Governance Reviews
Strengthening governance effectiveness, Board performance and strategic oversight
What We Help You Achieve
We support Boards, Committees, Councils and executives to strengthen governance effectiveness, improve oversight and enhance decision-making through independent governance reviews, Board performance assessments and practical governance improvement roadmaps.
Our reviews provide structured insight into governance culture, Board and Committee performance, strategic oversight, risk governance and organisational readiness – helping leaders strengthen governance maturity, accountability and long-term organisational performance.
Using JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance framework, we assess not only governance compliance and structure, but also how governance operates in practice through leadership, behaviours, culture, risk oversight and strategic alignment.
The Challenge
Boards today operate in an environment of heightened scrutiny, increasing stakeholder expectations and rapidly evolving risk landscapes.
Regulators, shareholders, members and the community expect Directors to demonstrate:
- Strong governance oversight;
- Ethical leadership;
- Sound strategic judgement;
- Effective risk management; and
- Accountability for organisational performance and culture.
Governance failures highlighted through Royal Commissions, prudential inquiries and public sector reviews have reinforced that good governance is not simply about compliance – it is about creating a governance environment that supports informed, forward-looking and well-governed decision-making.
Without effective governance:
- Risks may not be identified early;
- Strategy and risk may become disconnected;
- Oversight gaps can emerge;
- Decision-making quality can deteriorate; and
- Organisational reputation and stakeholder confidence can be damaged.
Good governance protects reputation, strengthens resilience and supports long-term organisational success.
JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance
JNW’s Governance Reviews are underpinned by our proprietary Eight Dimensions of Good Governance framework – a practical methodology designed to assess governance effectiveness, Board performance and governance maturity.
The framework helps Boards and Committees identify governance strengths, improvement opportunities and emerging governance risks
Our Governance Review Services
Governance HealthChecks & Improvement Roadmaps
We conduct independent Governance HealthChecks to assess governance effectiveness, governance maturity and alignment to better practice governance frameworks.
Using JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance methodology, reviews may consider:
- Board and Committee effectiveness;
- Governance structures and operating models;
- Governance culture and Board dynamics;
- Strategic oversight and decision-making;
- Risk governance and assurance;
- Governance reporting and accountability; and
- Stakeholder engagement.
A key differentiator of our approach is the development of practical and prioritised Governance Improvement Roadmaps that help organisations progressively strengthen oversight, governance capability and organisational maturity over time.
Board & Director Effectiveness Assessments
Structured Board and Committee performance reviews designed to evaluate governance effectiveness and Director effectiveness.
Our methodology may include:
- Confidential Director surveys;
- One-on-one interviews;
- Governance maturity assessments;
- Governance documentation review;
- Stakeholder consultation; and
- Benchmarking against better practice governance expectations.
Reviews may assess:
- Board composition and capability;
- Board operations and meeting effectiveness;
- Board culture and dynamics;
- Strategic oversight;
- Risk management oversight;
- Financial governance;
- Stakeholder engagement; and
- Audit & Risk Committee effectiveness.
A key differentiator of our methodology is the development of practical, prioritised governance improvement roadmaps that support ongoing governance uplift and continuous improvement.
Audit & Risk Committee Reviews
Independent reviews of Audit & Risk Committee effectiveness, governance oversight and assurance frameworks.
Assessments may consider:
- Committee composition and independence;
- Charter alignment;
- Risk oversight effectiveness;
- Financial reporting oversight;
- Internal and external audit effectiveness;
- Assurance coverage;
- Governance reporting;
- Emerging risk oversight; and
- Alignment between strategy, risk and assurance.
Governance Framework & Charter Reviews
We review and refresh governance frameworks and supporting governance documentation to ensure alignment with better practice and organisational requirements.
This may include:
- Constitutions
- Board Charters
- Committee Charters
- Delegations of Authority
- Governance Policies
- Reporting Frameworks
- Governance Committee Structures.
Assurance Mapping
Independent analysis of how organisational risks are covered through:
- Management controls;
- internal assurance activities;
- External assurance providers; and
- Governance oversight structures.
This provides clarity over:
- Assurance gaps;
- Duplication;
- Accountability; and
- Governance transparency and oversight visibility.
How We Deliver:
Our governance reviews are personally delivered by experienced senior practitioners with deep experience across governance, risk management, internal audit and strategic advisory.
