Sample Board Agendas

Every board should establish a meeting timetable and get the dates on the calendars of the board chair, the CEO, the committee chairs, the board secretary, and the CEO’s executive assistant. This assures that the deadlines or due dates will be met.

The following is an example of a meeting preparation schedule, counting down to the meeting date. Dates are for illustration purposes; boards that meet more than four times a year may need less lead time to prepare their agendas.

The focus on the board’s compensation committee has never been sharper. The components of compensation plans and the link between compensation and company performance are under intense scrutiny from shareholders, employees, policymakers, the media, and other stakeholders. The Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on the Compensation Committee revisits NACD’s 2003 Report of the NACD Blue Ribbon Commission on Executive Compensation to highlight the new environment in which compensation committees—and, more broadly, boards—are now operating. It recommends that the compensation committee and board work together to establish an executive compensation philosophy that supports the company in creating long-term, sustainable value.

The report includes ten specific recommendations for compensation committees to consider when evaluating their compensation philosophies. It also provides practical tools, such as sample compensation committee charters, a compensation committee assessment, and guidance on executive employment contracts.