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The Conference Board Inc
New York, NY · EIN 131624108 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE S400 · Community Improvement · Very Large (>$50M)
revenue
$95.5M
expenses
$77.2M
net assets
$68.0M
employees
280
volunteers
22
program ratio
74%
mission · from form 990

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what's ahead. We help Members anticipate "What's Ahead," improve their performance, and better serve society. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Conference Board is a global, member-driven think tank that conducts research and analysis on management, economic trends, and business practices to help organizations improve performance and serve society. Founded in 1916, it produces research reports, convenes executive councils, and hosts conferences for corporate leaders across industries. The organization operates as a non-partisan, not-for-profit with 501(c)(3) status.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $13.50M
    RESEARCH: THE CONFERENCE BOARD CREATES AND DISSEMINATES KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MANAGEMENT AND THE MARKETPLACE TO HELP BUSINESSES STRENGTHEN THEIR PERFORMANCE AND BETTER SERVE SOCIETY. WORKING AS A GLOBAL INDEPENDENT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, THE CONFERENCE BOARD CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PRODUCES RESEARCH REPORTS .
  2. #2 $1.13M
    PUBLICATIONS: THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF REPORTS AND PERIODICALS, THE CONFERENCE BOARD ANALYZES AND REPORTS ON BUSINESS PRACTICES AND POLICIES AND EVALUATES WORLDWIDE ECONOMIC TRENDS.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Conferences & Meetings
Hosts conferences, seminars, briefings, and peer group councils for corporate executives across industries to exchange insights and best practices.
Publications
Produces a wide range of reports and periodicals analyzing business practices, policies, and global economic trends for member and public dissemination.
Research
Conducts independent research on management, economic trends, and marketplace dynamics; produces reports and insights to help businesses strengthen performance and serve society.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Industry Research and Benchmarking 4 activities
    • Conduct research on corporate governance and sustainability
      Produces research and insights on corporate governance, ESG reporting, sustainability practices, and corporate citizenship, including annual reports on governance priorities and greenwashing prevention.
    • Conduct research on human capital and workplace trends
      Conducts research on human capital issues including talent management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), AI in HR, worker perceptions of AI, and organizational culture, publishing annual reports and case studies.
    • Conduct research on marketing, communications, and C-suite strategies
      Produces research and insights on marketing and communications leadership, C-suite roles, executive compensation, and strategic challenges, including surveys of CMOs and CCOs and the CMO+CCO Meter dashboard.
    • Provide benchmarking and data analytics services
      Offers TCB Benchmarking services and produces benchmarking and data analytic tools for members to compare performance and inform strategy across functional areas.
  • Professional Development for Fundraising and Philanthropy Practitioners 2 activities
    • Facilitate executive peer councils and peer group learning
      Organizes and facilitates confidential peer groups and councils of senior executives for practitioner-led learning, problem-solving, and strategic dialogue, with over 150 member councils and engagement of thousands of executives annually.
    • Support enterprise leadership development through member programs
      Connects senior executives across functions and regions to strategic insights, peer learning, and leadership development programs in areas including economy, strategy, governance, human capital, and marketing.
  • Economic and Financial Research 2 activities
    • Produce economic forecasting indicators and indexes
      Produces and maintains leading economic indicators including the Leading Economic Index® (LEI), Employment Trends Index™ (ETI), and Recession & Growth Trackers to forecast business cycles and monitor labor market and economic conditions across the US and 16 global economies.
    • Produce global and regional economic outlooks and forecasts
      Issues regular economic forecasts and analytical reports on the US and global economies, including country-specific and regional outlooks such as the Global LEI Report, Euro Area Edition, and China-focused analyses.
  • AI Governance and Ethical Research 1 activity
    • Conduct research on technology, AI, and risk management
      Produces research on AI adoption, cyber risk, technological disruption, and strategic responses, including reports on AI in HR, AI in supply chains, and the Global Gray Swans Tool for C-suite risk assessment.
  • Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 1 activity
    • Convene conferences, summits, and roundtables for business leaders
      Organizes annual summits, roundtables, and educational sessions on topics such as corporate citizenship, ESG, and AI leadership, including the Corporate Citizenship Summit and AI Leadership Summit.
  • Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
    • Disseminate research through publications, podcasts, and webcasts
      Produces and distributes over 45 major research reports annually, maintains a library of over 1,300 publications, and publishes more than 100 podcasts and 100 webcasts each year to share insights with members.
  • Member-Exclusive Resource Access 1 activity
    • Provide access to research, data, and expert briefings for members
      Offers members access to current and archived research, benchmarking tools, economic data portals, and customized expert briefings to support strategic decision-making.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conduct consumer and CEO sentiment surveys
      Administers and publishes the US Consumer Confidence Survey and the Measure of CEO Confidence Survey to assess public and executive sentiment on economic conditions, with regular reporting and analysis.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$95.47M
Contributions & grants$14.62M15%
Program service revenue$77.66M81%
Investment income$3.27M3%
Other revenue$-90K
expenses
Total expenses$77.18M
Program expenses74%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$47.86M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$129.53M
Cash$52.65M
Investments$54.03M
Liabilities$61.56M
Net assets$67.97M
Liquid reserves16.6 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -4.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 16
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Steve Odland President and CEO, Trustee 35 $1.81M
Sara Murray Managing Director, International 35 $532K
Carol Orenstein Chief Strategy Officer 35 $478K
Ivan Pollard Marketing & Communications Center Leader 35 $477K
Dana Peterson Chief Economist 35 $473K
Jennifer Tarlow Chief Human Resource Officer 35 $431K
Kathleen Plotkin Chief U.S. Member Development Officer 35 $423K
Matthew Dornfeld Senior Director, U.S. Member Development 35 $415K
James Slamp EVP, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (until 6/30/24) 35 $392K
Diana Scott U.S. Human Capital Center Leader 35 $385K
Tricia La Marca Council Relationship Executive (Former Chief Exec. Programming Officer) 35 $363K
Steve Forrey Chief Financial Officer (as of 7/1/24) 35 $289K
Kelly Zimmerman Chief Events Officer (as of 4/8/24) 35 $229K
Daniel Saltman Assistant Treasurer 35 $228K
Paul Washington Executive Director, Environmental, Social, and Governance Center (until 4/12/24) 35 $218K
Jennifer Chan Assistant General Counsel and Secretary 35 $173K
board members · 9
  • Anna Mok — Trustee
  • Asutosh Padhi — Trustee
  • Beth Brooke-Marciniak — Vice Chair and Trustee
  • Camille Olson — Trustee
  • EDWARD B RUST JR — VICE CHAIRMAN AND TRUSTEE
  • Ellen Alemany — Trustee
  • Gabrielle Sulzberger — Trustee
  • George S Barrett — Vice Chairman and Trustee
  • Harry M Kraemer Jr — Vice Chairman and Trustee
relationships · 15

