Our Boards

For Mount Pleasant Group (MPG), the boards set the “tone at the top,” regarding what is right and wrong. Directors communicate their commitment to integrity and ethics, both in words and deeds, and these observations lead to an understanding of how individuals throughout the organisation are expected to behave.

The boards are responsible for ensuring the effective governance of the corporations. The directors oversee and monitor the culture, ethics, strategy, risk and internal control framework. Their work is critical to MPG’s long-term success.

As with all non-profit companies, we have members rather than shareholders. Our members are our directors. MPGC’s board is made up of 10 directors, while the CMS board has four. On both boards the majority of directors must be independent and have no commercial, family or other relationship to their respective companies. Other than the fees they receive for their responsibilities as a director, our members receive no additional compensation.

              Potential directors are chosen for their ability to contribute to the
              effective management of MPG as well as for their background,
              experience, perspective, skills and knowledge.

.New directors are normally elected at the annual general meeting for a term of three years. The maximum number of years a director may serve on the board, not including time as chair, is 12 years. If a vacancy occurs between AGMs, the governance committee can fill the position; however the director will serve only until the next AGM, unless he or she is elected for a full term at that time.

Board operations:

Meetings: The board holds a minimum of five regularly scheduled meetings per year, with additional meetings being held as appropriate.

Agenda: The meeting agenda is created by the board chair, but any director may suggest agenda items or raise at meetings other matters they consider worthy of discussion.

Attendance: Directors should make every effort to attend all meetings and are expected to ensure that other commitments do not interfere with the performance of their duties. Subject to extenuating circumstances such as illness, directors will be removed from office for failure to attend three consecutive board meetings.

Access to Management and Advisers: Directors have access to management to enable them to better fulfil their responsibilities as a member of the board. Directors must always respect the fact that employees report through the CEO, not the board. Written communication, other than routine messages from directors to members of management should be copied to the CEO and board chair.

The board and board committees may consult and retain independent advisers such as lawyers, accountants and other professionals.

Confidentiality and Privacy: MPG respects the rights of all individuals to confidentiality and the protection of their personal information, and each director has a duty to preserve and protect confidential information.  Privacy Policy  

Diversity and Inclusion: The board and each director will demonstrate MPG’s commitment to create an inclusive environment receptive to diverse experiences, perspectives and interests, inclusive of all, where all individuals are treated fairly with decency and respect, free of discrimination or harassment.

Ethics Reporting: Directors must promptly report any fact or suspicious request, activity or practice that may be or appear to be a breach or wrongdoing to the chair of the board, or either the chair of the Finance and Investment or Governance and Human Resources committees

Political Activity: A director may only engage in partisan political activity in his or her personal capacity. MPG and its staff must at all times avoid activity that might convey the impression of partisan politics.

Indemnity of Directors and Officers: Our by-laws provide for the limitation of liability and indemnification of directors and officers, except for any liability resulting from the director’s or officer’s wilful neglect or violation of a stated regulation.