When I joined the board of trustees at Time Together, a small charity based in Harrogate that supports disabled and autistic people, I wasn’t exactly the "typical" trustee. At the time, many people viewed trusteeships as roles for older professionals, often men, with years of experience behind them. But Time Together’s approach was refreshingly forward-thinking. They actively sought out younger voices and fresh perspectives, demonstrating a bold commitment to diversity.

It’s been a privilege to see firsthand how a diverse group of trustees collaborate to make decisions that benefit the wider community. Bringing together individuals from different backgrounds, professions, and lived experiences doesn’t just feel good; it delivers measurable impact. It forces us to ask sharper questions, spot unseen opportunities, and make decisions that are both fairer and more effective.

How often does your company bring together genuinely diverse minds to solve challenges or create campaigns? If your marketing team, leadership boards, or strategy groups all look, think, and act the same, you might be missing out on perspectives that could drive real business growth.

Several studies have shown the positive correlation between diverse teams and better outcomes. On charity boards, the combination of varied life experiences and professional know-how creates solutions that truly serve. A marketing campaign designed only by marketers might check all the creative boxes, but will it speak to your audience on a personal level? The truth is, the best campaigns, the sharpest products, and the most relatable strategies require multiple perspectives working together.

This is a lesson businesses can take from diverse charity boards. Whether you're brainstorming a new product or responding to a marketing challenge, tapping into different viewpoints ensures decisions resonate with, and reflect, a broader audience.

But why stop there? Beyond creating better products and services, diversity can also address internal gaps. Research conducted about UK trusteeships reveals that certain skills, like marketing expertise, remain underrepresented on charity boards. Imagine the competitive advantages businesses could gain if they proactively sought out diverse expertise to fill those gaps.

To really create value through diversity, businesses need to address representation gaps more effectively.

• Gender Representation: While progress is being made towards gender parity in UK trusteeships, with 43% now being female (up from 36% in 2017), businesses can still take valuable lessons from charities that are leading the way in advancing these efforts.

• Younger Voices: Over 50% of charity trustees are retired, with an average age of 65. But research suggests that younger trustees benefit massively from the experience, with many stating it supports their career development. Businesses have a unique opportunity to include and mentor young talent.

• Ethnic Diversity: White people remain overrepresented on charity boards, reflecting similar challenges in corporate leadership. Both charities and businesses have an opportunity to engage individuals from underrepresented groups, helping to ensure more inclusive and diverse perspectives.

• Disability and Neurodiversity: Charity boards are increasingly including disabled and neurodivergent individuals, better reflecting the communities they serve. Businesses can learn from this by building more accessible workplaces and valuing different ways of thinking.

Charity boards are slowly becoming more representative of society by inviting people who typically don’t see themselves represented in leadership roles. Representation matters —to your employees, to your customers, and to your competitors.

Here are some actionable steps businesses can take to mirror the success of diverse charity boards:

1. Open Up Recruitment:

Just as Time Together challenged traditional norms by seeking younger trustees, your business can change the way it recruits for leadership and decision-making teams. Look beyond the usual qualifications and consider attributes like lived experience and unique perspectives.

2. Create Inclusive Cultures:

Building diverse teams is great, but they also need to feel valued. Encourage open conversations, actively listen to differing viewpoints, and create an environment where every voice is heard.

3. Regularly Assess Team Make-Up:

Evaluate whether your team reflects the customers and stakeholders you aim to serve. If it doesn't, create strategies to address these gaps.

4. Learn from the Charity Sector:

Charities have a lot to teach us about governance, inclusion, and the power of collaboration. Look to organisations in this space for inspiration and consider ways to leverage their approaches in your processes.

Businesses love to talk about "thinking outside the box," but maybe the answer isn’t outside at all. Maybe it lies within, with voices you haven’t yet invited to the table. If diverse charity boards can innovate, collaborate, and make evidence-based decisions with a mix of CEOs, creatives, students, and community leaders, what’s stopping businesses from doing the same?

It’s time to challenge traditional views on team structures and move towards a model that values representation, fairness, and diversity. After all, the power of many minds put together isn’t just impactful in a charity boardroom; it’s transformative for the business world.