# Chartered Governance Institute

The Chartered Governance Institute, previously known as the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), is a qualifying and membership body for company secretaries and governance professionals operating in several common law jurisdictions.
The Institute has divisions in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
The division based in London is known as The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland. It represents and supports members in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Crown Dependencies, and associated territories, including the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka.
The ICSA has 38 branches and special interest groups, including the Chartered Secretaries Professional Practice Group, the Association of Women Chartered Secretaries, and the CGI Registrars Group, and affiliations with organizations like the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. The Chartered Governance Institute is a member of the CBI, ECODA, and the Professional Associations Research Network (PARN), and is a founding member of The Next Generation NED Network.

## History

Founded as the London-based Institute of Secretaries in 1891 to represent the interests of corporate secretaries, who had emerged to govern the administration of joint stock companies following the introduction of limited liability in 1855. A royal charter was granted in 1902. In 1970, the Institute of Secretaries merged with the Corporation of Secretaries and then became the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) in 1971. In 2019, ICSA was renamed as The Chartered Governance Institute.

## Profile

The Chartered Governance Institute independently advocates for reform in governance and provides thought leadership and guidance to the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. The Institute qualifies chartered secretaries and chartered governance professionals, conducts public and in-house training for governance professionals across different sectors, and offers bespoke training for boards. The divisions of the Institute publish magazines and resources to keep practitioners up to date with the latest in law, regulation, and procedure, including guidance, research, and specialist publications. They also run conferences for those working in corporate governance, charity governance, sports governance, and academy governance. The Institute also offers board performance and governance reviews and holds annual awards.

## Education

The Chartered Governance Institute provides qualifications in governance and awards post-nominals. The post-nominals awarded for chartered membership are Fellow (FCG/FCIS) and Associate (ACG/ACIS). For professional and part-qualified membership, the post-nominal is CG (Affiliated). Graduate members can use the post-nominal Grad CG or Grad ICSA. See List of post-nominal letters (United Kingdom).
The Chartered Governance Qualifying Program (CGQP) is the institute's flagship qualification and the most common route to graduate status and chartered membership in the institute. A person who has completed the CGQP and satisfies the prescribed working experience requirement is eligible for election as an associate or fellow of the institute. Associates and fellows are entitled to use the designation "Chartered Secretary" or "Chartered Governance Professional" or both, depending on the modules they have completed as part of the CGQP. "Chartered Secretary" and the post-nominal "ACIS" are listed in the European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015, schedule 1, part 2 (Professions Regulated by Professional Bodies Incorporated by Royal Charter), thus making chartered secretaries a regulated profession. Both Chartered Secretary and Chartered Governance Professional are designations approved by the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.
The division based in London also offers a Foundation Program, providing a broad introduction to business, governance, administration, compliance and company law; validated postgraduate courses; and short course qualifications in international finance and administration, corporate governance, charity governance, education governance, sports governance and health service governance. Holders of these qualifications are eligible for Affiliated membership. Other courses and qualifications are provided across all the divisions. Memoranda of Understanding are in place with The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).

## Charities Act 2011

The Chartered Governance Institute is one of eleven professional bodies whose members are allowed by the Charities Act 2011 in the UK to conduct independent examination of charities whose gross income exceeds £250,000 but is not otherwise subject to statutory audit.