The AccountAbility AA1000 Standards Board

The AccountAbility AA1000 Standards Board frames the vision, approves the standards’ strategy, and oversees the ongoing development of the Standards used by institutions worldwide. The composition of the Board is designed to provide broad representation from the public and private sectors, civil society, and the standards community. Meet the Board members here.

AccountAbility AA1000 CIC

AccountAbility AA1000 CIC is the legal entity established to house the AA1000 Series of Standards.

What is a CIC?

A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a limited company, with special additional features, created for the use of people who want to conduct a business or other activity for community benefit, and not purely for private advantage. This is achieved by a “community interest test” and “asset lock,” which ensures that the CIC is established and managed for community purposes and the assets and profits, are solely dedicated to these purposes. Registration of a company as a CIC has to be approved by the Regulator who also has a continuing monitoring and enforcement role.

About Accountability AA1000 CIC

AccountAbility AA1000 CIC was incorporated on September 7, 2011 by the Directors of AccountAbility Strategies. The CIC was established as an appropriate vehicle to promote and develop the AA1000 Standards, and furthermore to ring-fence the Standards from AccountAbility Strategies’ Advisory Service function, ensuring its independence. In its articles of association, the AA1000 CIC was established with the mission to:

• Promote and develop internationally the AA1000 Series of Standards and to foster and maintain investigations into the best means and methods of developing and applying such Standards.
• Encourage, increase, disseminate, and promote knowledge, education, and training and the exchange of information and ideas in respect of questions relating to the AA1000 Series of Standards.

Directors of AA1000 CIC

The Board of Directors for AccountAbility AA1000 CIC hold legal and fiduciary responsibility for the CIC under the UK Companies Act. They do not determine the Standards’ strategy as set by the AA1000 Standards Board. Mr Sunil A. Misser is currently the Sole Director of the AccountAbility AA1000 Standards CIC.

As a part of the Directors' duties, the AA1000 CIC must deliver to the registrar of companies a community interest report, with its accounts, such that both documents are placed on the public record. The community interest company report provides transparency of operation and describes:

• How the company’s activities have benefited the community
• What steps were taken to consult stakeholders and what was the outcome
• What payments were made to directors
• What assets were transferred other than for full consideration
• What dividends were paid
• What performance-related interest was paid on loans or debentures

The first AccountAbility AA1000 CIC report is available on the Registrar of Companies website in June 2013.

Articles of Association

The articles of Association of AA1000 are available here.

Transfer of Assets Including Intellectual Property

In April 2013, AccountAbility Strategies completed an asset transfer to AccountAbility AA1000 CIC. This transfer was a legally bound process and included the intellectual property, assets, and business contracts associated with the Standards, which are now held and safeguarded under the CIC’s asset lock.

AA1000 Issue Resolution Process

The AccountAbility Issue Resolution Process is an essential part of maintaining the integrity of the AA1000 series. If there is a query with regard to an AA1000AS Licensed Assurance Provider, Certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (CSAP), or AccountAbility approved training providers, we recommend that where possible, the party concerned is contacted first to try and resolve any issues themselves. Where this is not possible or appropriate, or where the issue has not been successfully resolved, AccountAbility welcomes queries to be addressed to the AA1000 Standards team.

Further Information

If you would like to know more information about AA1000 CIC please use the Webcheck service with company number 07765165. This service is provided by the Registrar of Companies. This information is free of charge and may be accessed by clicking on the link above. In accordance with the CIC Regulator the Annual Accounts and CIC Report are available for download from Companies House.

For anything else please contact standards@accountability.org