The boardroom tool of the future has arrived at QSuper where a SharePoint platform is now delivering sensitive company information each month on iPads.

The Trustee Office Solution for Superannuation Boards, a dedicated platform launched by the IQ Business Group (IQBG), been successfully implemented for the first time at QSuper. QSuper is one of the largest superannuation funds in Australia, with more than 545,000 members and over $A30 billion in funds under management.

The implementation provides each QSuper Board member with immediate access to an electronic Board pack and company information each month in a highly usable and secure environment. Rolled out over a two month timeframe, the Trustee Office Solution now has replaced traditional paper-based Board documentation for its members.

It has replaced monthly distribution of dozens of D-ring binders to the Board and Committee members, saving considerable paper stock, assembly time for support staff and transport charges in hard copy deliveries.

According to Chief Officer Systems and Change, Baden Sharples, “The QSuper Board recognises that advanced technologies can now enhance the administration functions of its Charter and the effectiveness of the Board performance.

“With the ever increasing volume of work demanding Board attention there was a drive to migrate the Board to an electronic Board paper offering, however, the provision of a secure access point for Board papers was no more than half a solution for everyone concerned. The elegance of this implementation is that it provides immediate remote and mobile iPad access to not only the necessary Board pack materials, but can connect Board members with broader Fund information should they need it.”

Each Board member has access to their Board Packs at the same time, no matter where they are and courtesy of the SharePoint and iPad platforms, they are immediately able to review the information, and collaborate further if they need to prior to a meeting. The iPad full screen means that each and every form can be read in full and templates and tasks can be completed in a highly usable format.

The issues of security and data privacy have been addressed by IQBG with the Trustee Office Solution for iPad. With each iPad being distributed to Board members implementing multiple layers of authentication and encryption together with configurable timeouts and remotely enabled central device administration the solution offers considerable security improvement over traditional hard copy distribution system.

The immediate success and acceptance of the solution has seen QSuper extend use of the technology to automate the online delivery of Board Sub-Committee papers, continuing to deliver improvements in administration and communications of corporate governance in QSuper.

“Any initial hesitation by Board and Committee members in regard to migrating to an electronic format on the iPad form factor has been replaced in a short period of time with great enthusiasm for the solution. While the Board and Committee members obviously welcome the many advantages of migrating away from hard copy Board papers there is real excitement for the personal value add and connectedness that the iPad technology brings. That is a great outcome and return on our technology investment,” Sharples concluded.

Developed with the support of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, the Trustee Office Solution automates the governance requirements for Superannuation Trustee Boards.

It assists with the preparation of Board documentation, the recording of Board meeting items and tasks and tracks the items allocated to Board individuals.

Via a personalised dashboard, each Board member can track tasks, review calendaring updates and securely access Board and Sub-Committee documentation.