The review into Bord Bia’s board governance that was announced in the wake of a controversy surrounding its chairman Larry Murrin’s company importing some Brazilian beef makes no call for the Dawn Farm Foods executive to stand down.

The long-awaited Governance Ireland review has determined that Bord Bia’s board is “very capable, engaged and committed, with a strong governance foundation with solid structures and processes”.

The report to emerge from the review cites a survey of Bord Bia’s board members, stating that 83% of members see the board as “operating effectively as a governing body”.

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The same proportion responded that they were “satisfied with the governance culture and conduct of the board during the current term”.

Murrin was praised in these interviews and surveys as “fostering a respectful, open, and constructive tone, supporting engagement and participation in board discussions”.

“The survey results and interview feedback indicate that the chair is viewed as providing clear leadership, maintaining appropriate focus on governance and strategy,” the report said.

“The vast majority of board members were generally very positive about the chair’s performance and that was borne out by the high scoring for questions relating to the chair in the survey we conducted with the board as part of this review.”

Board interests

The report indicated that there is “variability in how actual, potential, and perceived conflicts [of interest] are interpreted and applied, indicating a need for clearer guidance and training”.

The report singled out a “number of nil returns” that were made by some board members in declaring relevant interests on the member or their immediate family’s behalf as an area that “may warrant further reflection”.

“To support consistency and clarity, it would be beneficial to provide targeted training on the declaration of interests,” it said.

Governance Ireland added that it could be helpful to encourage a “precautionary approach to declarations, whereby members consider disclosing interests more broadly, even where their relevance may not be immediately apparent”.

Crisis and tenures

The IFA protests earlier this year at Bord Bia’s head office in response to Murrin’s importation of Brazilian beef are referenced in the report – though without explicitly mentioning the IFA – as having placed the board “under significant pressure”.

It also called for Bord Bia’s board to come together with the agency’s senior management to decide “what lessons can be learned”.

The report sounds alarm around what it deemed the risk of a “degree of groupthink” emerging across Bord Bia’s subsidiary boards due to individuals leaving one subsidiary board and being appointed to another continuously over several years.

It recommended the consideration of tenure limits for the board and subsidiary boards.

The report claims that interviews with board members revealed a lack of clarity around the roles and responsibilities of board members, stating that more training is needed for those sitting on the board.

It was also said that it is important for the board to keep its focus on Bord Bia’s strategic issues and to “avoid getting too deeply involved in operational matters”.

Governance Ireland reported that “many board members feel there is a need for greater and more active board oversight and understanding of Origin Green and Quality Assurance”.

Bord Bia statement

A spokesperson for Bord Bia told the Irish Farmers Journal that the State agency fully engaged with the independent external board effectiveness review commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

"We welcome the completion of the process and will work with our board to consider the report in full and to address and implement the actions arising from its recommendations.

"Our focus remains on supporting farmers, growers, food producers and the wider agri-food sector as they navigate the significant challenges and opportunities facing the industry. We look forward to continuing constructive engagement with our farmer and grower members, including at the inaugural Bord Bia Farmer Forum later this month."