Board and corporate retreats help to solidify a board of directors and enhance its effectiveness by giving board members time to get to know each other and to do long range or strategic planning for the organisation.

With packed agendas and time pressure, a typical board meeting rarely affords opportunity for lengthy discussion and creative thinking. The value of board retreats is that they remove the board from outside distractions for a sufficient length of time to contemplate strategic and governance issues, including the board's own development.

For all boards, a regular dedicated time spent at a board retreat off-site and away from distractions should be considered essential.