Board Self-Evaluations

— December 2010

This primer on board self-evaluations includes:

  • What is a board self-evaluation?
  • Are board self-evaluations required?
  • Should the board of my company perform a self-evaluation if it is not required to do so?
  • What are the benefits and risks?
  • Who should oversee the evaluation process?
  • How should the evaluation be conducted?
  • What should be the objectives against which the directors’ performance is assessed?
  • How often should board and committee evaluations be conducted?
  • Should individual directors be evaluated, in addition to the board or committee as a whole?
  • If my company were to decide that individual directors should be evaluated, how should this be done?
  • What, if anything, should be communicated to the public regarding the board evaluation process?