Making Change, Being Fitter For Purpose

1
Making Change, Being Fitter For Purpose

• Proposals for changes in CIWEMs Constitution
  Governance
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental
  Management
• involving, informing, inspiring for the
  environment, for the profession, for you

2
Why do we need to change?

• Trustees have legal responsibilities that are
  more demanding they must be fit to meet the
  challenges and obligations of modern governance
  delivering public benefit
• The present Charter is very prescriptive and
  old-fashioned
• To ensure that the governing body is
  proportionate and has the skills and
  representation we need
• To be responsive, inclusive and better than the
  competition
• Compliance with Charity Commission guidelines on
  best practice governance Hallmarks of
  Excellence
• To be the Institution of choice for all
  environmental practitioners
• Greater recognition of members and their
  professionalism
• Corporate Plan commitment to continuous
  improvement in all areas of activity and
  governance - CIWEM can no longer be a 21st
  century body operating to a 20th century rulebook

3
Governance of the Institution

• A smaller Trustee Board of 15 Trustees
• Trustees appointed from the membership, employing
  robust and independently verifiable recruitment
  procedures
• Trustee appointments voted on by members at
  AGMs
• A Chair elected by the Trustee Board
• Each Trustee to take Lead responsibility for an
  activity of the Institution, eg Policy,
  International, Membership, Branches etc
• The Trustee Board to include a President,
  President-elect and a Vice-President elected by
  the Trustee Board
• The President to be the public face of CIWEM (a
  different role from that of the Chair of the
  Trustee Board)

4
Branch Group Empowerment

• BGs will be represented by Lead Trustee
  champions on the Trustee Board
• The Rules that govern the business of Branches
  Groups will become a set of Guidelines that are
  less prescriptive and more permissive
• The BG Guidelines will empower BGs to act in a
  way that reflects local conditions and
  circumstances - not one-size-fits-all
• Over time more devolution of the BGs will take
  place but within the requirements of Charity law
  and the Institutions constitution

5
Membership Membership Grades

• Fellows and Members will be able to use the post
  nominal designation C.WEM in recognition of
  their status as Chartered Water and Environment
  Managers
• Associate members will be able to use the post
  nominal designation ACIWEM and will be counted as
  Corporate members able to vote at General
  Meetings on Institution business
• Qualifying age criteria for all grades of member
  will be removed
• Those in equivalent grades of another chartered
  body or body Licensed to Charter will be eligible
  for CIWEM membership

6
Empowering Members

• As of right all members will be able to attend
  Assemblies
• The Assembly will provide an opportunity for all
  members to engage with Trustees, Branch Group
  Officers and the Executive Director and his team
  and to comment on services and future direction
• Assemblies will not supersede the role of members
  in participating and voting on governance at AGMs
  or EGMs

7
Business and Financial Planning

• Trustees to review and fix the budget, fees,
  charges and subscriptions each year
• Trustees to consult all members, Branches and
  Groups on a five year Corporate and Financial
  Plan
• Trustees to consult members, Branches and Groups
  on any future plans for constitutional change

8
What the Changes Mean

• Empowering members
• Empowering Branches and Groups
• Membership grades that offer greater professional
  recognition
• Modern governance that reflects best practice

9
Making It Happen

• Council have endorsed the principles for change
  based on a Corporate Plan commitment
• Council have taken legal advice on the principles
  for constitutional change
• An ongoing process of consultation members,
  stakeholders, Privy Council, Charity Commission,
  other institutions, ECUK, SocEnv, The Science
  Council, DEFRA, Environment Agency etc
• Council endorsement of an amended Charter and
  Bye-laws based on legal and Privy council advice
• We now need member support at an AGM or EGM
• Initiate a transition plan with transfer of
  powers from Council to a new Trustee Board, via
  an interim Board

10
The Outcomes

• Fitter for purpose
• Robust governance and constitution
• Stronger leadership structure
• Nimble in taking decisions and opportunities
• Inclusive and outward looking a 360 degree
  organisation
• More relevant to members and stakeholders
• Professional recognition for younger members
• More representative governing body
• Better able to show public benefit
• Better respected

11
FAQs

• Under the new constitution
• Will there be improved professional recognition
  for chartered and younger members? Yes
• Will Branches Groups be represented on the
  Trustee Board? Yes
• Will overseas members be represented on the
  Trustee Board? Yes
• Can any member apply to become a Trustee? Yes
• Will members approve Trustee appointments? Yes
• Will there be Proxy Voting of members at General
  Meetings? Yes
• Will members be consulted on the Corporate Plan
  and future plans for constitutional change? Yes