills that would be of use to the organisation, and an enhancement to the Board
• be compatible with, and prepared to work with, existing Members of the Board
• agree to be bound by the Integrity Statement
• have a range of personal and/or professional contacts from various fields of endeavour who would be of potential benefit to the organisation
• have an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of a Board Member.

Work of Directors

The Board applies to itself policies on integrity, conflicts of interest and performance appraisal. The annual review allows each Director to assess their own performance. Directors submit an annual declaration covering matters required under Corporations Law, at least annually after the Annual General Meeting. Directors can seek expert advice where needed with Board endorsement.

Board committees

An Investment Committee consisting Board and Management representatives and expert consultants is responsible for recommending investment strategies to the Board.