Who they work with

  • CHROs Partner — Collaborates with Chief Human Resource Officers through research, surveys, and webcasts focused on HR leadership challenges.
  • Committee for Economic Development Coalition — Member of the Committee for Economic Development, a public policy center focused on economic and societal issues.
  • Committee for Economic Development Network — Collaborates with The Conference Board under shared centers of research and policy development.
  • Committee for Economic Development Network — Member of the Committee for Economic Development center within The Conference Board.
  • Google Analytics Partner — Third-party analytics provider from which The Conference Board may receive data for analytical purposes.
  • ING Partner — Co-presented insights at a Council meeting focused on relevant human capital and innovation topics.
  • Lightcast Partner — Collaborates with Lightcast on the Help Wanted OnLine® Index.
  • Marshall Plan for Europe Partner — Engaged in the development of the Marshall Plan for Europe in 1942 through business leadership.
  • PayPal Partner — Third-party payment processor used to handle membership fees and purchases on The Conference Board's platform.
  • S&P Europe 350 Network — Conducts research on disclosure gaps in AI and cyber risk within the S&P Europe 350.
  • SGX Partner — Collaborated on leadership content featuring women leaders.
  • Stripe Partner — Third-party payment processor used to handle membership fees and purchases on The Conference Board's platform.
  • TIAA Partner — Former President & CEO of TIAA, Roger Ferguson, is cited in support of The Conference Board's mission.
  • myTCB Network — Platform for members to access resources and services.
  • myTCB® Network — Platform for members to access resources and tools.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • AI-Integrated Leadership Development
    methodology: transformation_leadership_in_ai
    By embedding AI considerations into leadership and workforce strategy research, The Conference Board enables transformational change because treating AI as a core economic and organizational force ensures more effective adoption and governance.
  • Forecast-Integrated Strategic Guidance
    methodology: forecast-driven decision support
    By integrating economic forecasting with strategic research, The Conference Board helps organizations anticipate and adapt to macroeconomic shifts because forward-looking data enables proactive decision-making in volatile environments.
  • Member-Driven Peer Network Model
    methodology: peer_network_insights
    By convening peer networks of business leaders and leveraging member-driven challenges, The Conference Board generates trusted, actionable insights because shared executive experience and collaborative problem-solving produce more relevant and implementable intelligence than traditional research alone.
  • Research-Driven Organizational Transformation
    methodology: research-centered insight generation
    By producing independent, evidence-based research across strategy, governance, human capital, and ESG domains, The Conference Board improves organizational performance and societal outcomes because rigorous, nonpartisan analysis enables leaders to make more informed and forward-looking decisions.