Print this page SPD Board of Management
SPD last updated its Constitution on 1 April 2022. The Society is managed by a Board of Management comprising not more than 13 members who manage the organisation in accordance with the terms of the Constitution which includes serving without remuneration. The members nominate members to stand for election to the Board. Board members serve for a term of two years and resubmit themselves for election once every two years during the Annual General Meeting held in August or September.
Except the Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Assistant Treasurer who shall not serve for more than two consecutive terms, Board members shall not serve for more than five consecutive terms. The SPD Constitution and Bye-Laws prescribe the eligibility conditions for nomination and election to the Board. As part of renewal and succession planning and to align with its strategic plans for SPD, the Board of Management also guides the selection, recruitment, and induction of new Board and Board Committee members. It also prepares Board members for new roles and their potential appointment to key positions on the Board, Committees and other delegatory roles.
Profiles of the new SPD Board of Management and Board Committee members are updated on SPD’s website after each election. Additional information on the Board of Management is also available in the annual reports for each financial year ending in March. These include date of appointment, prior key office held and Board meeting attendance. The current Board of Management (2022-2024) was appointed on 27 August 2022.
Board and Board Committee members guide formulation and undertake oversight of the organisation’s strategic plan. This includes succession planning, appointment and setting the remuneration of key staff, on the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer. Board volunteers are provided with the SPD Board or Board Committee Handbook, a comprehensive manual to guide them on Board policies, standards, processes, and governance. They also onboard and keep up with changes through various means such as attending orientations, courses, participating in internal and external events, serving on and contribution to committees and workgroups of agencies and accessing relevant literature.
In taking a whole-of-organisation approach to enhance the governance structure and practices of SPD, the Board, guided by its policy conducts regular self-evaluation to improve its effectiveness and to plan for renewal and succession. It does this through a mixture of tools including Board profiling once every two years and formal Board assessment surveys. Ongoing informal review and periodic audit of processes and practices of the Board at any and all times contribute to its effectiveness. These exercises also help the Board to identify talent needs and guide recruitment of new members in line with Board policy on recruitment, orientation and succession planning.
The Chief Executive Officer of SPD is the Ex-Officio Secretary of the Board of Management.
The Board is collectively responsible for oversight of SPD to meet its objectives and ensuring compliance to relevant laws. Its Terms of Reference include strategic planning to attain SPD’s vision and mission, overseeing the development of programmes and service and ensuring adequate organisation resources with effective stakeholder communication for organisation outreach. There are four Board Committees appointed by the Board of Management to support its work, each chaired by a Board member. The following are the Committees and their roles:
- The Audit Committee assists the Board in ensuring that proper and appropriate internal controls are in place and documented and carries out periodic audit on controls, processes, key programmes and events.
- The Resource Mobilisation & Partnerships Committee helps the Board to oversee SPD’s resource mobilisation and partnership efforts, including fundraising; communications and advocacy and outreach activities in order to support the delivery of SPD’s vision and mission.
- The Human Resource and Remuneration Committee advises the Board on all matters relating to employment and remuneration.
- The Services Committee advises and assists the Board on the review of programmes and services for people with disabilities.
The Board sets the Terms of Reference for each Committee and reviews these at intervals to maintain relevancy and good governance. From time to time, the Board also appoints Advisory Panels with specialist skills and experience for strategic purposes.
Strategic Plans
SPD plans strategically in four-year cycles which encompass short- and medium-term plans in order to achieve its mission and vision. The current plan in operation till 2024 will see SPD work to build trust with its stakeholders, strengthen expertise in supporting people with physical and other disabilities, and build on its innovative and enterprising spirit to better champion community inclusion.
Conflict of Interest
Together with SPD staff, the Board and Board Committees abide by SPD’s conflict of interest policy with annual declarations of conflicts of interest including disclosure on affiliations to vendors, suppliers, and SPD staff. The Board members, Board Committee members, and the Chief Executive Officer are not affiliated to SPD staff.
Risk Management and Data Protection
SPD‘s Board oversees risk management through a Risk Management Committee comprising Senior Management staff. The Data Protection Committee is responsible for data management in the organisation and reports to the Risk Management Committee.