First Steps on the Supervisory Board
Gain the foundations for effective Supervisory Board performance
- Understand how Supervisory Boards really operate
- See what the role looks like in practice
- Work through real-life case studies
- Avoid common first-time mistakes
- Get practical guidance to get started
Who is this for?
This programme is designed for professionals who:
- are planning a career on Supervisory Boards,
- have recently been appointed to one,
- want to strengthen the professional dimension of their role.
Key elements of the programme
- We prepare participants for their first Supervisory Board meetings.
- We cover the legal framework and best practices governing board operations.
- We explore the role of independence and the position of a board member within a collective decision-making body.
- We show how to work effectively with key stakeholders across areas critical from a board perspective.
- We run a simulated Supervisory Board meeting to solve a real-life case study.
- We facilitate open discussion and exchange of experience.
Practitioners with real-world experience
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- Ł
- M
- N
- O
- P
- R
- S
- T
- U
- W
- Z
- Ż
Core principles of effective oversight
- We prepare you for your first Supervisory Board meeting.
- We help you define how you want to operate as a board member, where to find key company information and who to speak to in order to understand the business.
- You will learn which documents to review, where to seek support, and which analyses to rely on at the start of your role.
- We walk you through the key formal requirements you need to know from day one.
- We discuss the expectations of shareholders and other stakeholders.
- You will gain insight into how Supervisory Board members are compensated.
- We walk you through a typical year of Supervisory Board activity.
- We cover which documents a board should review, approve and rely on.
- We present the legal framework and best practices to keep in mind.
- You will receive a practical annual calendar of board work, including key milestones.
- We explore different organisational cultures and ownership structures (including state ownership and employee representation) and their impact on the role of a Supervisory Board member.
- We discuss the distinction between executive and non-executive roles.
- We cover how to structure board agendas, as well as the roles of the Chair and committee chairs.
- We examine the role of the board in shaping the composition of the management team and working with executive search advisors.
- We discuss executive remuneration frameworks, including compensation and performance evaluation.
- We explore how a Supervisory Board member works with key stakeholders across the organisation and beyond – including finance, external auditors, controlling, internal audit, compliance, HR, and shareholder representatives.
- We discuss how board members operate – balancing individual responsibility with collective decision-making.
- We examine the roles of individual board committees.
- We cover how board members work within the organisation, including the role of trust and a strong culture of debate.
- We address the importance of critical thinking and independence of judgement in the context of the board’s role.
- We discuss the role of minority voices and how to navigate such situations, including the use of dissenting opinions.
- We run a simulated Supervisory Board meeting based on a dedicated case study (in groups of approx. 10 participants).
- You will work through a “board vs. management” scenario based on assigned roles. You will receive your role in advance to allow for preparation.
- We then review the course of each meeting, compare approaches taken by different groups, and exchange insights.
Build the foundations for effective Supervisory Board performance
Need more information?
We’ll be happy to answer any questions.
- edukacja@sncrn.org
- 22 295 12 46
