How we are governed

As a co-operative society, HF Holidays is governed by a Board of 12 volunteer Directors, each of whom is elected from the Society's membership for a four-year term. Elections of Directors are held each year. Our Board sets the mission, vision, values, and strategic objectives and direction) of HF Holidays. The Board is made up of members who have a passion for walking and activity holidays in both the UK and abroad. Collectively, our Board aims to reflect the interests and background of the wider membership. Individually, Directors offer professional or commercial expertise.

The Board appoints the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to whom it delegate responsibility for the day-to-day management of HF Holidays. The CEO appoints Management Team members to enable financial management and planning; design and delivery of holidays, in the UK and abroad; management of the Society’s UK houses; marketing and sales of holidays; and support of members, customers, employees and leaders.

The Board reviews, annually, the skills and experience it needs amongst its members; what its current members have and uses the information on any gaps identified, to inform Members to help them decide whether to offer themselves for election. This information should also help members decide how to cast their votes in the elections to the Board.

The Board holds formal meetings on average six times a year to plan and monitor delivery of HF Holidays’ three strategic objectives and nine goals for 2020 to 2023. Directors are expected to give a significant time commitment and to prepare well for each meeting. Formal Board meetings may be held in person, or virtually. Between formal Board meetings, Directors are expected to be available for other meetings, often held virtually and to take on other responsibilities. The Board elects a Chair and Vice Chair, annually, and they each have a significant role, liaising with the CEO.

Each Director serves on one of the Board’s Working Groups: Finance and Estates; Product and Marketing; and Services and Administration. Their roles are to enable Directors and members of the Management Team to consider matters in more detail than is possible during a Board meeting, including the appropriate strategic objectives and goals and to make recommendations to the Board. The Working Groups’ roles, in summary, are:

• Finance and Estates: to support the Management Team in developing, updating and reviewing appropriate regimes for financial forecasting, budgeting and financial reporting and to monitor outcomes.
• Product and Marketing: review holiday products, marketing activity, sales results
• Services and Administration: To act as a forum to support a more detailed discussion of relevant Board matters relating to Services, Administration, Operations and Commercial matters

Directors will also be expected to serve on one or more of the Board’s Committees, which are as follows:

• Audit and Risk: monitors the integrity of the Society’s financial statements and annual Report; reviews its significant accounting policies and practices and regular financial reporting; reviews the effectiveness of the system of internal controls; reviews the effectiveness of the external audit of the Society’s accounts and financial statements; reviews and monitors internal audit of the Society’s business.
• Financial Strategy: a new Committee that will review the Society’s business and draw up strategies that improve financial performance. The Committee will review budgets and performance against the budget.
• Governance: to support the Board in compliance with corporate governance requirements and best practice. To monitor the effectiveness of the Society’s governance structure and oversee Board standards, systems and processes.
• Board Development: Identify the skills, experience and aptitudes needed on the Board, carry out an audit and gap analysis and ways of meeting the gaps through training and development, succession planning and by recruitment of new Directors. Formulating Board effectiveness processes. Reviewing Board induction processes.
• Covid19: a temporary Committee for the current crisis.

The Board Will

• Set and review the Vision, Mission and Strategy of the Society
• Act in accordance with the Society’s Values
• Appoint the CEO and the Society Secretary
• Review and approve the plans presented by the CEO designed to achieve the strategy of the Society
• Hold the Management Team accountable for the implementation of the strategy, and monitor progress and performance
• Ensure robust systems of financial control and risk management are in place and are suitable for controlling the Society’s operations
• Ensure the needs and views of Members are considered when making decisions in the best interest of the Society
• Conduct, manage, govern, and control the business of the Society as provided in the Rules of the Society
• Comply with the Rules of the Society, the schedule of matters reserved to the Board, the Standing Orders, the Board Information Booklet and any other governance policies and processes
• Provide support, challenge and expertise to the CEO and the Management Team in furtherance of the Society’s strategy