Board’s Role in CEO Well-Being

Complementing the guidance of the 2025 NACD Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Building a High-Trust Board-CEO Relationship, this boardroom tool provides practical guidance for implementing Recommendation #7: Prioritize the CEO’s overall well-being.

How to use this tool: This tool is designed to assist boards in proactively supporting and monitoring the holistic well-being of the company’s CEO and fostering an environment where the CEO can succeed. Boards can adapt these suggestions to fit the unique culture, size, and circumstances of their organization and CEO.

CEOs are grappling with a range of urgent and high-stakes issues at an increasingly rapid pace and must play multiple roles, including a visionary leader, digital champion, culture carrier, and public ambassador. At the same time, the CEO must handle the ups and downs of public praise and backlash in traditional and social media. Fulfilling these roles requires optimal CEO physical and mental health, making the CEO’s well-being a critical part of overall risk management.

Establish a Culture of Openness, Trust, and Support 

The board leader should regularly reinforce to the CEO that their well-being is a priority for the board and create an environment where the CEO feels safe to be transparent about challenges without fear of appearing weak, incapable, or burned out.

• During personal or business crises, the board leader can offer empathetic support and constructive guidance through regular, one-on-one calls.
• The board leader can present the concept of CEO health as part of a broader entity initiative in human capital oversight focused on the health of all employees.