Report tracks progress of non-executives on departmental boards

Lord Browne of Madingley, Government Lead Non-Executive, has today (6th June 2013) published his second annual report, which outlines the work of non-executives to improve departmental governance. Bringing in outside expertise is helping to transform the way government departments are managed by instilling a more business-like approach and challenging Whitehall to drive up performance, according to a new report. Since 2010, more than 60 world-class leaders from the private, public and voluntary sectors have been appointed as non-executive directors to help departments deliver the government’s ambitious reform programme and introduce greater efficiency, which last year delivered savings of £10 billion for the taxpayer.

Lord Browne’s report notes that ministers and senior civil servants increasingly recognise the value of the independent and impartial advice that non-executives offer and that the quality of Enhanced Departmental Board meetings has improved. However, it also provides a frank assessment of progress in priority areas, highlighting where there is more work to do, such as building commercial and procurement skills and improving the quality and consistency of management information.

"While FTSE100 companies only have 12.5 per cent of board members who are women, more than 36 per cent of government non-executives are women. However, the numbers of non-executives with minority ethnic backgrounds remains disappointingly low."

While the overall number of Enhanced Departmental Board meetings held across Whitehall increased by 20% last year, increasingly non-executives are having an impact outside the boardroom, by, for example, supporting strategic reviews like the Department for Education’s zero-based review. The report also highlights the role non-executives can play in acting as a bridge between ministers and civil servants, together with the key role they are playing in senior appointments.

Click here to read the report.