Recruit and Retain Diverse Boards | Article

Boards and especially charity boards are developing awareness and are actively implementing techniques to attract, attain, and retain more ethnic diversity on boards. Lived experience is now more than a contributing factor, but a desirable criterion for board-level appointments.  

Recruitment  

It is often the case that a hiring manager has a very specific expectation of what a good candidate may look like, sometimes even unconsciously precluding individuals who do not fit their criteria. This sense of exclusion is inherently counterproductive in non-executive director (NED) recruitment. Firstly, boards by nature are not static; they are dynamic, agile, constructive, and forward-thinking, but should never be homogenous. Those attributes are also what make good candidates.  The best boards are not only those which seek to improve the representation of protected characteristics, but those which seek to implement representation of protected characteristics on board themselves. Do not look for someone who may be a good culture fit. 

From a recruitment perspective, think about if the chair of the board or the governance lead is conducting regular skill gap analyses and assessments of the board. If so, once clear areas for additional expertise are identified, really consider what skill is needed.  Do you really need someone with prior board governance experience? Is this something your new board member could potentially learn on the job?

Retention

From a retention perspective, how do your current board members consider the working environment? Is it a psychologically safe environment where each NED feels as though they can constructively challenge or voice different perspective or opinion? These are just a few questions to consider.  

NED and Trustee Recruitment at WIG

At WIG, we are quite fortunate that our recruitment team consists of women and people of colour who have a personal commitment to ensuring greater representation of marginalised groups on boards. We have a personal commitment to the FREDA values and as women and people of colour, we fully echo and advocate for the increased representation of women of colour on boards. This positioning enables us to build and maintain relationships with our candidates, whilst being best placed to offer tools and resources to aid and support them on their journey.  

We have worked with a variety of organisations of different size and complexity, including insights into other sectors, governance functions, and the different alterations of strategic thinking and planning that comes with different boards.

 I have the pleasure of assisting public sector and charity boards with their recruitment of NEDs and Trustees. Each time, presenting an exceptional longlist of candidates who are ‘cross-sector athletes’ with considerable experience working in both the private and public sector often with charity or voluntary experience and from different lived experiences, including identifying as a person of colour and/or a woman. We benchmark ourselves against the Commissioner of Public Appointments which currently states the percentage of appointments of women is 41% and the percentage of appointments of ethnic minorities are 11%. Our appointments surpass this benchmark, and as an advocate for greater representation marginalized groups, I feel as though I am making a tangible difference. 

There are 168,000 charities in the UK, and only 6% of their trustees are from ethnic minority backgrounds. The statistic for women of colour is even more dire. To be surprised by this figure would suggest ignorance of the wider systemic problem of the lack of racial diversity in senior leadership and executive boards across all sectors – this makes the work WIG does in this area even more important! 

Prior to WIG, Cezanne worked in the private sector working in employment advising, sales and customer service. She has a master’s degree in Gender Studies with a particular interest in the intersections of gender, power, race & disability through a feminist lens. She has been working in NED/ Trustee Recruitment for two years. Every recruitment campaign provides a unique insight into the inner workings of boards, and the ever-changing landscape of desirable skill sets and often, attributes best suited to boards. 

If you would like to discuss any forthcoming recruitment requirements or have any questions on best practice, please do reach out to the Talent team – [email protected]  or see more information: Recruit a Non-Executive Director or Trustee.

Written by

Cezanne runs Non-Executive recruitment campaigns at WIG, partnering with public, private, and not-for-profit organisations to appoint skilled and diverse candidates who strengthen board leadership and governance. Their expertise lies in designing inclusive, high-impact recruitment processes that align with organisational strategy and long-term goals.

Beyond recruitment, Cezanne manages WIG’s Bespoke Mentoring Programme, which develops the leadership capabilities of current and future leaders by pairing them with senior mentors from different sectors. The programme fosters knowledge exchange, strategic insight, and cross-sector collaboration, equipping leaders with the skills to navigate complex challenges and drive impact.

Prior to WIG, Cezanne worked in the private sector, advising individuals on employment opportunities and developing skills in sales and talent development. They hold a BA in American History and an MA in Gender Studies. 

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