Understanding the role of a digital trustee

The role of a trustee in 2023 is complex. It involves deciding the strategic direction of a charity, keeping the organisation accountable to its goals, and ultimately moving it forward to achieve its purpose. Trustees are required to talk about issues like environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and come prepared to hold effective meetings that produce actions, not inertia.  

 

The role of a digital trustee is all that, plus ensuring that digital is included in all conversations. Trustees often bring digital expertise to the table with the aim of putting it at the heart of all decision-making. Without a digital trustee, charities risk making the use of digital as an afterthought rather than a strategic priority that can accelerate their mission. 

 

Indeed, the Charity Digital Code of Practice (the Code) — which offers guidance and resources to support charities using digital — says that good organisational governance depends on charity leadership teams and boards taking “responsibility for owning and driving digital, rather than delegating it entirely to other staff (e.g. digital teams), suppliers, or volunteers”.  

 

The Code notes that digital skills should be represented on all charity boards, “with the aim of every trustee, whether new or already in post, developing a working knowledge of how digital could increase their charity’s impact”. 

 

Digital trustees should lead by example, helping employees feel confident in taking innovative approaches and implementing new technology where they think it will help. Leading by example means using digital in their own work, understanding trends, and staying abreast of developments in the digital space.  

 

While not all trustees are digital experts, it’s about the effort to champion digital at all turns, to understand how it can help their charity, the risks that may come with it, and how their organisation is keeping up with the rest of the sector. 

 

Below, we talk to Claire Tavernier, Trustee at Charity Digital, to discuss the role of a trustee in 2022 and how the Board addresses digital in their meetings.  

 

 

The role of a digital trustee 

 

Claire Tavernier has been a trustee at Charity Digital since 2019. She, and our other trustees, have overseen the management of the charity during a tumultuous period for the sector, including the impact of COVID-19, the resulting lockdowns, and, more recently, the cost-of-living crisis.  

 

What made you want to become a trustee?  

 

I ran a charity for a while and saw first-hand how crucial the role of the board was, in terms of providing guidance, control and support. I also realised that I had some skills and expertise that would be useful – media, digital, marketing, commercial, etc. – and I liked the idea of continuing to make a contribution to the charity sector. 

 

And why Charity Digital?  

 

I knew the previous Chair of Charity Digital. I saw on LinkedIn that they were looking for new trustees and reached out to him to see whether I might be a good fit.  

 

What are your responsibilities as a trustee?  

 

We meet several times a year to discuss how the charity is going. We review financials, strategy, governance, and funding plans. Our responsibility is to ensure that the charity is fulfilling its charitable objective and doing so in a financially sustainable way. 

 

What does a typical day as a Charity Digital trustee look like for you?  

 

As I am the Chair of the Board, I have regular catch-ups with the CEO of Charity Digital, Jonathan Chevallier. We go through what’s going on in the business, from new projects to team updates. If we have a board meeting coming up, we will review the agenda and decide on main topics to discuss. 

 

Was meeting over COVID-19 a challenge?  

 

Like everyone else, we had to pivot to online meetings when the pandemic hit. I think we managed that quite well, even running a few virtual strategy sessions with the whole board. The main issue was to create moments for the trustees to socialise, even though some of them had never met in person. 

 

Has COVID-19 changed how meetings are run in 2022? 

 

We have moved to a slightly different rhythm now, with two in-person board meetings and two virtual meetings a year. The in-person meetings are followed by a board dinner. We tried hybrid meetings and found them very tricky to make productive. We will keep investigating, though, to see if there is a way to make them work. 

 

How important is talking about digital to your Board of Trustees? 

 

We spend a lot of time talking about digital issues – not surprising for a charity called Charity Digital! We are lucky that most of our trustees have a strong digital background. Even so, there are different levels of understanding and knowledge on each of the topics that we approach – from digital infrastructure to social marketing. For me it is critical to ensure that all trustees are given enough understanding of a topic to feel comfortable contributing fully. 

 

What is the best thing you’ve learnt as a trustee?  

 

I don’t have to solve everything! Trustees are there to ask questions, provide advice, support and challenge the management team, and to ensure proper risk management and governance. But in the end, it is down to the executive team to run the Charity.