Board Decision Papers

Board decision papers are click to find out more written documents that help board members carry out their oversight responsibilities, and make informed decisions about company matters. They should be informative and concise, with a clear summary as well as annexes.

Considerations to help directors make the most appropriate decisions on specific issues could include a discussion of alternatives analysis (such as techniques like Six Thinking Hats), an overview of key metrics and research data, or competitive insights and operating context that informed an overall view, or an assessment of the impact of each choice on the business. It is also important to show how management chose the preferred recommendation. This could involve describing the various options that were considered, or a summary of the pros/cons for each, as well in describing how the suggested approach performed on a variety of criteria.

Board documents should be free from legalese and jargon, with a formal business writing style being used throughout to keep the information relevant and accessible to every director. The use of graphs and charts can help to summarize information and data trends, as well as break up long blocks of text. It is also a good practice to read the paper aloud or to your peers to ensure that the main points are being conveyed. If further clarification is required it’s usually recommended to solicit comments, questions or even alternative perspectives from the board.

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