On 4 April 2023, the Commissioner of Charities (COC) and the Charity Council co-organised the sixth run of the ‘In Conversation with the COC’ series which is a forum for charities to learn about good governance and management practices from industry experts and fellow charities.
Together with Pro Bono SG (PBSG) and the Centre for Non-Profit Leadership (CNPL), the COC and Charity Council discussed the upcoming changes to the revised Code of Governance such as board succession planning, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Governance Evaluation Checklist (GEC).
This event was conducted in a hybrid format and was attended by more than 1,000 charity representatives. The full event recording can be found on the Charity Council YouTube Channel.
Opening Address by Mr Desmond Chin, Commissioner of Charities
In COC’s opening address, he conveyed his appreciation for the 8th Charity Council, welcomed the new 9th Charity Council, and pledged to continue to work closely together to guide and support all our charities towards good governance and success.
He shared the importance of good governance, his observations of the charity sector and how charities could continue to do well.
Please refer to his speech
here for more details.
Sharing on the revised Code of Governance
The revisions made to the revised Code of Governance were highlighted during the event.
Panel Discussion
The event continued with a panel discussion where participants raised feedback and questions. The panel consists of:
Panellists:
- Mr Desmond Chin, Commissioner of Charities
- Ms Theresa Goh, Chairperson of the Charity Council
- Mr Ang Hao Yao, Chairman of the Code of Governance Sub-Committee and Member of the Charity Council
- Mr Gregory Vijayendran, SC, Member of the Charity Council and Chairman of Pro Bono SG
Moderator:
- Mr Kitson Lee, Head, Centre for Non-Profit Leadership
The panel shared the definition of board’s roles and responsibilities, including training, evaluation, succession planning, and highlighted the importance of ESG and risk management.
Conclusion
The charity sector plays an essential role in our society. The office of the COC and Charity Council will continue to help charities grow from strength to strength and fulfil their purpose of serving our communities well. Together, we can continue to build a well-governed and thriving charity sector.
