INTRODUCTION AND READING GUIDE

Given the importance of integrity policy, internal supervisors, such as non-executive directors and members of the Supervisory Board, would do well to ensure that integrity forms an integral part of their vision for supervision. This does raise the question of what this might look like in practice. This publication aims to inspire supervisory directors to put integrity on the agenda. Additionally, this brochure provides practical tools to support dialogues regarding integrity and the supervision of integrity policy. The brochure is intended for internal supervisors and non-executive directors in both the semi-public and private sectors.

The brochure is primarily intended for supervisory directors seeking practical tools to make integrity part of their supervisory role and to gain greater insight into, and a firmer grip on, integrity within the organisation. However, the content is also very useful for management board members seeking to engage their Supervisory Board more actively in integrity matters.

In practice, internal supervision can be structured in various ways in the public and private sectors. In private companies, there are differences between a one-tier board, where executive and non-executive directors sit on a single body, and a two-tier board, where there are separate Management Boards and Supervisory Boards.

Some topics will naturally be more likely to appear on the agenda of a one-tier board than of a two-tier board. However, the tools and tips included in this brochure can be used for all forms of internal supervision.

Reading guide

For the sake of legibility, the term supervisory director in this brochure refers not only to a member of a Supervisory Board, but also to a member of a Board of Trustees or another body with a similar role.

In this brochure, ‘he/him’ also refers to ‘she/her’ and ‘they/them’.