Helle Bank Jorgensen: The Changing Boardroom
‘Perspectives’ is a joint project of The Beautiful Truth and Leaders on Purpose. During the 6th annual Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit in September 2023, The Beautiful Truth conducted interviews with influential corporate leaders and thought leaders. The goal was to gain insight into their perspectives on purposeful business and answer the question: what actions should our businesses take in the current historical context?
Helle Bank Jorgensen is the CEO and Founder of Competent Boards, an organisation that creates environmental, social and governance (ESG) and climate training programmes for board directors and senior business professionals.
“We need to start questioning: what will the boardroom transition look like, and how can we get there by choice rather than chance?”
Why should boards of directors have insight into ideas like the purpose and values of a company?
No one at the board level has historically discussed purpose. Now, the board needs to have that oversight and ensure that it understands all the different issues affecting a company. From a regulatory point of view, we now see that boards must disclose their competence when it comes to climate, sustainability and ESG.
How can boards stand for something?
An organisation and its board of directors must discuss how it will respond to any issues that come its way. It’s more than just reacting; it’s about being proactive so you know what you might do in these situations ahead of time. Therefore, it’s essential to not only have a purpose and values but also the courage to address the matter and take accountability to be a company that stands for something.
How do boards need to adapt to today’s demands?
We’re always talking about how organisations can transition. We need to start questioning now: what will the boardroom transition look like, and how can we get there by choice rather than chance?
“If we get this right, we’ll improve the lives of boards, leaders, future generations and the society they are part of.”
Even if they’re not experts in sustainability, ESG and climate change, we need board members to ask the tough questions and understand what being ‘good’ looks like. Because if they’re not informed, how can they make informed decisions? Of course, there is still so much value in having directors with a lot of experience, as with that comes wisdom. But we also need young people who champion this courageous mindset – a diversity of minds and thoughts.
What will be the impact of this?
“If we get this right, we’ll improve the lives of boards, leaders, future generations and the society they are part of.” I also hope this will help us be a little more human in how we run businesses.
