Organising the AGM: how to run a good meeting
Why the General Members' Meeting is so important
The General Members' Meeting is not just an annual formality. It is the moment when members determine the association's direction: the board reports on accountability, the budget and the annual report are approved, board members are elected or re-elected, and major decisions are made. Those who organise the General Members' Meeting well demonstrate that the association is being run seriously.
When to issue the invitation?
The statutes determine how far in advance members must be invited. Two to four weeks is common, but check this in your association's statutes. In the invitation always state: date, time, location, the agenda and how members can submit agenda items. Send the invitation in writing or digitally; email is acceptable, but ensure you can demonstrate that everyone has been contacted.
The agenda: keep it clear
A good General Members' Meeting agenda includes fixed items:
- Opening and adoption of the agenda
- Minutes of the previous General Members' Meeting
- Board's annual report
- Financial year-end report and the audit of the accounts
- Budget for next year
- Board elections (if applicable)
- Matters submitted for decision and questions
- Closing
Keep the agenda limited to what really needs to be decided. Informational points can also be communicated via a newsletter, which saves meeting time.
Quorum: how many members must be present?
The quorum is the minimum number of attending members with which a meeting can validly decide. This is stated in the statutes. If there is no quorum, you cannot pass valid resolutions and you may have to call a second meeting, sometimes without a quorum requirement. So ensure good communication in advance to encourage attendance.
Tips for higher attendance
Low turnout is the biggest problem at the General Members' Meeting. What helps:
- Combine the General Members' Meeting with something convivial (a drink, a presentation of a new initiative)
- Hold the General Members' Meeting directly after a popular activity or training
- Send a personal reminder one week and one day beforehand
- Make the agenda accessible and interesting, not dull lists
- Provide online participation or proxies for members who cannot attend
Voting and decision-making
The statutes regulate how votes are cast: show of hands, written or digital. Decisions are typically taken by a simple majority of votes. For substantive matters (amendment of the statutes, merger, dissolution) a qualified majority (two-thirds or three-quarters) is often required. Know this in advance and communicate it clearly to those present.
Minutes: what should you record?
Good minutes are a concise factual report, not a word-for-word transcript. Record: who was present, which decisions were made, which votes were held, and which action points exist with a person responsible and a deadline. Send the minutes within two weeks after the General Members' Meeting to all members and place them on the agenda of the next meeting for approval.
Digital General Members' Meeting: what is allowed and what is not?
Since the introduction of the WBTR (the Act on Governance and Supervision of Legal Entities), it is legally possible to hold meetings entirely digitally, provided the statutes permit this or members unanimously agree. Meeting via a video link is a good option for members who live far away or have limited mobility. Hybrid meetings, where some are present and others participate online, are also possible.