The people who provide strategic direction, manage and sometimes run charities are called Trustees, Directors or Committee members. They have legal responsibilities to make sure their organisation runs effectively. They must demonstrate this by adhering to and upholding the rules set out in the governing document.

There are serious consequences if things go wrong, the charity’s reputation can be harmed and there are potential legal implications. To avoid these, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act ('The 2005 Act') outlines the duties and responsibilities of Trustees and these should be located for easy access. The Trustee induction process should include consideration of this Act.

Key points

• Trustees have important legal duties and responsibilities towards their organisation
• To avoid future problems, it is essential that your Board understands its responsibilities and duties 

Links for more information
Trustee Duties
For a wider explanation of the duties, powers and laws relating to Trustees, click on the link below.
https://www.oscr.org.uk/managing-a-charity/trustee-duties
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