Form with which the board of directors of a corporation records the contents of its first meeting.
Form with which the board of directors of a corporation records the contents of its first meeting.
There is no general requirement that board minutes be public – though some countries have laws that they must be available to members.
After a board meeting concludes, meeting minutes are drafted by the corporate secretary, reviewed by the legal team and business leaders, circulated for approval among directors, and subsequently archived for future reference.
Typically, the responsibility of taking minutes during a meeting falls to a designated person called a minute-taker or a meeting recorder. In formal meetings, such as a board of directors' meeting or a shareholders' meeting, this person is often a professional secretary or an administrative assistant.
Taking minutes at meetings Taking minutes is often the main job of the Secretary.
Preparing Minutes of corporate meetings are taken by a qualified and designated individual, such as the Corporate Secretary, and must be ratified by the board of directors. Other fundamental prerequisites for organizing a board meeting can include: ensuring that the meeting is properly informed and noticed in advance.
Board meeting minutes confidentiality varies: public companies must balance disclosure with privacy, while private companies have more flexibility. Key measures for maintaining confidentiality include using secure communication channels, confidentiality agreements, and limiting document access.
Section 146 of the Companies Act 1963 provides that the minutes of a company meeting (AGM or EGM) should be available for inspection for two hours each day to any member.
Minutes may vary slightly depending on the state and the organization, but they typically include: Meeting date, time and location. Type of meeting. Names and titles of attendees and guests. Any absent board directors. Quorum. Notes about directors who left early or re-entered the meeting.
Until the meeting minutes are approved, they are not considered an official record of the meeting. Approval is a critical step that cannot be missed. The corporate secretary's approved version of the minutes is considered to be the official record.
Robert's Rules of Order approval of minutes Read the minutes: The board chair asks the secretary to read the minutes from the previous meeting. Correct the minutes: The chair will open the floor for corrections whether the minutes were read or distributed beforehand.