The Cattle Council of Australia is the peak body representing Australian cattle producers.
It was formed with the main objective of representing the interests of its members through consultation with, and policy advice to, key industry bodies as well as Federal Government departments and other significant stakeholders.
With a significant profile, the Cattle Council CEO Jed Matz was well aware of the importance of governance in developing any company, and several years ago he completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) course.
Inspired by the terms of that course, Mr Matz saw opportunities to further the concept through encouraging Cattle Council members to take part.
“It is a wonderful initiative,” he said.
“Taking part has changed the way we manage the Cattle Council, and of course, that is for the betterment of the industry.”
The initial round of training with AICD’s Company Directors Course took place in 2016, when fifteen Leadership and Development scholarships were awarded.
“We had 89 high-calibre applicants for the scholarships, which was very encouraging,” Mr Matz said.
“We were particularly pleased to see so many talented young women apply.”
The scholarship recipients gathered in Canberra for the training at AICD’s office, with Mr Matz noting all were at different stages of their careers, but they enjoyed the chance to network and discuss various issues as a group.
“We had excellent feedback about the course,” he said.
“We have seen improvements in the decision-making and management skills of the participants.”
A second round of training will continue in 2017, with scholarships currently being offered.
Mr Matz said the Cattle Council is also looking at changes in the governance framework at board level.
“Roles can sometimes become blurred when board members are also involved in work at an operational level as is the case at the Cattle Council,” he said.
“The governance training has assisted staff and board directors in clarifying their respective roles.
“They are more aware of the board’s role in strategy have a better understanding of the processes involved in decision-making.”
The Cattle Council is committed to fostering youth involvement through the various career paths in the cattle industry, which can be seen from the number of development initiatives which foster future leaders of the industry, according to Mr Matz.
“We are also pleased that many more women are becoming involved in the organisation and we hope that this will transfer into more diverse representation at Board and committee level,” he said.
“The scholarships will no doubt assist the Cattle Council in achieving this goal.”
- Applicants for the Cattle Council AICD course need to go to applications@cattlecouncil.com.au and they can go to http://www.cattlecouncil.com.au/events/australian-institute-of-company-directors-course for more information.