Introduction
The ongoing recession is proving to be a challenge for voluntary and non-governamental organisations and it is imperative that finance directors, senior officers and managers of organisations in this sector act quickly and decisively to secure funding for the future.
In these turbulent times, achieiving efficiences and maxmising income whilst focusing on good governance, risk managemement and fraud prevention will enhance the ability of charities to survive the downturn and help increase public trust and confidence in the sector. This one day conference aims to give delegates the opportunity to share skills and experiences from our expert speakers, network and discuss the issues.
Speaker
Helen Carr, Head of Policy Development and Review, Charity Commission
Helen Carr has responsibility for providing policy development, support and guidance to the commission and the charitable sector. Her current focus is on implementing the last parts of the Charities Act 2006 and co-coordinating the commission's response to the economic downturn.
Gillian Lees, Innovation and Development Specialist, CIMA
Gillian Lees is an innovation and development specialist within the Centre for Innovation and Development at CIMA. She has been working on corporate governance issues for over ten years. She was heavily involved in the IFAC/CIMA Enterprise Governance project as well as CIMA’s initiative to develop the CIMA Strategic ScorecardTM. She has written articles in numerous publications and has presented widely on enterprise governance and the scorecard. She is currently developing CIMA’s thinking on how organisational boards can engage in strategy more effectively, particularly in the context of a downturn.
Louise Thomson, Head of Policy (not-for-profit), Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
Louise is responsible for the Institute’s activities in the charity, not-for-profit, and public sectors. She has extensive knowledge of governance issues garnered from her career in the sector, complemented by her experience as a pension’s trustee, charity trustee and school governor.
Anne Moynihan, Head of NCVO Governance & Leadership Team
Anne has 16 years experience in the voluntary and community sector, and was head of the Governance Hub and is currently head of NCVO’s governance and leadership team. She has a passion and a strong belief in the value of good governance in the health and sustainability of an organisation. Anne is a Fellow of the RSA.
Rosalind Wright CB QC, Chairman, Fraud Advisory Panel
Rosalind Wright is also an independent member of the BERR Insolvency Service Steering Board and a member and past chairman of the supervisory committee of OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office. She was the former director of the SFO (Serious Fraud Office) from 1997 to April 2003.
Programme outline
9.30am Registration and coffee
10.00am Introduction from the chair:
Gillian Lees, Innovation and Development Specialist, CIMA
10.15am Funding for the future, maximising income
Helen Carr, Head of Policy Development and Review, The Charity Commission
- Ensure a charity remains a going concern
- Ensure the charity’s governance is sound and robust
- Ensure the charity makes effective use of resources
11.00am Coffee
11.30am Managing strategy through good governance
Gillian Lees, Innovation and Development Specialist, CIMA
- How a board can play an effective role in strategy – the art of asking the “stupid” question?
- Achieving connectivity between the board and management
- Strategy under stress – the challenges of difficult times
12.15pm Behavioural governance
Louise Thomson, Head of Policy, Not for Profit Policy and Development Dept., ICSA
- What is behavioural governance? The regulatory background
- Is your board asking the right questions?
- Recent experiences from charities and not for profit organisations
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Improving governance and leadership
Anne Moynihan, Head of NCVO Governance & Leadership Team
- Current operating environment - no time for complacency
- Why governance? Why leadership? Complimentary concepts?
- Practical ways to improve the way your organisation is governed and led
2.45pm Charities and fraud
Rosalind Wright, Chairman, Fraud Advisory Panel & former Director of the SFO
- Fraud in the economic downturn
- Key findings of the Charity Fraud Survey
- An action plan for charities
3.30pm Tea
3.45pm Discussion forum led by the conference chair and speakers
4.15pm Conference close