19 August 2014

Reforming the BPIF's Constitution

This September we will be running three consultation meetings on proposed changes to the BPIF Constitution and Rules*. These meetings are open to all member and associate member companies to attend. The dates, times and venues are: 

23 September   -     2.30 pm     -     BPIF London Office

24 September   -     2.30 pm     -     BPIF Brighouse Office

25 September   -     10.30 am    -    BPIF Meriden Office

The Constitution is a legal document that sets out:

• the objectives of the BPIF
• how the BPIF is governed by its members
• the rights and obligations that apply to members
• voting rules
• processes for electing member representatives
• the powers and obligations that apply to elected and appointed member representatives and to BPIF executive staff
• the roles and responsibilities of its governing body (the National Council), its Board of Directors, its Committees, Regional Boards and Special Interest Groups
• the business to be conducted in open meetings of members (such as the AGM) and the rules for calling such meetings
• the criteria for admission to and expulsion from membership
• the procedure by which members can make a complaint and how this will be responded to 

It can only be amended by a vote of the membership as whole.

The Constitution has existed - in one form or another - for over a century. It has been amended many times over the years, following votes by members on Resolutions for changes to previous wording. However, these votes have been focused on implementing specific changes, with earlier wording invariably left unchanged. As a consequence, the Constitution has become something of a 'patchwork quilt', with many sections now outdated and irrelevant. As it stands, the current document fails to reflect the way our federation operates in practice today and the way in which members now engage with it. A wholesale revision to the existing wording is therefore needed, taking the opportunity to simplify, update and remove wording as appropriate.

The executive has prepared a working draft of a new Constitution, which once finalised following consultation with members will be put to all member companies to vote on. We will be highlighting the changes we are proposing at the consultation meetings, and will invite comment and discussion of these. We will also be seeking any suggestions you may have for other amendments that we have not suggested but which you consider important.

There will be further opportunities for members to put forward views on this subject following the consultation meetings too. A copy of the draft will be available at the meetings for you to take away with you, so you will also be able to send us comments after the meetings if you wish. Once we have gathered members' initial views, we will then publish a further draft on our website and will invite comments on that too.

You can therefore be assured that we will be taking sufficient time to make sure we have a document that fully reflects members' views and interests before we put a final version of a new Constitution to the membership for approval. 

We look forward to seeing you at one of the September consultation meetings, and we welcome your help in reshaping the BPIF's Constitution into one that more closely reflects our changing organisation and the support it delivers to member companies.  

To attend a meeting please RSVP to your regional administrator.

* The BPIF Constitution can be downloaded here