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THE GPA FRAMEWORK

We have developed the Governance Practice Assessment (GPA) as a practical, regulatory-specific, cost-effective tool to support a governing body assess the effectiveness of the elements of governance it has control over – what we call “governance practice.” Unlike a more fulsome governance review, a GPA does not dig into the elements of governance that a governing body does not have the authority to change – what we call the “governance structure.” The GPA provides a range of options from a pure “self-assessment” to models that incorporate more external feedback. Everything about the GPA, from the methodology, the questions asked, the process and the debrief discussion are all customized for regulatory boards with a mission to govern organizations with a mandate to serve and protect the public.

Fundamentally, the GPA assesses the governance practices, that the regulator has put in place to determine if they are supporting good governance and, more importantly, if they are supporting the organization’s ability to achieve its public protection mandate.

PROCESS & TIMING

Depending on the GPA option selected, the GPA typically takes around 3 months from start to finish. We strive to work with you to accommodate a timeframe which best reflects the needs, scope and time considerations of the board.

GPA Options

We provide 3 GPA options to suit the varying needs of our clients. The overall process for each option is the same, however, the way the feedback is generated and the level of external consultant involvement are different, impacting the price.

As a board strives to continually improve its governance performance over time, these flexible options allow a client to use a consistent assessment framework, compare year-over-year results, and incorporate more third-party input, if and when that may be required.

OPTION 1

Survey-based
Self-Assessment

Phase 1 | Onboarding

  • Meeting with Board Leadership/
    CEO/responsible Committee

Phase 2 | Feedback

  • Board Survey
  • Management Survey
  • Draft GPA Report

Phase 3 | Debrief & Action Plan

  • Pre-Workshop Debrief
  • Facilitated Board Debrief
  • Updated GPA Report with Action Plan

Phase 4 | Process Feedback

  • Feedback discussion with Board Leadership or CEO or responsible Committee

OPTION 2

Survey + Interview based
Self-Assessment

Phase 1 | Onboarding

  • Meeting with Board Leadership/
    CEO/responsible Committee

Phase 2 | Feedback

  • Board Survey
  • 1:1 Board Member Interviews
  • Management Focus Group
  • Management Survey
  • Draft GPA Report

Phase 3 | Debrief & Action Plan

  • Pre-Workshop Debrief
  • Facilitated Board Debrief
  • Updated GPA Report with Action Plan

Phase 4 | Process Feedback

  • Feedback discussion with Board Leadership or CEO or responsible Committee

OPTION 3

External Governance
Practice Assessment

Phase 1 | Onboarding

  • Meeting with Board Leadership/
    CEO/responsible Committee

Phase 2 | Feedback

  • Board Survey
  • 1:1 Board Member Interviews
  • Management Focus Group
  • Management Survey
  • Select External Partner Interviews
  • 1 Board Meeting Observation
  • 3 Committee Observation
  • Governance Policy Review
  • Draft GPA Report

Phase 3 | Debrief & Action Plan

  • Pre-Workshop Debrief
  • Facilitated Board Debrief
  • Updated GPA Report with Action Plan

Phase 4 | Process Feedback

  • Feedback discussion with Board Leadership or CEO or responsible Committee