Membership Leadership & Governance

Royal Warrants are a centuries-old mark of recognition for companies or individuals who have supplied goods or services to the Royal Household for at least five years, and who demonstrate excellence, reliability, and integrity. They are neither commercial endorsements nor easily granted badges, they are earned over time, reflecting an ongoing relationship grounded in [...]

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCC Act), with consumer protection rules effective from April 2025 and subscription contract provisions from Spring 2026, introduces significant changes for UK membership organisations, such as trade associations and professional bodies. If your organisation engages with members acting as consumers (e.g., self-employed professionals), compliance with these [...]

Membership organisations are built on public trust, stewarded by governing boards and sustained by thousands of individual members, but even the most respected membership bodies are vulnerable to governance failure. When it happens, the results can be dramatic: collapsing reputations, regulatory scrutiny and lost members. In this blog, we look at two examples, a [...]

Creating lasting mutual value with measurable impact is a big bold ambition for many business leaders, we know this is a passion and a key driver for you as leaders of member organisations committed to making this a reality. This article looks at realising ambitions, getting concrete with actions and how to build the [...]

Establishing a robust PR and communications plan is important for membership organisations, having the potential to play a vital role in achieving core objectives. Whether these goals are around attracting new members, demonstrating value to existing members, supporting key strategic initiatives, or obtaining essential funding, a strong PR strategy can support. However, with so [...]

Understanding and preparing for effective cultural change Culture is a well-used term in business but McKinsey’s definition as "how we do things around here" is probably still the most accurate. This factor critically affects any organisation’s ability to efficiently respond and adapt to shifting market environments so in many cases, culture may have the [...]

How to change your thinking to avoid being mauled by rising expectations and tightened resources Whilst the years since the pandemic have been challenging for membership organisations, all but the most optimistic business leaders believe they’re about to get even harder. In the UK, all businesses are facing a considerable level of uncertainty caused [...]

As membership bodies it is important to work in a sustainable manner, to look across all of your organisation’s activity and look at how things can be done with more awareness to the impact of this activity on the planet. Events often form a key role in the yearly output of membership organisations and [...]