Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-26)


GCA Governance Board

The responsibilities of the GCA Governance Board include setting the GCA’s strategic aims, providing the leadership to put them into effect, supervising the management of the regulator and reporting to Government.

The Governance Board will:

Ensure the GCA office is effectively managed to fulfil its statutory duties and functions and that the principles of good corporate governance are observed.

Establish that the overall strategic direction of the GCA fits within the policy framework laid down under the Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/19/contents/enacted).

Have regard to any opinions and reports of the GCA as Accounting Officer and ensure that the GCA makes appropriate use of public funds (The GCA is funded by a levy on designated retailers, which is classified as public funds).

Membership: The Adjudicator; GCA Head of Operations; and a representative from the Department for Business and Trade

Governance Board terms of reference (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67bf06e4b0bb6528ee866af2/Governance_Board_ToR.odt) (ODT, 20.1 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 16 November 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6037d2a0e90e070564653115/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_16_November_2020.odt) (ODT, 15.4 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 25 February 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609e8257d3bf7f288c716039/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_25_February_2021.odt) (ODT, 17.7 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 13 May 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61aa475f8fa8f50381640458/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_13_May_2021.odt) (ODT, 16.9 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 25 November 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6216426ce90e0710acb254e6/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_25_November_2021.odt) (ODT, 15.1 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 22 February 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63077d3ce90e0729d9ab15f0/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_22_February_2022.odt) (ODT, 18.3 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 25 August 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6396edf1e90e077c291bbd35/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_25_August_2022.odt) (ODT, 33.9 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 7 December 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63fe373ad3bf7f557532ce6b/Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_7_December_2022_meeting.odt) (ODT, 16.4 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 24 February 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/647f3b02103ca60013039a5a/Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_24_February_2023_meeting.odt) (ODT, 35.7 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 25 May 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6560c57f3d7741000d4201c9/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_25_May_2023_meeting.odt) (ODT, 35 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 16 November 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65e71e433f6945a00603604e/GCA_Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_of_16_November_2023_meeting.odt) (ODT, 18.3 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 5 March 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6669a6a26c5954022e760e0e/Governance_Board_minutes_5_March_2024_meeting.odt) (ODT, 18 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 3 June 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6736258cf6920bfb5abc7bbc/Governance_Board_minutes_of_3_June_2024.odt) (ODT, 18.8 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 14 November 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67bf094c68a61757838d1faa/Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_14_November_2024.odt) (ODT, 15.3 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 20 February 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/682c94d15ba51be7c0f45342/Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_20_February_2025.odt) (ODT, 18.8 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 13 May 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/685a7b4345eea7ef2e620717/Governance_Board_meeting_minutes_13_May_2025.odt) (ODT, 17 KB)

Governance Board meeting minutes: 16 June 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69209556cf3db184075cfdd7/Governance_Board_minutes_16_June_2025.odt) (ODT, 19.7 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee is a sub-committee of the Governance Board and supports the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s responsibilities for issues of risk, internal control and governance by reviewing the comprehensiveness of assurances in meeting the Board’s and Accounting Officer’s assurance needs and reviewing the reliability and integrity of these assurances.

Membership: The Adjudicator; GCA Head of Operations; and an Independent Member

Audit and Risk Committee terms of reference (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/682c9061d112b221dce8ed22/Audit_and_Risk_Committee_ToR.odt) (ODT, 18.8 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 16 November 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609e80848fa8f56a34b10f8a/GCA_Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_16_November_2020.odt) (ODT, 17.1 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 13 May 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61aa480ad3bf7f055eb9b7c3/GCA_Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_13_May_2021.odt) (ODT, 16.5 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 25 November 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63077b898fa8f55363756bd6/GCA_Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_25_November_2021.odt) (ODT, 15.8 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 25 August 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6396edbc8fa8f55301a1dac4/GCA_Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_of_25_August_2022.odt) (ODT, 31.1 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 7 December 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/647f5189b32b9e0012a9630a/GCA_Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_7_December_2022.odt) (ODT, 17 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 25 May 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6560c6e33d7741000d4201cc/GCA_Audit__and__Risk__Committee__meeting__minutes__of_25__May__2023_meeting.odt) (ODT, 32.8 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 16 November 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6669a45f250b1297db760e1a/Audit___Risk_Committee_minutes_16_November_2023.odt) (ODT, 17.6 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 3 June 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673626fa37aabe56c41611c6/Audit__Risk_Committee_minutes_of_3_June_2024.odt) (ODT, 34.3 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 14 November 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/682c9827a4a41a5b3eb00cc7/Audit_and_Risk_Committee_meeting_minutes_14_November_2024.odt) (ODT, 16.7 KB)

Audit and Risk Committee meeting minutes: 13 May 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69209372cf3db184075cfdd5/Audit_and_Risk_Committee_minutes_13_May_2025.odt) (ODT, 18.9 KB)

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is a sub-committee of the Governance Board and oversees the GCA’s overall performance and delivery. It focuses on strategic leadership, management and direction, ensuring the most effective prioritisation of resources. The Executive Committee is the overall decision-making body for performance and delivery, under delegated authority from the Governance Board.

Membership: The Adjudicator; GCA Head of Operations; and one additional GCA member to be appointed by the Chair for a term of one year from the start of each GCA financial year