We are the European Board of Directors
— Welcome to ecoDa
Chair’s message
As President of ecoDa, I am proud to represent the collective voice of over 50000 board members across Europe and 21 organizations supporting their professional commitment. Second, we are the voice of directors in Europe, bringing the real-world experience of boardrooms into the European debate. When Europe shapes corporate law and board duties, ecoDa ensures that the perspective of those who bear ultimate responsibility is heard. We advocate for regulation that is effective, proportionate and enables strong governance rather than box-ticking.
We believe that when directors are better prepared companies are stronger. And strong companies build a stronger and more competitive Europe. This is our commitment.
Maria Pierdicchi
— This is ecoDa
Who we are
We are the European Voice of Board Members. ecoDa is an independent actor and a unique umbrella organization representing the main national institutes of directors in Europe. Our member institutes cover in total about 55,000 individual directors across 24 countries, sitting on the board of companies of all sizes and sectors. All our member institutes are each recognised as the leading institute for directors and governance in their respective country. ecoDa is a member of the Global Network of Directors Institutes (GNDI).
— This is ecoDa
Purpose, Mission, Vision & Values
Purpose
ecoDa champions the interests of its member institutes by promoting high-quality corporate governance and representing the collective voice of European directors to strengthen European competitiveness and resilience.We bridge countries, sectors and governance traditions to create common understanding in an increasingly complex world, where expectations continue to rise. ecoDa is the connective intelligence of European board governance — the place where Europe's governance community learns together, speaks with one voice and shapes the future together.
Mission
Represent and support European directors by advocating for effective governance and enabling stronger boards, proportionate frameworks, and future-ready capabilities that drive long-term value.
Vision
A Europe where effective corporate governance drives global competitiveness by enabling innovative, resilient and sustainable companies grounded in European values.
Values
ecoDa is guided by the following values:
- Professionalism – rigorous, informed and independent board leadership
- Integrity – ethical conduct, trust and accountability
- Strategic responsibility – balancing performance, resilience and long-term value creation
- Constructive pluralism – respecting Europe’s diversity while building common governance standards
- Excellence – continuous improvement of governance practices in a global context
— How it started
The history of ecoDa
The Confederation was created in 2004.
ecoDa was created at a time when national institutes of directors were emerging in Europe and when the European Commission started to deal with Corporate Governance.
The European Commission’s Company Law Action Plan adopted in May 2003, aimed to promote the creation of a dynamic and flexible corporate governance framework within the EU. It therefore proposed a mix of binding and non-binding measures, to take account of the diversity of corporate governance practices and systems within the EU and the rapidly evolving environment. (The European Commission then issued Recommendations on directors’ remuneration and the role of non-executive and supervisory directors in 2004.
Organization Chart
— Meet our team
Governance Team
Our team brings together expertise in corporate governance, policy, and advocacy to support board members across Europe. We work alongside our national member institutes to promote high standards of governance, foster sustainable leadership, and bridge the gap between European policymakers and corporate boards.
We are proud of our work
Please find attached our previous annual reports and bylaws as a download
English statutes
French statutes
2025 Annual report
2024 Annual report