Movement Strategy/Initiatives/Guidelines for board functions and governance
You can read this page in your own language on the Movement Strategy Forum. |
Guidelines for board functions and governance
In order to Ensure Equity in Decision-making, we need governance guidelines for all Wikimedia governance bodies. This includes the Wikimedia Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Affiliate boards, and committees (like the FDC). These guidelines would help distribute power and invite new leaders into the movement, for example: by empowering more women to join boards or by increasing geographic representation. Guidelines would also encourage transparency and consistency in leadership practices across the movement. The Global Council will be responsible for making sure that the governing bodies of the movement follow these guidelines, and are supported in doing so.
- Establish good practice guidelines for how boards function, such as term limits, election and selection processes, and approaches to other governance questions where applicable and relevant for a community. These guidelines will need to be adapted and contextualized by each stakeholder. Boards would be held accountable for following good practices by the Global Council. For those that do not, the Global Council will create mechanisms to review and provide support.
- Collectively define good practice guidelines for how to both empower/inspire and enable/support new volunteers to run for different types of elected roles. These efforts will be particularly focused on underrepresented groups.
- Ensure leadership positions and ways of accessing them are documented, transparent, and accessible.
Participate
Discuss
Join or start a discussion on Meta or the "Ensure Equity in Decision-making" space of the Movement Strategy Forum.
Create
Apply for a Movement Strategy implementation grant to create a project that advances this initiative.
Get help
If you need help in getting involved, please don't hesitate to get in touch directly with members of the Movement Strategy and Governance Team. They are here to help!
You can write to the team in any of 19 languages (listed on the team's page), by writing an email to: strategy2030
wikimedia
org
| Initiative | Project | Stakeholder type | Project lead | Geography of the project | Implementation Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28. Guidelines for Board functions and governance |
Related documents and discussions
Some of the past discussions, texts and old versions of Movement Strategy recommendations that can provide further context to this initiative:
- Community Health recommendation #2: Redefining power structures to better serve the communities
- Diversity recommendation #5: Reflective policies for participation and governance
- Roles & Responsibilities recommendation #6: Wikimedia movement organisations will be governed by inclusive, diverse, and accountable boards
- Chapters Dialogue (2014)
- Organizational best practices (2012)