The G1 Standard defines the core governance expectations for boards and equivalent governing bodies. It establishes the minimum principles, structures, and behaviours required to ensure effective oversight, accountability, and disciplined decision-making at the highest level of organisational authority.
The G1 Standard establishes the foundational governance expectations for boards responsible for overseeing organisational purpose, strategy, risk, and accountability. It defines the minimum structures, processes, and behaviours required to ensure that boards operate with independence, integrity, competence, and disciplined oversight.
This standard applies to boards of all sizes and structures, including unitary boards, supervisory boards, trustee boards, public-sector governing bodies, and equivalent oversight authorities. It is designed to be globally applicable, jurisdiction-neutral, and compatible with existing legal and regulatory frameworks.
G1 is not a management framework, operational guide, or advisory methodology. It does not prescribe business strategy or executive actions. Instead, it establishes governance expectations against which board conduct, structure, and effectiveness may be assessed objectively and consistently.
The board must operate under a clearly defined mandate approved at the highest organisational level. This includes documented duties, reserved matters, delegated authorities, and the governance charter that establishes the board’s guiding principles. The mandate must ensure strategic direction, organisational accountability, and long-term stewardship of assets and risk.
Boards must be structured to maintain independence, impartiality, and appropriate competence. Composition must reflect a balance of skills, professional backgrounds, and perspectives necessary to govern a modern organisation. Directors must be free from conflicts of interest, capable of independent judgement, and subject to regular evaluations to verify continued suitability.
The board holds ultimate responsibility for approving strategic direction, monitoring organisational performance, and overseeing risk frameworks. This includes governance of financial, operational, technological, and emerging risks. Boards must ensure that management implements systems that provide accurate, timely, and complete information to support effective decision-making.
Boards must uphold ethical leadership and ensure organisational culture aligns with stated values and governance expectations. This requires documented codes of conduct, whistleblowing mechanisms, conflict-of-interest controls, and transparent disciplinary processes. Boards must actively monitor culture indicators and intervene where practices undermine integrity or accountability.
Given the increasing reliance on digital and AI-enabled systems, boards must oversee the responsible use of technology, data protection, and algorithmic accountability. This includes ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, evaluating technology-related risks, and confirming that digital systems align with ethical governance principles and organisational objectives.
Boards must conduct periodic evaluations of their effectiveness, governance structures, and decision-making practices. Findings must inform improvement actions, director training programmes, and succession planning. Continuous improvement ensures the board remains capable of governing amid regulatory evolution, geopolitical shifts, and emerging organisational risks.
The complete G1 Standard, including detailed requirements, guidance notes, assessment criteria, and reference frameworks, is available for organisations seeking to align board governance practices with internationally recognised principles. Accessing the full documentation ensures that boards can implement the standard consistently, benchmark governance maturity, and prepare for independent assessment under the IGSB certification framework.
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