How we are run
The National Trust is a large charity with a clear purpose and broad range of interests. Discover how our governance arrangements reflect these interests and how they’re designed to support and challenge our staff.
How we are organised
We aim to manage the Trust efficiently and transparently, making it clear who is accountable for what.
Our professional staff run the properties and the wider organisation. Our governance volunteers serve on a range of groups that support our staff and the Trust’s activities.
Of these groups the starting point is the Board of Trustees, which agrees plans and holds the staff to account for meeting their responsibilities. The Council appoints the Board, monitors and supports their work, and debates wider issues of policy.
Our constitution
The National Trust was first incorporated in 1894 as an Association Not For Profit under the Companies Acts 1862-1890.
Our governance arrangements are underpinned by Acts of Parliament. The first National Trust Act was passed by Parliament in 1907. Several Acts have since been introduced to update and, where necessary, revise our constitution. This ensures the National Trust continues to be well governed and remains true to its cause.
The Charities (National Trust) Order 2005 describes our current governance arrangements and is the starting point for the arrangements in the Governance handbook.
Governance handbook
Delivering our vision – ‘for everyone, for ever’ – is a demanding challenge and will only be achieved through good governance arrangements.
These arrangements, which underpin the day-to-day operations of the Trust, are set out in this document: the Sixth Edition of the Governance Handbook published in February 2024. The document articulates how we are run, how we takes decisions and how we will achieve our objectives.
We have our powers conferred through Parliament. The National Trust Acts 1907 to 1971 and the Charities (National Trust) Order 2005 details the primary legislation under which the Trust operates.
The Handbook identifies the main Trust bodies which makes up our governance structure, and explains how they run their affairs, delivering the required levels of openness, transparency and accountability.
The governance structures and processes are there to demonstrate to all who care about the Trust that our organisation is well run and that it can be held to account for its performance.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the National Trust’s governing body. It is ultimately responsible for everything that happens at the Trust and for meeting its statutory purpose. Learn more about what the Trustees do and who sits on the Board.
What does the Board of Trustees do?
The Board does not manage the Trust – its job is to ensure the Trust is managed the way it wishes to be. The Board does this by agreeing a strategy and holding the Director-General and his/her executive team to account for its delivery.
The Board of Trustees normally meets six times a year, including visits to the Trust’s regions.
How are Trustees appointed?
There are normally 12 Trustees on the Board but there can be up to 15, and they come from a variety of backgrounds, from conservation to business.
All Trustees are appointed by the Council for an initial term of three years and are eligible to re-stand. Members normally serve for two terms in order to ensure a balance of continuity and refreshment.
Executive Team
The National Trust’s Executive Team provide strategic and operational leadership. They oversee plans and set goals for the long term and oversee the performance of the Trust, while monitoring risks. They are the organisation’s senior decision-makers.
Hilary McGrady, Director-General