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Governance

Structure and process for decision-making and accountability

The governance of networks and partnerships is not the same as the management of operations. Management addresses day-to-day activities, such as planning, handling of staff and financial resources, monitoring work plans and so forth. Governance is the formalization of the relationships among the members/partners, combined with mechanisms for accountability of the collaborative enterprise for its actions.

A governance structure is rarely put in place at the beginning of a collaboration. Form follows function: in networks and partnerships, it may take some time for members to work through how the enterprise will operate, what its goals and objectives should be, and how to achieve those most effectively. In the process of operationalizing the network or partnership, the governance arrangements should become clearer, and can be codified in a governance agreement.

Of particular interest and concern with the governance of research networks and multistakeholder partnerships are the challenges of transparency and accountability.

• Accountability refers to the obligation to demonstrate and take responsibility for performance in light of agreed expectations, and answers the question: Who is responsible to whom and for what?^[1] When the processes and structures for the exercise of power are distributed and the obligations to demonstrate and take responsibility are delegated or shared, accountability takes on a dual nature: horizontal accountability is created among partners, while vertical accountability is created through a relationship with a higher governing body.^[2]

• Transparency of information and decision-making, and fair process (including procedures of consultation and participation) are tools used to promote non-arbitrary and responsive decisions, and arrangements for review of administrative decisions by courts or other bodies of public trust.

Key aspects of governance that should be discussed and documented include:

• Vision, mission, goals and objectives – what is the network or partnership all about?

• "Network principles" or "partnership principles" – operating values that guide collaboration.

• Membership arrangements - who is part of the network or partnership?

• Duties and responsibilities of members - what in general are the members expected to do?

• Decision-making process - what types of decisions does the membership have the authority to make, or to delegate their representatives to make?

• Accounting / reporting – how will the network or partnership report to its stakeholders and broader communities/audiences on its work and its financing?

• Other issues that may be of concern - e.g., approval of project proposals and results; role of the secretariat; roles of special committees; procedures for withdrawing from the collaboration; dispute-resolution mechanisms; and limitations on advocacy positions and other public statements.

These governance issues serve as a microcosm of the larger debate on international governance for sustainable development.

Work in progress

• Governance of non-legal entities
  In 2002, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, "Type 2 Partnerships" emerged as a key international mechanism for moving towards sustainable development. At the time, a coalition of Southern civil society organizations (CSOs) took the position that a strong follow-up mechanism must be put in place, including areas of monitoring, reporting, accountability and external evaluation for the implementation of Type 2 partnerships. To date, little has emerged that addresses this concern of southern CSOs, specifically with reference to decision-making and accountability mechanisms for these partnerships. One might argue that, in practice, Type 2 partnerships and other large networks are less transparent than the institutions hosting and funding them. Annual reports and audited financial statements, which are the generally accepted accountability mechanisms for the not-for-profit sector are not required of these non-legal entities. We are exploring whether this is in fact the case, and investigating how to assist these bodies to be more open and transparent.

• Sample governance agreements
  As we explore network practice, we are often asked for samples of governance agreements. With the support of Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), we are collecting and reviewing governance documentation for research networks.

Key contributions

• Governance and multistakeholder processes (2004) (PDF - 756 kb)
  Research from IISD's Sustainable Commodities Initiative, exploring the concepts of governance and institutions in the context of non-state, cross-sectoral initiatives: who gives them policy making authority?; how is legitimacy obtained?; and what is the duration of authority and legitimacy?

• Form Follows Function: Management and Governance of Knowledge Networks (2001) (PDF - 647 kb)
  This paper is an overview of the management and governance of formal knowledge networks. It approaches the topic from a relationships management framework and offers suggestions on creating, organizing, formalizing and institutionalizing network relationships over time. One of the key lessons learned by IISD has been to focus on network work during a scoping phase of a network which would end with the development of network governance agreements that reflect how the network actually works. Form follows function.

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