Introduction

Campbell Page began as a small association of community-minded citizens on the New South Wales South Coast in 1985 assisting disadvantaged youth through training, support, and fostering enterprise in the region. Since those early days we have matured into a large not-for-profit organisation helping many thousands of Australians find employment.

Today, Campbell Page supports local, state and federal governments with community and employment services. These include the Commonwealth’s Disability Employment Services and ParentsNext programs. The company also remains close to its heartland by running homelessness and youth services in New South Wales’ Eurobodalla area.

In running these programs, Campbell Page maintains the highest levels of corporate governance, starting with a skills-based governing body comprised of experienced non-executive directors. The board meets regularly to set our strategic direction and monitor the progression of our short, medium, and long-term goals. As a registered charity and an endorsed public benevolent institution, the board’s activities are guided by both the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Not-for-Profit Governance Principles and the ACNC Governance Standards.

We have benchmarked our governance practices against the AICD Principles below:

Principle 1: Purpose and Strategy

As documented in our constitution, Campbell Page relieves poverty, destitution, helplessness, and distress of persons who are unemployed or otherwise disadvantaged. The statement ‘we help people find jobs and we build better communities’ embodies this purpose and orients our mission by ensuring helping people find work is at the centre of our activities.

Campbell Page’s board meets at least six times per year and holds two strategic planning sessions. Through planning sessions with executive management, the board approves strategic direction which is recorded in our strategic and operational planning documents. These documents clearly state our goals and how the completion of goals will be executed. The board holds management to account by regularly reviewing the execution of strategy.

Principle 2: Roles and Responsibilities

Our non-executive directors understand the role of not-for-profit leadership and are fully aware of their responsibilities and duties, our beneficiaries and the wider community. The roles and responsibilities of our directors are set out in their letter of appointment, our board charter, and our directors’ code of conduct. The board charter makes a clear distinction between the roles of non-executive directors and executive management. In addition, the board delegates certain authorities to the chief executive officer. The company secretary monitors governance processes and supports the operations of the board.

The board delegates specialised activities to two standing subcommittees. These subcommittees are:

• Audit and Risk Committee (ARC);
• Social Impact Committee (SIC).

Each of these committees operates according to specified terms of reference set out in their respective charters.

Principle 3: Board Composition

Campbell Page utilises and documents a directors’ skills matrix which aligns to our purpose and strategy. The skills matrix guides the recruitment of new directors. In accordance with our constitution, directors are appointed for a three-year term and can hold tenure for a maximum of nine years. This allows for the staggering and renewal of directors in line with the principles of good governance and the independence necessary for overseeing management.

Campbell Page recruits’ directors based on merit and expertise. Our board comprises a range of current and former senior-level executives reflecting the skills required to achieve our strategy. Biographies and career histories of Campbell Page’s board are available to the public on our website. We plan well in advance for the succession of both board directors and senior management.

Principle 4: Board Effectiveness

Campbell Page’s board meetings are open forums for informed discussion and the achievement of mutual understanding and decision making. The chair ensures that diverse opinions are voiced. At each meeting, senior management provide written reports to the board detailing any challenges to, or achievements toward, strategic goals. Management also distributes operational, financial, human resources, IT, and legal information as and when required.

Directors are inducted following a specified process, which includes a detailed introduction to our strategic plan, governance processes, business operations, and our executives. While directors must take continuing professional development courses as part of their tenure, Campbell Page holds expert speaker seminars to keep directors informed of governance, philanthropic and industry developments. The board undertakes an annual review of its performance.

Principle 5: Risk Management

Campbell Page maintains an audit and risk committee comprised of three independent directors. The committee oversees the company’s risk management framework (which is aligned to purpose and strategy), reviews the framework annually, and makes recommendations to the board if any changes are appropriate. The committee receives reports from the internal auditor on our capacity to manage risk. Management also reports to the committee on material incidents or breaches and any breakdowns in internal controls.

Principle 6: Performance

Campbell Page’s board approves annual budgets that align with our purpose and our long-term strategy. It holds management to account by measuring the balanced achievement of financial, cultural, and customer metrics. Furthermore, Campbell Page, as a for-purpose organisation, measures its social impact against its theory of change framework. The board sets annual key performance indicators for the chief executive officer.

The chief financial officer prepares monthly management accounts that are reviewed by the audit and risk committee on a quarterly basis. Campbell Page engages external auditors in the preparation of our periodic statutory financial statements. Accordingly, solvency and financial health are closely monitored by the board.

Principle 7: Accountability and Transparency

Campbell Page’s constitution and governing documents are available to anyone interested. The board and committee charters can be found in the links at the bottom of this page. Guided by the Corporations Act 2001 and the ACNC Act 2012 and ACNC Regulations 2013, the board oversees the annual appointment of external auditors and statutory financial reporting. Any transactions between related parties are subject to Campbell Page’s Conflicts of Interest Policy and Code of Conduct. The notes to our financial statements, which are publicly available through the ACNC register, disclose the remuneration of directors.

Principle 8: Stakeholder Engagement

The board understands that there are multiple stakeholders interested in Campbell Page. It takes stakeholder interests into consideration when making decisions. The board and executive management maintain a stakeholder engagement framework enabling them to adequately address the needs of a wide variety of interests.

Stakeholders can voice any concerns by making a complaint. The company will address the complaint by following its complaints management policy. Furthermore, Campbell Page has a whistleblower policy which complies with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. The board is made aware of all complaints and whistleblower reports through the audit and risk committee. The board ensures that any whistleblower who reports wrongdoing is protected from any retribution.

Principle 9: Conduct and Compliance

The board has approved an organisation wide code of conduct detailing our values and the behaviours we expect from our directors, employees and volunteers. The Code of Conduct also outlines procedures for dealing with breaches. Campbell Page maintains a Conflicts of Interests Policy that applies to all directors and employees dealing with related parties.

Through the audit and risk committee, the board ensures legal and regulatory compliance. It also ensures that internal policies and controls are followed. Any material breaches of compliance are reported to the board.

Principle 10: Culture

Campbell Page maintains a customer centric and high performing culture that supports its charitable purpose. The board both enacts and oversees culture and ensures that core values are clearly communicated to employees and other stakeholders. The board monitors the performance and remuneration frameworks to make sure they align with Campbell Page’s values and receives a regular report on culture key performance indicators and any culture surveys and assessments from the Head of People and Culture. As a measure of culture, customer metrics and complaints are reported on a regular basis to the board.

Governing Documents

Click on the links below to find out more.

• Campbell Page Limited Board Charter
• Audit and Risk Committee Charter 
• Social Impact Committee Charter
• Director Code of Conduct
• Director Conflicts of Interest Policy