Our methodology combines:
- Governance expertise;
- Commercial judgement;
- Structured assessment methodologies; and
- Practical governance and operational experience.
Depending on the engagement, our approach may include:
- Governance documentation review;
- Confidential Board and Committee surveys;
- One-on-one interviews;
- Governance maturity assessments;
- Stakeholder consultation;
- Benchmarking against better practice frameworks; and
- Development of tailored governance improvement roadmaps.
Our approach is collaborative, practical and improvement focused – helping organisations strengthen governance capability rather than simply identify issues.
We help Boards strengthen governance culture, improve decision-making quality and reduce the risk of groupthink and ineffective oversight.
Outcome:
Clients benefit from:
- Stronger governance effectiveness and oversight;
- Improved Board and Committee performance;
- Enhanced governance maturity;
- Stronger linkage between strategy, risk and performance;
- Improved governance culture and accountability;
- Clearer governance structures and responsibilities;
- Improved decision-making quality;
- Enhanced oversight of cyber, technology, resilience and emerging risks;
- Improved stakeholder confidence;
- Stronger regulatory and fiduciary compliance; and
- Greater organisational resilience and preparedness.
Our Risk Solutions are strategy focused and designed to:
- Increase your risk intelligence
- Enable you to anticipate disruption
- Predict emerging risks
- Build your capacity and preparedness to act
- Turn risk into opportunity
Specific Risk services include:
- Risk Management Framework HealthChecks/Maturity Benchmarking - A benchmarking against better practice, peers and regulatory standards
- Board Risk Appetite Statement Development - Simple, proven process for Boards to determine their risk tolerances across the key areas of their business
- Risk Assessment Workshop Facilitation - Formal workshop facilitation – risk identification, controls effectiveness assessment, risk rating (Likelihood & Consequence) and risk mitigation strategies
- Risk Management Framework Policy and Procedures - Development of risk policy/procedures, risk systems and risk reporting
Selected Experience
We have supported ASX-listed entities, government, financial services, sporting organisations and not-for-profit organisations to strengthen governance, operationalise risk management and improve preparedness, oversight and decision-making. Engagements have included:
Cenitex (Victorian Government technology services provider)
- Conducted an independent Board and Audit & Risk Committee Effectiveness Review using JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance framework
- Undertook confidential Director and ARC member surveys, governance maturity assessments and one-on-one interviews
- Assessed Board composition, governance structures, Board dynamics, strategic oversight, risk governance, financial stewardship and stakeholder engagement
- Developed a practical governance improvement roadmap addressing risk appetite, cyber oversight, crisis preparedness, Board scalability and governance effectiveness
- Provided governance insights focused on strengthening forward-looking governance capability, strategic alignment and organisational readiness
AFL (on a Major AFL Club)
- Conducted a Board Governance Assessment against JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance framework
- Delivered a Director Effectiveness Performance Assessment covering Board composition, governance processes, Board dynamics, strategic oversight, risk management, operational oversight, financial reporting and stakeholder engagement
Nexus Mutual (Exxon Mobil’s staff bank)
- Delivered targeted Board governance training, focusing on Directors’ duties and regulatory obligations.
- Facilitated a Board self-assessment using JNW’s Eight Dimensions of Good Governance Maturity Model to identify priority improvement areas.
- Undertook a Governance HealthCheck informed by the APRA Prudential Inquiry into CBA, with recommendations addressing risk oversight, culture, accountability, roles and responsibilities, and remuneration governance.
Hawthorn Football Club
- Reviewed governance structures, including Board and Committee Charters and governance operating cadence
- Presented “Elevating Governance” to the Board focused on governance maturity and governance effectiveness
City of Melbourne
- Developed a Local Council Assurance Map, providing clarity over independent assurance coverage across key risks and control frameworks.
Gippsland Waste & Resource Recovery Group
- Reviewed the draft Board Charter to ensure Board responsibilities under Division 2AA of the Environment Protection Act 1970 were appropriately reflected
- Refreshed the Audit & Risk Committee Charter to ensure it was contemporary
Banyule City Council
- Completed a review of the Audit Committee Charter, including benchmarking against better practice guides by Local Government Victoria, the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Institute of Internal Auditors-Australia
Destination Phillip Island
- Governance advisory support to the Board regarding strategic governance, stakeholder engagement and governance structures during the Visitor Economy Partnership transition
- Supported governance positioning, stakeholder management and strategic oversight through a period of significant industry and government change