Board Skills and Attributes Matrix
Version 3, Effective January 1, 2024
Board Succession Planning and Diversity
The Board strives to ensure that it collectively has the skills and experience needed to maintain the health of the organization and guide its long-term success. Our Board Skills and Attributes Matrix allows us to see where there may be gaps—to assist both our Nominating Entities in making their nominations and the Board when looking to fill at-large vacancies. The first part of the Matrix, reproduced below, lists leadership attributes and essentials.
Leadership Attributes and Essentials
| Leadership | Essentials |
| Leadership – leadership experience (ideally in a purpose-driven or ESG-focused organization) with ability to promote a positive, inclusive culture, foster a sense of belonging and implement change, experience working with management/employee teams to deliver long term vision and strategy | Diversity* - The Board should be reflective of our community. We seek gender parity and 30% of the Board to be comprised of individuals from other diversity groups. |
| Integrity and Accountability/High Ethical Standards – willing to act on and be responsible for decisions made in the boardroom; conduct themselves according to high ethical standards and integrity | Lived Experience* - The Board should also embrace a wide spectrum of lived experience to add to the diversity of perspectives around the board table, e.g., living with an individual with mental health issues or mobility impairment, having experienced poverty. |
| Strategic Insight – ability to identify key trends, assess risk and opportunities with a long-term view and encourage innovation and divergent thinking | Conflicts of Interest – No real, potential, or perceived conflicts that are not easily satisfied through disclosure or exclusion from a particular discussion. |
| Mature Confidence – ability to facilitate superior team performance, demonstrate respect and empathy, support fellow Directors, interest in new ideas and perspectives | Financial Literacy – Basic understanding of financial matters and ability to read financial statements. |
| Risk Management – understanding of enterprise risk management systems and programs | Time Availability – Can devote the required time for meeting preparation and participation. |
| Informed Judgment – critical thinker with high EQ, communicate thoughtful counsel on a broad range of issues, foster positive change, intellectually curious | * While diversity and a broad spectrum of lived experience are essential Board values and aspirations, this does not mean that all Directors will be from diverse groups. |
| Board/Governing Body Experience – service on a corporate Board, community based or not-for-profit Board or other governing body; experience as a chair or committee or working group chair or experience with CEO/organization leader searches welcome |
The second part of the matrix lists desired skills and experience. We look for directors with these skill sets, which ensures there is a diversity of experience around the Board table to effectively analyze issues and make sound decisions.
Desired Skills & Experience
| Aviation/Other Passenger or Cargo Transportation Industry – operations, maintenance, health & safety, cargo and logistics, customer service, international connections |
| ESG Experience – handling environmental, economic, social and governance issues in a complex organizational environment; understanding relationship between ESG and organization purpose, materiality and reporting; understanding Reconciliation and Indigenous relations; Climate change risks and adaptation |
| Commercial Experience – business development, revenue generation, marketing, digital and bricks and mortar, product commercialization |
| Customer Experience –designing customer experience strategies and delivering customer experience plans in a complex hospitality environment with a diverse customer base, experience with creating and delivering accessibility programs |
| Community Service –organizing and delivering community programs within a larger community group, building community connections, working across multiple organizations to promote common objectives |
| Complex Organization Oversight –experience in a senior role in a large complex publicly traded or non-share capital corporation with direct experience in overseeing CEO or other substantial managerial change, corporate reorganization, or responding to an industry paradigm shift or black swan event |
| Digital and Technology Experience – digital universe, information technology, social media, e-commerce, cybersecurity, business intelligence, analytics and their business applications |
| Financial Experience – financing, investment banking, mitigating financial distress, turn around/recovery strategies, mergers and acquisitions and other complex financial transactions |
| Government Relations/Community Service – policy and legislative development, connections/consultative experience with political/civil service sectors and community organizations, public issues management, delivering community programs. |
| Human Resources Experience – workplace culture, succession planning (especially for CEO), talent development, Diversity/ Inclusion/Belonging, executive compensation, CEO/Senior Leader performance management |
| Land Development/Investment Management Experience – oversight/management of complex development/investment projects, multi-source financing, regulatory approval processes, asset life cycle management, joint ventures & partnerships |
| International Experience – global business and marketing, global supply chain systems, e.g., supporting e-commerce fulfillment, extensive international contacts |
| Legal Experience – governance role as GC, CGO or VP Legal to large public company or external legal counsel advising large companies on governance matters; handle complex legal transactions for large deals/projects, broad range of clients, practice areas such as large scale real estate development, m&a, governance, labour, general corporate, litigation |