By Michael Healy and Nina Johnson Accountability is a key ingredient in a healthy democratically controlled cooperative, and clearly crafted policy is a first step in a robust accountability system. This is especially true with the policy that articulates the co-op’s purpose, the Ends policy. What role do Ends policies play within the Policy Governance model? How can a board write Ends policies that [...]
Directors who are diligently trying to fulfill their fiduciary duty regularly notice things within their co-op that may be cause for concern – or at least worth asking about. At the same time, these same directors want to honor the Board’s clear delegation to the GM and that GM’s professional judgment. How can responsible directors do both? This Field Guide will outline an approach [...]
Table of Contents (links to youtube) Chapter 1: Governance = Accountability and Empowerment Chapter 2: Understanding Ends and their Role in PG Chapter 3: How to Write Effective Compelling Ends Policy Chapter 4: Effective Ends Policies: "Before & After" Chapter 5: Summary & Resources
Board meetings are at the heart of board work and well-run, productive meetings are an important part of the foundation for any good board. Meetings are typically open to owners, and sometimes others, to attend. Having clear guidelines on attendance at, and participation in, board meetings will support the board in doing its work and will set clear expectations for those attending. Proactively defining [...]
CBLD Policy Template and other resources (links to the CBLD Library) GM Report Support: Staff Treatment Related articles in Cooperative Grocer Colter, Carolee, and Mary Courteau. “Counting on Co-op Employees.” Cooperative Grocer #141, March-April 2009. Scholl, Marilyn. “The Board Role in the Accountability Stream.” Cooperative Grocer #130, May-June 2007.
This Field Guide outlines the basic steps, timeline, and critical factors for successful implementation of Policy Governance (sometimes referred to herein as “PG”). When implementing Policy Governance, it is important to move forward relatively quickly in order to not lose momentum, while taking enough time to make thoughtful and informed decisions. Main Steps for Implementing Policy Governance Investigate – Learn about Policy Governance [...]
How Do We Know If We Have the Bylaws We Need? To meet our needs, bylaws must allow for smooth functioning of the coop's internal governance processes while being consistent with both our owners' values and with the relevant laws. Bylaws are the means by which the owners delegate authority to the board. Under that authority, the board ensures that the co-op meets owners' [...]
An essential part of a co-op board’s fiduciary duty is the annual external monitoring of their co-op’s finances and financial systems. This Field Guide introduces a process for making important board-level decisions about the two standard types of external monitoring: audits and reviews. Choosing audits or reviews An audit of financial statements is a thorough examination of the cooperative’s financial statements, allowing the auditor [...]
Was your last Board election a thoughtful exercise in democracy in which members chose a well-qualified set of directors that add value to the Board and to the co-op? More than anyone else in the cooperative, the Board itself is responsible for ensuring that the answer to this question is “Yes!” Elections should be neither mundane nor contentious, but should honor and reinforce the [...]
