The board room is a place for important decisions to be taken. It is often a place where those outside of the company are able to validate business policies that could affect or affect the lives of employees, shareholders, and consumers. Therefore, from a legal perspective it is essential that the information and documentation of the debates and deliberations are conducted in a way that the company can defend these decisions.
A board room is a space to hold meetings of a company’s board of directors members, who are selected by shareholders to run the company. Board members are tasked with maintaining a strong relationship with the CEO and other top executives, developing business strategies and protecting the integrity of the corporation.
While a board room is the ideal space for these meetings, it isn’t necessary for every organisation to have one. A simple conference room could be sufficient for meetings that require an intimate group. Modern boardrooms have video conferencing as well as whiteboards and screens for remote meetings.
The word “board” is derived from Latin “tabula” meaning table. The term was first used in the early years of colonial America when boards were established to govern and control slave trade and plantations. The term gained more popularity in America after the rise of large corporations and their necessity to manage large amounts of money, property and labour.