Training Module

Governance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems

Training Module

Governance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems

Training Module

Governance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems

Modern office meeting scene representing governance foundations, with clear decision rights, accountability, and effective role-based management system governance.

Do unclear roles or decision paths impair the effectiveness of your management system?

This training module provides practical governance structures to clarify accountability, streamline escalation, and enhance coordination without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Modern office meeting scene representing governance foundations, with clear decision rights, accountability, and effective role-based management system governance.

Do unclear roles or decision paths impair the effectiveness of your management system?

This training module provides practical governance structures to clarify accountability, streamline escalation, and enhance coordination without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Modern office meeting scene representing governance foundations, with clear decision rights, accountability, and effective role-based management system governance.

Do unclear roles or decision paths impair the effectiveness of your management system?

This training module provides practical governance structures to clarify accountability, streamline escalation, and enhance coordination without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

Training module overview

Training module overview

Training module overview

Many organizations face challenges with day-to-day decision-making, even with documented responsibilities, leading to inconsistent outcomes and ineffective governance structures.

This module addresses these issues by providing a framework for designing and documenting governance within a management system to support clear decision-making. Participants will learn to define roles, authorities, and escalation paths, and to design fit-for-purpose governance mechanisms for both single-entity and multi-entity contexts, focusing on practical application rather than theoretical concepts.

Many organizations face challenges with day-to-day decision-making, even with documented responsibilities, leading to inconsistent outcomes and ineffective governance structures.

This module addresses these issues by providing a framework for designing and documenting governance within a management system to support clear decision-making. Participants will learn to define roles, authorities, and escalation paths, and to design fit-for-purpose governance mechanisms for both single-entity and multi-entity contexts, focusing on practical application rather than theoretical concepts.

Applicable environments

This module is applicable across a wide range of management systems and organisational contexts. The concepts are not tied to a specific ISO standard and are used wherever organisations need clear, workable processes, defined ownership, and embedded controls.

It is commonly applied in quality, information security, environmental, and other ISO-based management systems, as well as in non-certified environments that require structured, auditable operations.

Target audience

Target audience

Target audience

  • Management system implementers and coordinators

  • Executives and department heads accountable for management system performance

  • Those responsible for processes, policies, assets, risks, and controls related to a management system

  • Auditors seeking insights into management-side best practice (not audit technique)

  • Management consultants working with management system design, governance, or improvement

  • Management system implementers and coordinators

  • Executives and department heads accountable for management system performance

  • Those responsible for processes, policies, assets, risks, and controls related to a management system

  • Auditors seeking insights into management-side best practice (not audit technique)

  • Management consultants working with management system design, governance, or improvement

Decision support

Is this module for you?

It is a good fit if you…

  • are accountable for the overall design or oversight of a management system.

  • struggle with unclear decision rights, ownership, or escalation paths.

  • experience governance topics resurfacing mainly during audits or incidents.

  • want governance to support effective decisions rather than slow them down.

  • need governance that enables accountability without unnecessary bureaucracy.

  • are accountable for the overall design or oversight of a management system.

  • struggle with unclear decision rights, ownership, or escalation paths.

  • experience governance topics resurfacing mainly during audits or incidents.

  • want governance to support effective decisions rather than slow them down.

  • need governance that enables accountability without unnecessary bureaucracy.

If most of the points above apply, this module is likely a good fit.

It may not be the best fit if you…

  • already operate a clear, well-understood governance model that works in practice.

  • have no mandate or interest in shaping roles, decision rights, or escalation paths.

  • need detailed operational process design or control implementation.

  • are looking for risk methods, audit execution, or documentation architecture.

  • already operate a clear, well-understood governance model that works in practice.

  • have no mandate or interest in shaping roles, decision rights, or escalation paths.

  • need detailed operational process design or control implementation.

  • are looking for risk methods, audit execution, or documentation architecture.

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

  • Governance in a management system

  • Roles, responsibilities, and authority

  • Governance mechanisms

  • Governance in multi-entity / group structures

  • Governance documentation that actually gets used

  • Maintaining governance over time

  • Technology as an enabler

  • Case-based workshop

Show detailed agenda...

  • Governance in a management system

  • Roles, responsibilities, and authority

  • Governance mechanisms

  • Governance in multi-entity / group structures

  • Governance documentation that actually gets used

  • Maintaining governance over time

  • Technology as an enabler

  • Case-based workshop

Show detailed agenda...

  • Governance in a management system

  • Roles, responsibilities, and authority

  • Governance mechanisms

  • Governance in multi-entity / group structures

  • Governance documentation that actually gets used

  • Maintaining governance over time

  • Technology as an enabler

  • Case-based workshop

Show detailed agenda...

