The annual Charity Governance Awards has created a new category for 2024 focused on trustees promoting an inclusive culture in their organisation.

The newly created ‘people in governance’ award is one of six through the scheme, with a total prize fund of £42,000 being made available.

Other categories include digital strategy, diversity, ‘from systemic challenge to meaningful change’ and two categories focused on improving impact in small charities.

The new award is for charities “that can demonstrate how all aspects of the board’s work have supported outstanding results in delivering the charity’s mission and objectives”, said Børge Andreassen, managing director of recruitment firm Prospectus, which is a partner of the award scheme.

“We’re looking for evidence of effective decision making, engagement of all trustees, strong accountability and mutual challenge between the board and the executive,” he said.

“The judges will be looking for clear evidence of an inclusive culture, where different views are harnessed and there’s a clear sense of purpose, plus a sense that value is placed on training, development and performance of individual trustees and the board as a whole.”

The award scheme is sponsored and hosted by The Clothworkers’ Company. Also involved as a partner is volunteer matching charity Reach Volunteering and think tank New Philanthropy Capital.

The deadline for entries is 6 February 2024, with shortlisted entrants announced in April. The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony in London in May.

Winners in 2023 included Merton Centre for Independent Living, Women in Prison, MQ Mental Health Research, Carers in Bedfordshire, Edinburgh School Uniform Bank and Depden Care Farm.

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