The Board is committed to effective decision-making and, once a decision has been made, speaking with one voice. Towards this end board members will:

• Act in accordance with the Policy 5.1 Values Statement of the Board Members.
• Represent one’s own view as an individual view (“my own thinking on this is that…”).
• Be honest with others and true to themselves.
• Endeavour to build on other’s ideas or offer alternative points of view as options to be considered and invite others to do so too.
• Be balanced in one’s effort to understand other board members and to make oneself understood.
• Be properly prepared for board deliberations.
• Once a decision is made by the board, support and defend the decision, even if one’s own view is a minority one.
• Not disclose or discuss differences of opinion on the board outside of board meetings, especially with stakeholders or members. The board should communicate externally with one voice.
• Respect the confidentiality of information on sensitive issues and abide by the Confidentiality Policy of the board.
• Be an advocate for the organization and its mission wherever and whenever the opportunity arises in their own personal and professional network
• Refrain from speaking for the organization unless authorized to do so by the board.
• Refrain from giving direction, as an individual board member, to the Executive Director or any member of staff unless directed by the board to do so.
• Disclose one’s involvement with other organizations, businesses or individuals where such a relationship might be viewed as a conflict of interest and abide by the Conflict of Interest Policy of the Board.

Approved by the Board, 17 April 2020