The minutes of the board meeting are the official record of what took place at a board meeting. They provide legal documentation of the meeting’s discussions and decisions and inspire confidence among stakeholder members, assist in achieving corporate governance and ESG goals, and assist in keep directors accountable.
The most important element of meeting minutes for board members is the recording of accurate information. Board meetings can be tense, but the minutes should remain objective, even when opinions are being expressed. Making sure that the minutes are as neutral as possible protects the board from legal liability, which is why it is essential to take into consideration the context of any decision or statement prior to adding it to the document.
It’s a good idea, to cut down on time, to make use of a template for the board minutes that has been pre-approved. Always try to maintain consistency in the style and content of your meetings. This will ensure that all the required information is included, including the opening minutes of the meeting, who called the meeting to order and the quorum present, all motions proposed and the manner in which they were voted on or voted on, any points of procedure or appeals, as well as the date the board met and adjourned.
Be sure to include any additional documents presented at the board meeting, such as presentations and records, as well as reports. They can be included in the minutes of board meetings as an appendix or in an index at the end of the document dependent on the way the board wishes to organize their board materials.