Governance and Board
As an independent Scottish charity, we are governed by a Board that is responsible for overseeing the management of the organisation and determining its overall policies.
Who is on our Board?
The Board is made up of volunteers with a wide range of skills and backgrounds including Media and communications, Envionmental law, Politics, Public health, Finance and IT, Academia and Local groups.
What they share is overwhelming commitment to the aims of Friends of the Earth and a willingness to give up their time to help the organisation work effectively.
Would you like to join the Board?
We welcome enquiries to join our Board throughout the year. However new Board members can be voted in at our AGM, usually held each June.
Board members are elected by the membership at our AGM. To sit on the Board, you must be a member FoE Scotland. Candidates need to be proposed and seconded by two existing members of FoE Scotland. Board members are elected to serve for three years and can stand for re-election for a second three year term before standing down. When recruiting, we particularly welcome nominations from ethnic minorities, women and young people, who are currently under represented on our Board. There is a job description for Board members and a Code of Conduct, along with nomination form here.
What do our Board members do?
The Board has a number of duties to carry out including:
- formulating, reviewing and monitoring the strategic direction of the organisation
- ensuring proper governance, financial and ethical responsibility
- providing support for the Director and staff.
They aim to represent the interests of FoE Scotland members as expressed through the AGM and other consultations. If you are a member, you can email us or call the office on 0131 243 2700 if you would like the board meeting minutes sent to you.
How are they elected?
Members are elected at our Annual General Meeting each year, normally for a three year term. They can also be co-opted on the Board at any time, if special skills are needed. Nominees must be be members of FoE Scotland and to have been nominated by two other members. There is a job description for Board members and a Code of Conduct, along with nomination form here.
How much of a time commitment is it?
The full Board meets five or six times a year. Board meetings are usually either in our office in Edinburgh and/or online via Zoom. There is an Executive of Office Bearers, which meets more frequently, and short life ad hoc groups can be set up to pursue various tasks. The Executive is made up of the Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, the Director, one staff representaive and two other Board members. This group meets between Board meetings to take any necessary interim decisions and to support the Director.
What sort of people are you looking for?
The Board aims to encourage a balance of skills, expertise, backgrounds, and geographical spread. All Board members are expected to accept the financial, legal and other accountability responsibilities that go with serving on the Board of a charity. The Office of Scottish Charities Register has some good guidance on the duties and responsibilities of Trustees. The Board is not a vehicle for the pursuit of single interest campaigning.
Standing orders presently set a maximum of 15 Board members (excluding co-optees). Co-optees are appointed by the Board to provide specialist skills to support the organisation and its work. They serve for up to a year at a time and do not have voting rights.
Do Board members get paid?
All Board members are unpaid volunteers but Board members can claim for reasonable public transpot costs.
How do I submit a motion to the AGM?
All motions and alterations to the rules of the organisation must be received by the Secretary in writing no later than 14 days before the AGM. Forms for submitting motions are available by contacting Alice on ajohnston[at]foe.scot.