How to Protect Confidential Documents For Boards

It is important that boards safeguard confidential documents, regardless of the size of their organization or board. This means that the documents cannot be accessed by anyone who is not authorized to do so. This will help to keep information from being leaked that could affect the business or cause the loss of trust.

A comprehensive policy is essential for addressing these concerns. The policy should state that directors must protect any important non-public information they acquire or receive while on an advisory board. The policy should also clearly define what constitutes confidential information and include a clear declaration that any breach of confidentiality is considered to be a violation of a director’s fiduciary obligation to the company.

The policy should also define the manner in which the board will react to a breach. Generally speaking the board should take into consideration the various responses including censure by other directors or, in extreme cases removal from the board. This helps to ensure that the policy is taken seriously and will be enforced in the event that the need arises.

It is imperative that the secretary install an administration and distribution software to establish an effective document security system. These systems can be put in place within minutes and provide the administrative and digital rights management (DRM) controls published here needed to assist the secretary of the board in distributing board documents securely. The system offers the option of setting up specific access rights to each individual, including the ability to print and view limits along with PDF expiry dates visible watermarks, and the ability to view who has been viewing the document.