Home
 
 
Home » About Us » Who we are » Rules of procedure

Rules of procedure

Rules of Procedure of the Board of World Bioenergy Association (WBA)

 

Extract from WBA’s statutes:

“8. Board

The Board decides all issues not yet determined by the GA and the SC. The Board establishes Rules of Procedure for the Board including the President, which are to be approved by the GA. In order to get WBA running before the first GA it is up to the Interim Board to decide the Rules of Procedure, which can be modified by the GA.
Board meetings will be held at least four times a year. The Board may set up Working Groups, Committees and regional or thematic task groups. It may also delegate specific tasks to such bodies or to individuals. The Board takes decisions by simple majority with at least half of the members present and by open vote. On the request of three Board members a meeting is called with six weeks notice.
WBA is legally represented by the President or by three members of the Board acting jointly.” 

GA is an abbreviation of General Assembly. SC is an abbreviation of Steering Committee.

 

1. General  

  1. The Board is responsible to the GA for all decisions it makes.
  2. The Board acts as a working team.
  3. Members of the Board are supposed to act in their individual capacity and always support the interests of WBA.
  4. Members of the Board shall take an active part in the work of the Board and shall, if possible, attend all Board meetings.
  5. No member of the Board shall vote in matters concerning his/her own interests. All Board members have to declare their interests according to the Board policy.
  6. A Board member operates according to the policy for Board members participation in internal bodies.
  7. The Board executes the decisions of the GA and the SC.
  8. The Board decides on issues not yet decided upon by the GA or the SC.
  9. The Board reviews WBA’s performance.

 

2. Program 

The Board sets up a program for execution of the GA's and the SC’s decisions and its own.

 

3. Confidentiality  

The Board members shall abide to the confidentiality policy set by the Board.

 

4. Organization of the Board meetings

  • The President is responsible for the agenda.
  • The Board fixes exact dates one year in advance.
  • Shifting of a future meeting has to be put on the official agenda of the previous meeting.

 

5. Decisions of the Board 

Decision making by the Board is made by:

  • Meetings
  • Other means according to Board policy.

 

6. Minutes  

  • The minutes indicate whether a decision has been taken unanimously or by majority. If requested, the minority position must be stated in the minutes.
  • The detailed policy for minute keeping, approval of minutes and following up decisions is set by the Board.
  • An abstract of the Board meeting minutes is published at a password-protected part on the web site. The password will be made available to each affiliate.

 

7. Representation, liaisons, counterparts 

Any documents of legal relevance shall be signed by the President or by three other members of the Board. The President is the authorized signatory for WBA.

 

8. Communication 

The Board operates according to its communication policy.

 

9. Compensation 

The Board may accept to pay compensation to members of the Board for costs and services in reasonable amounts and within the budget frame, according to its policy.

 

10. Removal

Upon a request presented by three members of the Board, substantiated by evidence, the Board can consider the removal of a Board member from the Board. Removal may be carried out in cases of

  • acts contrary to WBA’s objectives
  • continued failure to perform his/her duties
  • repeated non-attendance of Board meetings
  • significant breaches of confidentiality
  • deliberate failure to declare interests relevant to topics decided upon, according to the Board policy
  • other criteria that the Board deems appropriate.

The member in question must be given an opportunity to be heard at least at one Board meeting. Removal may only be carried out following a 2/3 vote in favour of removal in two consecutive meetings.

 

11. Policy on the role of the WBA President

Purpose

To clarify the role of the WBA President vis-à-vis the Board and for external representation.

Policy

A. Relation to/with the Board

  • The Board works as a team. The President has no formal higher authority than other members.
  • All authority of the President is derived from the Rules of Procedures for the Board and Board decisions. This implies that the Board can extend or reduce the President’s mandate and this policy as it sees fit.
  • The President is accountable to the Board for all his/her actions.
  • The President approves the agenda as proposed to the Board meetings.

B. Representation

  • The President is the first choice for high-level external representation of a political nature. Nevertheless, the President shall ensure that the other Board members are also sufficiently engaged in external representation.
  • The President is featured in public relation activities.
  • The President gives the main report of the Board to the GA.
  • The President writes regular forewards for WBA publications and writes the forward to the WBA Annual Report.
  • The President shall, when possible, consult with the Board members before making public statements about new initiatives of the WBA or before taking firm positions that have not yet been approved by the Board.
  • Nevertheless, the President also has a role in raising new issues and making interesting contributions to the bioenergy debate, which allows the President, exercising good judgment, to present new positions.

C. Others

  • The President can assign another Board member to any of his duties on a temporary basis.
  • The President has no decision-making authority apart from what has been designed in this policy or otherwise regulated in WBA guiding documents as approved by the Board.

Procedures

The President reports to each Board meeting on his/her activities relating to this policy. Any Board member has the right question the actions of the President.

 

12. Revision

Within 3 years after adopting this policy, the Board will evaluate and, where necessary, amend this policy.

 

Download the statutes of World Bioenergy Association here.