The principles of management for boards are best practices that help the board achieve its goals of governance. They include the use of annual evaluations to assess the board’s performance, the appointment of an independent chair and the inclusion of nonmanagement directors in CEO evaluations, as well as the use of executive meetings for discussions of sensitive issues like conflicts of interests.

A board has a duty to act in the best interests of the company, as well as its shareholders, over the long-term. While a board must consider the opinions of shareholders, it is also accountable for exercising its own judgment. A board should also consider the risks that could impact the company’s ability to create value in the short and long run and take into account these factors when evaluating the effectiveness of corporate decisions and strategies.

This means that there is no universally applicable model for a board’s structure or composition. Boards must be prepared to test various models, and think about the ways they can impact their overall effectiveness.

Some boards are prone to adopting a geographic or special-interest-group representation model in which each director is perceived to represent the views of individuals located in a particular geographical area. This can lead to boards that are a bit insular and are unable to effectively address the challenges and risks facing the company. Boards must also be aware that investors are putting more focus Secure file sharing on environmental, governance and social concerns (ESG). This requires more flexibility.