Board Value Index reveals a third of directors think their board adds no value

LONDON, 16 June 2025 – Board Intelligence, Europe’s largest board technology and advisory firm, has today announced the launch of its Board Value Index, revealing that almost half (46%) of company directors in the US and UK think their boards do not add enough value to their organisation.  

The Board Value Index is based on responses from more than 200 executive and non-executive directors from companies with over $50 million in turnover across the UK and US. Almost a third (31%) of directors surveyed said that their board adds no value at all, with half of that group believing their board is actively holding their organisation back. 

The findings also suggest that boards are being set up to fail, with over a third of directors (34%) stating that their board’s primary focus is on reviewing past activity. Only 21% say their board split time equally between forward- and backward-looking topics, while 10% report that over 80% of board time is spent looking backwards. 

Pippa Begg, CEO of Board Intelligence said: “With 90% of directors optimistic about the impact of deregulation and pro-growth policies, the real question is: how can boards seize the opportunity to unlock future value? In a world of volatility, regulatory rollbacks and rapid change, the most valuable boards do more than just oversee. They challenge inertia, cut through the noise, and ensure their organisation is future-focused. But that requires boards to be set up for forward-thinking decision-making, something that our research shows is still too rare.” 

Transatlantic divide: How do US and UK boards differ?

The Index reveals a notable difference in director sentiment between the UK and US. While the proportion who believe their board adds no value at all is consistent across both markets (32% in the UK versus 29% in the US), more than half (51%) of UK directors hold negative views on their board’s contribution, compared to 41% of US directors. 28% of US directors consider their board an essential value creation tool, versus just 18% in the UK.  

A similar divergence exists when looking at the weighting how time is spent in the boardroom. In the UK, 39% of directors report that their boards spend more time looking backwards than forwards, versus 29% in the US.  

What is holding boards back?

While 80% of UK and US directors rate their board meetings and processes as broadly “efficient”, fewer than four in ten (38%) describe them as “very efficient”. When asked about barriers to making faster, better decisions in the boardroom, directors were most likely to cite the rigidity and inconsistency of decision-making processes and frameworks as the biggest roadblock (selected by 28% of directors). This was followed by the clarity of roles and responsibilities (27%), time management in meetings (27%), and the quality of information provided to the board (26%).  

Regional differences were again evident. Almost a third (31%) of US board directors felt held back by processes and frameworks, and 30% cited stakeholder considerations as the biggest hurdle, compared to just 19% in the UK.  

Where are boards at their best?

The Board Value Index also assessed directors’ confidence in the ability of their board and executive team to take clear, timely, and well-informed decisions without relying on external consultants in a range of areas. Tellingly, no single area of board decision-making was selected by more than a third of directors, suggesting low levels of confidence in board decision-making overall. 

The most commonly cited areas where directors felt confident in their boards to make clear, timely, and well-informed decisions without external consultants were corporate finance (including M&A) and legal and compliance (both selected by 33% of respondents). Digitisation and technology strategy (32%) followed closely. Comparatively, directors were least confident in boards’ ability to manage reputation and brand issues (26%), HR, and the allocation of spending (both 29%) 

In contrast, when asked about executive decision makers (executive committee members and corporate senior leadership), corporate finance and legal and compliance were identified as key weaknesses, with just a quarter (25%) of directors surveyed confident in their executive team’s decision making in those areas. Setting the priority areas for growth and business strategy was identified as a strength, with 38% confident in their executives’ abilities in that area.  

Reflecting on the findings, Ann Hiatt, Chair of Board Intelligence said: “The data is clear: boards need greater clarity, from executives, investors, and regulators, on the role they are expected to play and the ways in which they can be better equipped to add value. When structured effectively, boards can be a powerful driver of performance.”

Notes for Editors

Board Intelligence is Europe’s largest board technology and advisory firm. Trusted by more than 75,000 leaders across the Fortune 500, FTSE 100, and OMX 30, Board Intelligence supercharges boards with the science of board effectiveness. For more information, visit boardintelligence.com and follow on LinkedIn.  

Board Intelligence’s Board Value Index is based on independent research conducted among more than 200 executive and non-executive directors across the UK and US, representing organisations with revenues above $50 million. It is the first benchmark designed to measure board performance from the perspective of value creation, decision-making effectiveness, and future-readiness.