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CASE STUDY
Governance reviews
How Essex Wildlife Trust has benefitted from an external governance review in challenging times
GOVERNANCE
Sarah Loader
Consultant, Campbell Tickell
Sarah Loader
Consultant, Campbell Tickell
Issue 78 | June 2025
Ensuring effective governance is in place is a priority for every organisation. For charities, an external governance review is more than a good practice requirement of the Charity Governance Code. It provides a valuable space to explore how the culture, behaviours and structures around governance are working for the organisation, and where improvements could be made.
Charities are facing extremely challenging times: effective governance supports boards to make difficult decisions and provides assurance that the board is well-positioned to navigate the road ahead.
The Campbell Tickell governance team has a strong track record within the charitable sector. We have supported many household names and local charities with governance and board effectiveness reviews.
We take a collaborative approach to all our reviews, building a relationship of trust from the outset. In 2024, the Campbell Tickell governance team undertook an external governance review of Essex Wildlife Trust, the county’s leading conservation charity.
The brief
Essex Wildlife Trust, which employs around 200 members of staff and is supported by 2,000 volunteers, had recently undergone significant changes, including recruitment to senior executive roles and the development of new partnerships and funding sources.
The board was aware that it needed its governance practices to be in the best place to support its more complex operations and to navigate future challenges facing both the organisation and the natural environment.
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“A plan was put in place to ensure clarity of expectations throughout the process and to build in regular check-in points between the team and the charity.”
Our approach
Understanding the background issues was key. Early meetings with the Chair, Chief Executive and other trustees ensured the Campbell Tickell team understood the context and the expected outcomes. A plan was put in place to ensure clarity of expectations throughout the process and to build in regular check-in points between the team and the charity.
Campbell Tickell undertook a full assessment against the Charity Governance Code, conducted a survey with the board and senior team, observed a board meeting and interviewed the board and senior team.
The team then synthesised the findings from all elements of the review and held a “playback” session with the charity to explore those findings prior to writing the report.
Through the effective and positive engagement of all involved, the project was successfully completed within the agreed timeframe, with advice and guidance provided by the Campbell Tickell team along the way to help ensure improvements were on track even before the final report was presented.
Results
As part of the review a priority list of recommendations was put in place in partnership with Essex Wildlife Trust. As a result of the dynamic communication and close relationship built through the process, Essex Wildlife Trust was able to start implementing some areas of improvement or building on existing work being carried out, while the review was being conducted, giving the organisation a head-start on its journey to excellent governance.
Commenting on the review, Rich Yates, CEO of Essex Wildlife Trust said:
“We were delighted with our decision to work with the team at Campbell Tickell, who had been repeatedly recommended to us. They worked closely and flexibly with us at every stage, approached the review with sensitivity and empathy as well as years of knowledge and experience, and delivered an excellent final report, which included no surprises because we had been kept informed at every stage. The action plan that has resulted from the review has been invaluable, and our confidence in our own governance is growing all the time.”
Our support
Campbell Tickell has an experienced governance team ready to assist your organisation in reviewing your governance. We always focus on working with you to ensure that your organisation’s governance is effective and positively supports the organisation to achieve what it is set up to do. Contact one of our team to find out more.
