HomeInstitutionGovernance
TN/INS/02
Edition 2027 · effective 1 January 2027
Governance
Four functions that must be separated.
Standards, certification decisions, appointments and conduct review sit apart, so that no commercial interest can buy professional standing. The bodies may start small; their roles still require an adopted instrument, named accountability, appointment and recusal rules.
§ 01Separation of powers
Power, and the safeguard that limits it.
Certification, grade and Bench decisions never take into account how much work a Neutral receives through the institution.
(Firewall)
A disclosed independence firewall is a more persuasive credential than an ornate certificate.
§ 06Status
Edition 2027: one set of texts in force.
§ 07People
Named accountability.
Samung Deb Barma
Runs the institution day to day; data-protection contact. samung@theneutrals.org
James Okonkwo (Chair), Sarah Mitchell, Dr. Raji Venkataraman
Decides Fellowship applications; not subject to executive review.
Supreme governance body
At least three independent members are named before launch; see the Council.
§ 08Fellow Users Council
The voice of the people who use the work.
(Advisory body)
Members
Practitioner members (certified neutrals), user members (general counsel and corporate users) and institutional members (associations, professional bodies, universities).
Role
Reviews method updates and certification standards, advises the Academy, and reviews governance policy changes before adoption.
Cadence
Meets quarterly; contributes to the annual governance report; holds a session at the Summit.
Join
Apply to governance@theneutrals.org.
§ 09Sanctions
Five steps, proportionate and reasoned.
Formal warning
Recorded on the neutral’s file.
Remedial training
Or supervised practice for a set period.
Suspension
Status shown as suspended on the Register.
Revocation
The credential is withdrawn.
Published finding
An anonymised finding is published where the public interest requires it.
The neutral is heard before any determination and may appeal to an independent panel. Complaints: governance@theneutrals.org.
§ 10Amendment
How the rules change.
No instrument changes without 30 days’ public consultation, a Global Council resolution and an effective date. Disputes about the Bylaws are resolved by arbitration under the ICDT Rules. Every edition is kept in the archive with its dates.
§ 03Conflicts
Disclose and decide before appointment.
Written disclosure from every prospective evaluator and assessor. Business, financial, family, prior-advice, overlapping-appointment and referral interests are checked. Some conflicts are disqualifying.
(Conflicts)
Material relationships are disclosed to every party entitled to know, and any waiver is documented where lawful and valid. Disclosure is continuing: appointment is not a ceremonial matching exercise.
§ 04Service delivery quality
Ten controls on every matter.
(Quality assurance)
01
Documented matter intake
02
Informed consent
03
Scope sign-off
04
Conflicts and privilege review
05
Evidence log
06
Evaluator competence check
07
Process variations recorded
08
Report quality checklist
09
Data retention
10
Complaint pathway
§ 05Specialist and vulnerable contexts
Restricted until ready.
Procurement decisions, workplace findings, AI assurance, care options, clinical or capacity questions, formal valuations and community impact assessments may need investigatory powers, licensed specialists and rights of reply.
(Restricted schedules)
These need restricted service schedules, professional liability arrangements and local counsel review. Until then they are education and referral pages, not direct products.
§ 06Complaints