November 10, 2026
Trustees’ Week 2026: Beyond the usual suspects. Why Charity boards must rethink how they recruit trustees.
Too many Charity Boards continue to recruit trustees through familiar networks, potentially limiting diversity, independence and fresh thinking.
For all the progress made in charity governance, one uncomfortable truth remains: too many Boards continue to recruit trustees from the same familiar circles.
A vacancy arises, the Chair asks fellow trustees whether they know anyone suitable, a few names emerge, and before long another appointment is made. The individual may be capable, committed and well-intentioned. But has the charity genuinely identified the best person for the role, or simply the most accessible?
During Trustees’ Week, when we rightly celebrate the extraordinary contribution trustees make, we should also question whether the way we recruit them is fit for purpose.
The comfort of familiarity.
There are understandable reasons why charities rely on personal networks. Trustee recruitment can be time-consuming, resources are limited, and recommendations from trusted colleagues offer reassurance.
Yet familiarity is not necessarily a reliable indicator of suitability.
When Boards recruit primarily through existing relationships, they risk perpetuating the same professional backgrounds, perspectives and assumptions. Over time, this can create an environment in which consensus comes too easily, difficult questions remain unasked, and established thinking goes unchallenged.
A Board may be full of accomplished individuals and still lack the collective expertise, independence and diversity needed to govern effectively.
Diversity is about more than representation.
The argument for greater Board diversity is sometimes reduced to a discussion about demographics. Representation matters enormously, but diversity also encompasses professional experience, socioeconomic background, lived experience, age, geography and ways of thinking.
A charity supporting disadvantaged communities should surely consider whether those communities have a meaningful voice in its governance.
Similarly, an organisation facing financial uncertainty, technological transformation or changing service demands may benefit from trustees whose experience lies beyond the traditional charity sector.
The strongest Boards are not necessarily those whose members agree most readily, but those capable of reaching better decisions through informed, constructive challenge.
Effective governance demands more than established connections; it requires open recruitment, relevant expertise, lived experience and constructive challenge.
Recruit for what the Charity needs, not who the Board knows.
Effective trustee recruitment should begin with an honest assessment of the organisation’s future needs.
What challenges will the charity face over the next three to five years? What expertise is missing? Which perspectives are underrepresented? Where might greater independence strengthen decision-making?
A properly considered skills audit, informed by the charity’s strategy, should shape a clear role description and person specification.
Vacancies should then be advertised openly, with transparent selection criteria and a process that assesses candidates consistently.
Importantly, charities must distinguish between essential expertise and unnecessary barriers. Requiring previous trustee experience, for example, can exclude talented individuals who would bring valuable fresh perspectives.
Trusteeship should not be an exclusive club requiring membership before admission.
The courage to change.
Opening recruitment beyond established networks requires commitment. It may mean investing more time, challenging assumptions about what a trustee looks like, and welcoming candidates who ask unfamiliar or uncomfortable questions.
But that is precisely the point.
Trustees are responsible for safeguarding charitable purpose, overseeing resources, holding leadership accountable and ensuring long-term sustainability. These responsibilities are too important to leave recruitment to chance or convenience.
As we celebrate Trustees’ Week 2026, perhaps the greatest tribute we can pay to trusteeship is to make it more accessible, inclusive and effective.
Because the question every charity Board should be asking is not simply, “Who do we know?” but “Who are we missing?”
Contact Us
For an informal and confidential discussion about this article, or on any other subject, please contact our Founder & CEO, Philip Nelson, on 020 3590 9978 or via email at philip.nelson@thehiringdept.com.
Philip has over twenty years of experience in charity governance and executive search and currently serves as a Trustee of Coram Beanstalk and as the Policy Development Lead for Heritage & Tourism at The Green Party.
