Cooperative Business New Zealand (CBN) will run a new professional development course to help meet the governance requirements of Kiwi co-operatives.
The course, which will be developed in partnership with the Institute of Directors, is designed to help the country’s co-operative directors and senior executives improve their skills and exchange best practices. This new strategic partnership was outlined at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of CBN in Auckland on 14 August.
Chief executive of CBN, Ian Macintosh, highlighted the importance of the professional development of directors and senior executives of co-operatives.
“One of our key roles is the professional development of directors and senior executives of co-ops, and those interested in the sector,” he said. “We’re continually looking to offer innovative programmes that provide the latest and best in co-operative education. By partnering with the Institute of Directors, we’re confident that we will develop training specifically for co-operatives’ chairs and directors with varying levels of experience and expertise”.
In his speech at the AGM, Mr Macintosh said that governance challenges faced by co-operatives were not always immediately apparent because the focus was on immediate business needs.
The AGM also featured a discussion forum on co-operative governance and executive leadership. This year CNB has issued two publications on governance and another on setting up a co-operative.
“We at CBN are committed to supporting our members by maintaining ‘best practice’ governance and sharing this with you through education and various communication programmes,” said Mr Macintosh.
He added: “In co-ops, as with other businesses, business and governance are inextricably linked. For CBN, an important component of good governance is raising levels of member participation and engagement. We strongly believe that high quality, co-operative education is more important than ever. We will continue to identify and deliver directly or in partnership with other, best practice courses to our current and prospective members.”
Chief executive of the Institute of Directors, Dr William Whittaker, also thinks that good governance can add real value to co-operative enterprises, which he said, played an important role in New Zealand’s economy.
CBN represents co-ops from across the country, which account for more than 3% of New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP), employ 43,000 people and have a turnover of NZD $41 billion a year.
“There’s a direct correlation between governance and performance. Good governance leads to optimal business decision making, which drives best economic outcomes. This also has flow on impacts on society, so it’s important that organisations really understand governance,” said Dr Whittaker.
Photo: Institute of Directors Chief Executive Dr William Whittaker, left, and Cooperative Business NZ Chief Executive Ian Macintosh announced their organisations’ new strategic partnership at CBN's AGM in August.
