National Grid 2014 Annual Report Download - page 49

Strategic Report Corporate Governance Financial Statements Additional Information
Area Actions from last year’s review Commentary
Mechanics Chief Executive to meet with Executive Directors
immediately after each Board meeting to discuss how
theBoard operated as a team and contributions from
Directors, and reflect on any learning. Feedback from
these meetings to be shared as appropriate with
theChairman.
Responsibility: Chief Executive
This was implemented from January 2013 and will be
continued as it has proved helpful in making sure that
the right discussions are had at Board meetings.
Review and build on the one page executive summary
fornon-standard papers introduced in July 2012 and
consider its effectiveness in providing the Board with
keyinformation and clarity around requested contribution
or action.
Responsibility: Chairman and Chief Executive
An updated template summary sheet was introduced
inSeptember 2013. The revised template includes
details of links to the risk register, financial impact
andadditional information on the lead presenter.
All committees, except the Nominations Committee and
Executive Committee, to get together immediately before
or after their meetings to discuss papers, presenters’
contribution and any matters they wish to consider
without management present.
Responsibility: Committee chairmen
This initiative has been implemented and meetings
included on the forward business schedules as
appropriate by each of the committees.
Thinking styles of candidates to the Board and Executive
Committee to be taken into consideration once skills set
and experience confirmed.
Responsibility: Nominations Committee
Diversity of thinking styles was a factor in the recruitment
process for a successor to Maria Richter and in the
appointment of John Pettigrew.
Dynamics Schedule a development session for the Board which may
include thinking styles, inclusive leadership and exploring
positive challenge through questioning techniques.
Responsibility: Chairman and Group General Counsel
&Company Secretary
A thinking styles session for the Board was held in
February 2014. See page 45 for more information.
Review the following month’s agenda and communicate
to the Executive Directors the areas that presenters are
tofocus on.
Responsibility: Chairman and Chief Executive
The draft agenda for forthcoming Board meetings are
noted by the Executive Committee. The Chairman also
holds separate pre-Board meetings with the Chief
Executive and the Group General Counsel & Company
Secretary to discuss and review the business of the
nextmeeting.
Specifics Facilitate increased interaction between Non-executive
Directors and high-potential employees during site visits
and presentations at Board meetings.
Responsibility: Executive Directors
High-potential employees have been invited to Board
dinners in the UK and US. A schedule of proposed site
visits has been provided to the Non-executive Directors.
Appoint a taskforce to review gender diversity and
employee turnover.
Responsibility: Chief Executive
Following a detailed review in August 2013 by the
Chairman and Chief Executive it was decided not to
proceed with the taskforce at that time. Good progress
continues to be made on gender diversity and
employeeturnover.
Implement an inclusion and diversity scorecard and
review progress with the Board.
Responsibility: Executive Committee
The Executive Committee receives a quarterly inclusion
and diversity scorecard and updates are provided to the
Board. An inclusion and diversity session for the Board
was held in April 2013.
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