CPABC Board Member Overview

Desired Board Composition

In support of the four essentials articulated below, in addition to the nomination form, each year, the CPABC Board of Directors revisits its skills and diversity matrix to help identify gaps in representation and, accordingly, the most sought-after skills, attributes, and diversity for incoming board members to further enhance and broaden the Board’s current skill set. There is a formal process to vet potential new board members against the skills being sought by the Board. It includes due diligence procedures and a review of submitted documentation, and may include interviews conducted with the assistance of an independent external consultant. The purpose of the process is to identify to the membership those candidates who most closely align with the competencies the board is seeking.

It is the board’s goal to have, as much as is possible, a Board whose members reflect the entirety of the membership, including such considerations as professional and business experience, ethnicity and diverse backgrounds. In addition, the board will aim to have representation from a cross-section of industry sectors.

There are four essential qualities for candidates for the Board

1. Vision
   The capacity to contribute to and adopt a shared vision for the profession, for CPABC, and for the Board’s work.
    
2. Objectivity
   The ability to put aside personal interests for the interests of the organization. Candidates should be willing to listen attentively, and engage in objective, constructive dialogue, always with the best interests of and fiduciary duty for CPABC in mind.
    
3. Commitment
   An ideal candidate should acknowledge and accept the following as their personal commitment towards fulfilling responsibilities and maintaining effectiveness on the Board;
   • Have a positive interest in CPABC and its governance;
   • Understand their fiduciary duty to help CPABC achieve the objects of the Act, which include:
     1. to promote and maintain the knowledge, skill and proficiency of members and students in the practice of accounting
     2. to establish qualifications and requirements for admission as a member and continuation of membership, and for enrollment and continuation of enrollment of students;
     3. to regulate all matters, including competency, fitness and professional conduct, relating to the practice of accounting by members, students, professional accounting corporations and registered firms;
     4. to establish and enforce professional standards;
     5. subject to paragraph (f), to represent the interests of members and students; and
     6. to protect the public interest
   • Be properly prepared for and attend every Board meeting,  the Annual General Meeting and the Board Strategic Planning Retreat; 
   • Be aware of the Governance Policies of CPABC; 
   • Be prepared to serve on a committee of the Board;
   • Be knowledgeable of the CPABC Strategic Plan and Operational Plan and Budget;
   • Be knowledgeable about the CPABC commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion;
   • Be knowledgeable about the CPABC Indigenous Engagement Strategy; and
   • Act with honesty and uphold the highest ethical standards so that public confidence and trust in the CPA designation and the profession is preserved and enhanced.
      
4. Exemplary Professional and Personal Conduct
   Board members must:
   • Have a solid understanding of the vital role of CPABC in protecting the public interest.
   • Have demonstrated adherence to the profession’s standards of professional and ethical conduct.
   • Have demonstrated professional competencies in their area of accountancy, and in the case of members engaged in public practice, have satisfied the practice review requirements of CPABC or its predecessors.
   • Have impeccable personal and business affiliations.
   • Be of good character and commit to conducting themselves in such a manner as to protect and uphold the image and reputation of their fellow members, the CPA designation, CPABC, and the profession at large.