Executive Committee Vs Board of Directors

Executive committees are beneficial for non-profit organizations that need to finish their work quickly and efficiently. Some boards may have trouble defining the difference between an executive board and a board.

The executive committee is a group of board members who act as the board’s eyes and ears during meetings, and are responsible for handling urgent issues. Typically, they’re comprised of three to seven members.

Typically the executive committee comprises an executive chairperson and vice-chairperson together with a secretary. The role of the chairperson is to guide https://boardroomsupply.com/executive-committee-vs-board-of-directors/ the committee and act as the voice of the board. The vice-chairperson is a support person for the chairperson and also can be their replacement should they need to. The secretary keeps minutes of meetings, as well as a calendar for the committee, and makes sure the members have access to committee documents.

Although the executive committee is a subcommittee of the board, it has the ultimate authority to oversee the company. King advises that a board must carefully consider the delegation of functions to an executive committee so that it does not create a unwelcome “two-tier” power scenario in which the executive committee is empowered to make decisions that, by constitution and/or statute, should be attributed to the board.

An executive committee is a useful tool for nonprofits, particularly when it’s not feasible or feasible for the board to meet in person to address urgent matters. The executive committee offers leaders who are connected to the organization through their leadership position a platform to make key decisions in areas such as top-level workplace issues, organisational oversight and development of the board.