Active risk management is a key duty of charity trustees. The
Covid-19 pandemic is an example of a risk arising.
The Charity Commission has extensive and helpful guidance to be
found at CC 26 - Charities and Risk Management.
Although charities will not have prepared specifically for the
current circumstances they should have had in place a disaster
management plan.
What immediate actions should trustees be taking?
On the basis there is a plan trustees should be both
implementing this and, in parallel, be reviewing it to ensure it is
sufficiently extensive.
Given the necessity for remote working, there should be clear
delegated authority to staff or individual trustees to make key
decisions quickly. Lines of authority and decision making should
account for possible unavailability through illness.
