Constitution of Evolve Housing Limited

The Evolve team considers sound corporate governance to be the foundation for achieving our vision, mission and strategy, and for ensuring we remain accountable and transparent in our dealings.

View Our Constitution

Our Board of Directors

Evolve’s Board is comprised of a group of highly skilled and knowledgeable individuals, who together bring a wealth of industry and related professional expertise to our Company.

The Board’s structure, composition and conduct is governed by Evolve’s Constitution and is set out in the Board Charter along with the Board’s role and responsibilities. In summary, the Board’s role is to provide direction in setting the Company’s strategic goals, and to oversee Management’s implementation of these goals.

As required by corporations law, the Board must exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence in carrying out its role, and to ensure its accountability is fulfilled by addressing its legal and corporate responsibilities.

Meet our Directors

Our Board Committees

The Evolve Board has established various committees, each comprising Board members who have the relevant specialist expertise to focus on the issues specific to that Committee, and make recommendations to the Board. The remit of each committee is set out in its Terms of Reference. Along with Board meetings, committee meetings are scheduled annually in advance, with flexibility for additional meetings to be called if required.

The current Board Committees include the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee and the Governance, Nomination and People Committee.

Code of Conduct

Evolve strives to engender an environment of inclusiveness, trust and integrity while serving the needs of our clients and stakeholders. We do this by requiring our directors and employees, along with contractors and volunteers, to:

  • perform their duties in a professional manner;
  • adhere to Evolve’s policies, as well as relevant law, standards and applicable third party policies and procedures;
  • act appropriately when a conflict of interest arises;
  • be responsible stewards of Evolve resources;
  • uphold and enhance Evolve’s reputation in the community; and
  • demonstrate behaviours which support and are consistent with Evolve’s core values of Inspiration, Honesty & Integrity, Empathy, Accountability and Respect.
Code of Conduct policy

Governance Policies

Evolve has implemented a number of Board approved policies which provide guidance to our directors, employees, contractors and volunteers, as well as our clients and other stakeholders, as to how Evolve intends to conduct its business.

These policies include:

  • Complaints Management
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Prevention
  • Gifts and Benefits
  • Privacy
  • Whistleblower Protection

Whistleblower Protection

Evolve is committed to developing a strong ethical culture within our company. The reporting of improper conduct is a key element in developing this ethical culture. This includes the ability for people in and outside of Evolve, being able to come forward with concerns about instances of fraud, corruption or general misconduct without fearing retribution.

Evolve is committed to achieving and maintaining high standards in all its working practices with regard to behaviour at work and service to the public. Our employees are expected to conduct themselves with integrity, impartiality and honesty.

We foster a culture that encourages the challenge of inappropriate behaviour at all levels. To support this, we encourage the reporting of genuine concerns about malpractice, illegal acts, or failures to comply with recognised standards of work, without fear of reprisal or victimisation.

We do not tolerate harassment or victimisation of a genuine whistleblower and will treat any such conduct as serious misconduct which, if proven, may result in dismissal.

Risk Management and Control Assurance

At Evolve, we understand the importance of an effective Risk Management Framework to, as much as possible, protect our clients, employees and other key stakeholders from adverse events, and to support our pursuit of opportunities.

Our Risk Management Framework provides the foundations and organisational arrangements for designing, implementing, monitoring, reviewing, and continually improving risk management throughout the organisation. This establishes a mandate and commitment to the management of risk, and details the procedures by which risk management will be implemented within the organisation.

Evolve’s Management team is responsible for designing and implementing our Risk Management Framework and for ensuring Evolve operates within the risk appetite which is set by the Board. The Board oversees our Risk Management Framework in order to satisfy itself that the Framework is effective.

The Risk Management Framework is complemented by our Compliance, Business Continuity, Crisis Management and Emergency Response protocols.

Evolve has also implemented a program of control assurance, the goal of which is to provide independent, objective assurance and support, designed to add value to and improve the Company’s operations, systems of internal control and compliance.

Regulation

Evolve Housing Limited operates within a highly regulated sector.

As a registered charity and a public company limited by guarantee, Evolve is regulated by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission and the Australian Taxation Office.

As a Community Housing Provider, Evolve is registered with and regulated by the National Regulatory System for Community Housing (NRSCH). The NRSCH is the governing body that sets out the regulatory and compliance code to monitor and ensure that community housing providers operate within the national standards and benchmarks.

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