UK company boards falling behind in innovation, research reveals – UKTN

New research has revealed that a majority of UK company directors hold negative views of their board’s contribution to the business, commonly citing a mismatch when it comes to innovation strategies.

As much as 51% of directors in Britain lack faith in their boards of directors, citing issues including rigidity and inconsistency, as revealed by the Board Value Index from Board Intelligence.

This is a particular concern as companies look to keep pace with rapidly evolving new technologies, such as AI, shaping their industries.

Board Intelligence analysed the findings from formal board evaluations released by all applicable FTSE 100 companies to determine sentiment from corporate directors and surveyed more than 200 executives.

The index revealed that “boards are not yet equipped to navigate the disruptive forces that are today shaping every industry and business” and that in a time of global shifting markets and rising expectations “many boards risk falling behind”.

Around a third of directors said their board adds “no value at all”, with a common gripe being their tendency to focus on reviewing past activity rather than looking to the future. A tenth of directors said their boards spend over 80% of their time looking backwards.

Just 18% of said they consider their board an essential value creation tool.

Ann Hiatt, chair of Board Intelligence, spoke of the reality the data presents. “The data is clear: boards need greater clarity from executives, investors, and regulators, on the role they are expected to play and the ways in which they can be better equipped to add value,” she said.

“When structured effectively, boards can be a powerful driver of performance.”

The figures were notably different between the UK and US. In the States, the index revealed that 41% felt negatively about the contribution of their boards, while 28% considered their contributions essential.

“In a world of volatility, regulatory rollbacks and rapid change, the most valuable boards do more than just oversee,” said Pippa Begg, chief executive of Board Intelligence.

“They challenge inertia, cut through the noise, and ensure their organisation is future-focused. But that requires boards to be set up for forward-thinking decision-making, something that our research shows is still too rare.”

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