Board Effectiveness: A Survey of the C-Suite
The Conference Board uses cookies to improve our website, enhance your experience, and deliver relevant messages and offers about our products. Detailed information on the use of cookies on this site is provided in our cookie policy. For more information on how The Conference Board collects and uses personal data, please visit our privacy policy. By continuing to use this Site or by clicking "OK", you consent to the use of cookies. 

Corporate Board Practices

Board Effectiveness: A Survey of the C-Suite

/ Report

Video

CEO Insight Minute: How Can Boards Help Companies Maximize Al's Business Benefits?

AI promises to have a profound impact on business and society; here are three ways boards can set their companies up for success with the technology.

In a survey of more than 600 C-suite executives by PwC and The Conference Board, most rate their boards’ overall effectiveness as middle of the road: 56 percent say their boards are doing a fair job, while only 29 percent rate it as good or excellent.  

Boards receive high marks in having a firm grasp of corporate strategy (85 percent of respondents), key business risks and opportunities (72 percent), and the competitive landscape (62 percent). Moreover, 68 percent are confident that their boards effectively engage with shareholders.

But executives have concerns about who is on the board: 75 percent want to replace either two or more of their directors; what knowledge they bring to discussions: 50 percent say their boards do not understand the impact of digital technologies or the company’s climate strategy; and how they engage in the boardroom: only 33 percent say their boards ask probing questions. 

The report also offers practical guidance on how boards can improve their performance, with the overarching recommendation being that boards need to partner closely with the C-suite in improving board effectiveness.

In a survey of more than 600 C-suite executives by PwC and The Conference Board, most rate their boards’ overall effectiveness as middle of the road: 56 percent say their boards are doing a fair job, while only 29 percent rate it as good or excellent.  

Boards receive high marks in having a firm grasp of corporate strategy (85 percent of respondents), key business risks and opportunities (72 percent), and the competitive landscape (62 percent). Moreover, 68 percent are confident that their boards effectively engage with shareholders.

But executives have concerns about who is on the board: 75 percent want to replace either two or more of their directors; what knowledge they bring to discussions: 50 percent say their boards do not understand the impact of digital technologies or the company’s climate strategy; and how they engage in the boardroom: only 33 percent say their boards ask probing questions. 

The report also offers practical guidance on how boards can improve their performance, with the overarching recommendation being that boards need to partner closely with the C-suite in improving board effectiveness.

Other Related Resources

hubCircleImage