Apple iPad
Aussie superannuation fund QSuper has done away with paper-based board documents for members, following the implementation of an electronic board paper service across iPads throughout the organisation.
The two-month implementation of IQ Business Group’s (IQBG) Trustee Office Solution for Superannuation Boards, has given QSuper board members access to an electronic “board pack” and company information each month.
QSuper chief officer systems and change, Baden Sharples, said the board recognised how technologies could improve administrative functions and board performance.
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“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,” Sharples said in a statement. “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.”
The company opted for IQBG’s service due to key factors including security and usability. Each iPad distributed has multiple layers of authentication and encryption, along with configurable timeouts and remotely enabled central device administration – an improvement on the security of the previous paper-based methods.
Board members are able to access their “board packs” at anytime due to the iPad platform used in conjunction with SharePoint, which also ensures forms can be read in full and templates and tasks can be completed in a usable format.
“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,” Sharples said. “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.”
According to Sharples, the implementation of the service has replaced the monthly distribution of “dozens” of D-ring binders to the board and committee members, saving paper stock, assembly time for support staff and transport charges in hard copy deliveries.
It assists with the preparation of board documentation, the recording of board meeting items and tasks and tracks the items allocated to board members via a personalised dashboard.
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