Several years ago, we were approached by the CEO of one of the world’s largest banks to design a programme that would enable a small group of senior executives to understand what it means to be a non-executive in the not-for-profit sector and to facilitate some of them joining boards.

And so Step on Board was born. As a collaboration between the charity sector’s industry body, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, and drawing on the recruitment expertise of Trustees Unlimited and the team at Russam, we were able to build something that has revolutionised senior level volunteering and offered a new approach to professional development, arguably so much more effective when compared to traditional styles of management training.

It is a comprehensive and tailor-made volunteering programme that connects business leaders with communities by training and placing skilled professionals onto charity boards. It is one of the most effective ways to engage aspiring leaders and senior staff in an organisation and provides unparalleled experience for those hoping to become non-executive directors on company boards. It also helps organisations in fulfilling their ESG objectives, especially the societal aspect.

The charity sector in England & Wales alone is significant with annual revenues of c.£45bn, over 900,000 staff, and 165,000 organisations.

Step on Board is now firmly established as a programme across a wide range of organisations including financial services, consulting, government, and technology. We are currently working with about 20 organisations including NatWest Group, Deloitte, EY, and the National Audit Office.

At some point over the next few weeks we will see the 500^th person appointed to a not-for-profit board through the programme. We look forward to sharing more about that and the continued success of the programme in the future.

If you think Step on Board can help your organisation, please do get in touch.

Ian Joseph