The Governance of Social Enterprises: Managing Your Organization for Success

Governance is formally defined as “systems and processes that ensure the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of an organization” (Cornforth, 2003).

Governance mechanisms can include governing boards, monitoring systems and signalling mechanisms like reporting or codes of conduct. The focus of this document will be on creating and managing boards, while acknowledging that the governance of social enterprises covers a broader field than governing boards.