Trust Institute Africa - Your Trust Partner

Trust Governance™

The Board Trust Audit™

A 25-statement scored diagnostic that measures a board's trustworthiness against the Five Marks of a Trustworthy Board — calibrated to the East African regulatory environment: SASRA prudential standards, the Cooperative Bill 2024, and the governance expectations facing FBOs and NGOs.

Trust Governance Score™ · out of 125

How to complete it

  • Who: every director completes the audit individually and anonymously. The company secretary or facilitator consolidates the scores into a board average.
  • How: score each statement 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree, with evidence). Score what is actually true today, not what is intended.
  • The evidence rule: a 5 may only be given where the board could produce documentary evidence — a minute, register, policy, or report — if asked.
I

Mark I — Integrity

The board acts honestly, declares and manages conflicts of interest, and keeps its word.

  1. 01Every director has made a current, written declaration of interests, held in a Conflict-of-Interest Register that is reviewed at least annually.

  2. 02Directors with a conflict on an agenda item routinely declare it and step out of the discussion and vote — and this is minuted.

  3. 03Board decisions are made on merit; loans, tenders, and appointments involving directors or their relatives follow the same rules as everyone else.

  4. 04The board honours its commitments to members: what is promised at the AGM is done, or the failure is openly explained.

  5. 05The board has never knowingly approved, concealed, or delayed disclosure of an irregular transaction.

Integrity subtotal — 0 / 25

II

Mark II — Competence

Directors are fit and proper, informed, and equipped to decide well.

  1. 06Every director meets applicable fit-and-proper requirements (e.g. SASRA Fit & Proper for SACCOs), and evidence is on file.

  2. 07The board's combined skills cover finance, law/governance, the institution's core business, and risk — and gaps are known and being addressed.

  3. 08Directors receive board papers at least five working days before meetings, and come having read them.

  4. 09New directors go through a structured induction before their first substantive board meeting.

  5. 10The board undertakes planned training every year on governance, regulation, and emerging risks (e.g. AML/goAML, cyber, digital finance).

Competence subtotal — 0 / 25

III

Mark III — Accountability

The board answers openly to members, regulators, and stakeholders.

  1. 11Audited financial statements are presented to members on time, every year, without qualification issues left unexplained.

  2. 12Regulatory returns and correspondence (e.g. to SASRA, the Registrar, or donors) are complete, accurate, and filed on time.

  3. 13Members can raise questions and grievances through a known channel, and the board reports back on how they were resolved.

  4. 14Board and committee minutes are complete, approved, and available for inspection as the law and by-laws require.

  5. 15Management is held to account: performance targets exist, are reviewed, and have real consequences.

Accountability subtotal — 0 / 25

IV

Mark IV — Stewardship

The board guards resources and mission as a trust held for others.

  1. 16Board decisions consistently put members' and beneficiaries' interests ahead of directors' personal or political interests.

  2. 17The institution's budget, spending, and borrowing are approved by the board and monitored against plan through the year.

  3. 18Board allowances, per-diems, and benefits are set by a transparent policy, disclosed, and defensible before members.

  4. 19Major risks (credit, liquidity, fraud, reputation) are on a board-reviewed risk register with named owners.

  5. 20The board protects the institution's mission and values when making commercial decisions — growth never comes at the cost of the institution's soul.

Stewardship subtotal — 0 / 25

V

Mark V — Renewal

The board evaluates itself, embraces succession, and keeps improving.

  1. 21The board conducts a structured self-evaluation at least once a year, and acts on the findings.

  2. 22Term limits (e.g. under the Cooperative Bill 2024 or the institution's constitution) are respected in letter and spirit.

  3. 23A written succession plan exists for the board chair, key committees, and the chief executive.

  4. 24Board composition is deliberately renewed for diversity of skills, gender, and generation — not recycled by incumbency.

  5. 25The board learns: past failures and audit findings visibly change how the board works today.

Renewal subtotal — 0 / 25

0 / 25 scored