Good board minutes are essential for running an effective board. Whilst there aren’t many strict legal rules about what you must include, there are some practical guidelines worth following.
Let’s look at the purpose and style of board minutes.
Why board minutes matter
Board minutes are your official record of what was discussed, proposed and agreed at your meetings. They prove that:
- Meetings actually took place
- What happened during those meetings
This makes them vital documents for your organisation.
But it’s not just about recording what happened. Your minutes need to be accurate. Without accurate records, you can’t show that your directors have met their responsibilities or acted in the company’s best interests.
Under Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006, directors must promote the success of the company. By recording decisions and the reasons behind them, your minutes demonstrate that directors are meeting this duty.
Getting the style right
The ICSA (The Chartered Governance Institute) offers helpful guidance on minute-taking style. Their key advice? Anyone who wasn’t at the meeting should be able to read the minutes and understand what was decided and why.
Keep these points in mind:
Use a formal tone. Your minutes are a permanent record and, over time, create a history of all your board’s decisions.
Be concise but detailed enough. Give readers enough background to understand why decisions were made, without unnecessary waffle.
Write in the third person and past tense. For example: “The board discussed the issue at length. Members agreed that whilst worth noting, no further action was needed at this stage.”
Remember, auditors can request to see your minutes, so keeping them professional is sensible practice.
Making minute-taking easier
Modern governance platforms like governance360 can help streamline the whole process. Features like digital meeting portals make it simpler to create, share and store minutes securely, ensuring nothing gets lost and everything stays properly recorded.
Good minutes don’t need to be complicated. They just need to be clear, accurate and accessible when you need them.