Three Ways You Can Make Your Board Meetings More Inclusive

It’s September, and as board meetings resume, it’s a great time to reflect on how you can make board meetings more inclusive. I’ve had the opportunity to attend many board meetings—whether as a Director, external consultant, or stakeholder—and I’ve seen firsthand the ways boards can foster inclusivity, not just for board members but for all participants.

Here are three ways to ensure your meetings are more inclusive this year:

1. Observe Days of Significance

Avoid scheduling on religious, spiritual or cultural holidays: Be mindful of observances such as Eid, Yom Kippur, Lunar New Year, or Transgender Day of Remembrance. Imagine the frustration of a director having to miss a meeting due to a religious or spiritual holiday? Even if no one on the board explicitly identifies with a specific religious or cultural identity, consider their family members or the broader community.

Acknowledge important cultural or community events: Acknowledging International Women’s Day or Black History Month during a board meeting fosters a sense of belonging. It can even invite deeper discussions on the issues these observances address. For example, one board member shared how validating it felt when their board recognized the National Day of Remembrance for the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. Gestures like these go a long way toward building an inclusive culture.

Make a meaningful land acknowledgment: Start each board meeting with a meaningful land acknowledgment that recognizes the traditional territories on which your board is gathered. Consider inviting different board members, not just the chair, to deliver the acknowledgment. This approach allows everyone to engage with the practice and reflect on its significance, deepening the board’s collective commitment to honouring the history and peoples of the land.

2. Make Board Meetings Accessible

There are many ways to make your board meetings more accessible, from the venues in which these meetings take place to the preparation and delivery of board documents, and even catering.

Choose accessible venues: Make sure your meeting venues accommodate everyone. When meetings are in-person, ensure the venue has gender-neutral bathrooms and is accessible to people with mobility issues, sensory impairments, or other disabilities. This includes ramps, elevators, accessible restrooms, and appropriate lighting and acoustics.

Make meetings hybrid: Hybrid meetings are more than just convenient—they’re inclusive. When the board chair actively supports hybrid participation, it sends a clear message that everyone’s contribution matters, whether they attend in person or remotely. For virtual attendees, ensure full engagement by providing closed captioning, sign language interpretation, and compatibility with screen readers. Remember, board meetings must be inclusive for everyone, not just for board members!

Provide flexibility: Adjust meeting times when necessary to accommodate board members’ family obligations or those in different time zones, especially if your board is global or located in other regions.

Distribute board materials early: Ensure that board documents are distributed well in advance of meetings to give all members ample time to review them. If amendments are made to the materials, communicate the changes clearly and allow time for reflection. This fosters productive discussions where everyone can contribute thoughtfully.

Provide inclusive board materials: Use inclusive language when drafting board documents, such as gender-neutral terms. This is also important when drafting documents in French so consider employing general conventions on inclusive writing in French.

Avoid acronyms in board documents and presentations. If you use acronyms, include a glossary at the beginning of documents to spell them out. Inclusivity is about clarity—everyone should feel quipped to participate without confusion.

Provide Childcare: If feasible, offer childcare or at least consider its impact on meeting schedules. This can make it easier for board members with caregiving responsibilities to participate fully.

3. Ensure Equal Participation

Create a Safe Space for Open Dialogue: The board chair plays a key role in fostering an inclusive meeting environment. Pay attention to whose voices are dominating the conversation and who might be holding back. Encourage quieter members to speak up and create space for everyone to contribute.

Foster psychological safety: Ensure that board members feel comfortable voicing dissenting opinions without fear of judgment or reprisal. Establish clear norms around mindful listening and nonjudgmental dialogue.

Don’t assume speaking up equals engagement: Recognize that participation comes in many forms. Some board members might engage through active listening or voting, rather than speaking. Encourage contributions in ways that reflect each board member’s communication style.

Rotate who leads discussions: Instead of the chair leading every conversation, let different board members lead discussions to distribute authority and invite fresh perspectives. This keeps the conversation dynamic and inclusive.

Offer inclusive catering: If your board provides meals or refreshments during board meetings, ensure that the food and beverages provided are respectful of different dietary needs. Offer non-alcoholic beverages and provide options like halal, kosher, vegetarian, and gluten-free meals.

Avoid packing the agenda: reserve time during board meetings for members to digest information and reflect on the presentations. This helps foster deeper discussions and better decision-making.

Demystify parliamentary procedures: If you use Robert’s Rules of Order or other formal meeting procedures, make sure to explain them in simple language. This levels the playing field for all members, regardless of their governance experience.

Board meetings are an opportunity to gather, share ideas, and make decisions that impact the organization. By hosting inclusive meetings, you can ensure every voice is heard.

If you found these tips useful, consider creating a formal board policy on inclusive meetings. Putting these guidelines into writing can help hold everyone accountable and make them easier to implement.