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Key outcomes

  • Define roles, authorities, and interfaces for explicit decision ownership

  • Design practical governance mechanisms with clear purpose and decision scope

  • Structure governance across multi-site or multi-entity organizations

  • Define roles, authorities, and interfaces for explicit decision ownership

  • Design practical governance mechanisms with clear purpose and decision scope

  • Structure governance across multi-site or multi-entity organizations

Additional capabilities

  • Map decision rights and escalation paths suitable for organizational complexity

  • Produce fit-for-purpose governance documentation that supports continuity and oversight

  • Establish a cadence to review and maintain governance arrangements

  • Utilize AI-assisted prompts to identify role overlaps and ambiguous interfaces for governance review

  • Map decision rights and escalation paths suitable for organizational complexity

  • Produce fit-for-purpose governance documentation that supports continuity and oversight

  • Establish a cadence to review and maintain governance arrangements

  • Utilize AI-assisted prompts to identify role overlaps and ambiguous interfaces for governance review

Additional benefits

Additional benefits

Additional benefits

Learning materials

  • Slide deck

  • Participant workbook

Templates & tools

Practical, reusable artefacts to apply the module directly to your organisation.

  • Governance design canvas

  • Role definition template

  • Organizational unit definition template

  • Committee charter template

  • Escalation path diagram template

  • Governance review checklist

  • AI prompt set

  • Governance design canvas

  • Role definition template

  • Organizational unit definition template

  • Committee charter template

  • Escalation path diagram template

  • Governance review checklist

  • AI prompt set

Confirmation

  • Certificate of completion

Module ID

HAM-AG-C-04

Domain

Audience

Manager

Language

English

Delivery

Live virtual

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.

Delivery & learning format

Delivery & learning format

Delivery & learning format

Virtual live teaching

This module is delivered live, with a strong focus on discussion, practical application, and direct interaction with the instructor.

Sessions work through realistic examples, clarify concepts in context, and apply methods directly to participants’ organisational realities.

Custom delivery options

For organisations with specific constraints or learning objectives, the module can be adapted in format or scope, including in-house delivery and contextualised case material.

Not sure if this module is right for you?

Not sure if this module is right for you?

Not sure if this module is right for you?

Send a short message and describe your context.

For an optimal learning experience

Preparation guidance

This module is designed as part of a modular training approach. Topics are deliberately distributed across modules and are not repeated in full, in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy. Each module is self-contained and can be taken on its own. Where prior knowledge or experience is helpful, this is indicated below so you can decide whether any preparation is useful for you.

For an optimal learning experience

Preparation guidance

This module is designed as part of a modular training approach. Topics are deliberately distributed across modules and are not repeated in full, in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy. Each module is self-contained and can be taken on its own. Where prior knowledge or experience is helpful, this is indicated below so you can decide whether any preparation is useful for you.

For an optimal learning experience

Preparation guidance

This module is designed as part of a modular training approach. Topics are deliberately distributed across modules and are not repeated in full, in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy. Each module is self-contained and can be taken on its own. Where prior knowledge or experience is helpful, this is indicated below so you can decide whether any preparation is useful for you.

Assumed background

No formal prerequisites. The module assumes general familiarity with how a management system is implemented and operated in an organisation.

Helpful background includes:

  • Basic understanding of organisational roles, accountability, and decision-making

  • Familiarity with common management system structures (policies, processes, responsibilities)

No formal prerequisites. The module assumes general familiarity with how a management system is implemented and operated in an organisation.

Helpful background includes:

  • Basic understanding of organisational roles, accountability, and decision-making

  • Familiarity with common management system structures (policies, processes, responsibilities)

Preparatory modules

Foundational modules (depending on background)

Useful if you are new to the underlying concepts or want a shared baseline before attending this module.

Leadership & Policy Foundations

Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability

7 h

Leadership & Policy Foundations

Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability

7 h

Leadership & Policy Foundations

Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability

7 h

Continuous learning

Follow-up modules

Continuous learning

Follow-up modules

Continuous learning

Follow-up modules

After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen your competence. If you are looking for a structured learning path, modules can also be taken as part of a professional track.

Policy Management

Build a coherent, auditable policy framework that aligns with strategy, scales across entities, and stays current without bureaucracy

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Policy Management

Build a coherent, auditable policy framework that aligns with strategy, scales across entities, and stays current without bureaucracy

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Policy Management

Build a coherent, auditable policy framework that aligns with strategy, scales across entities, and stays current without bureaucracy

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Objectives & Performance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Objectives & Performance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Objectives & Performance Foundations

Learn the fundamentals of objective setting, KPI definition, and KPI governance for management systems

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Internal Audit Foundations

Understand the purpose of internal audits, role responsibilities, independence expectations, and how audit results are used in governance and improvement

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Internal Audit Foundations

Understand the purpose of internal audits, role responsibilities, independence expectations, and how audit results are used in governance and improvement

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Internal Audit Foundations

Understand the purpose of internal audits, role responsibilities, independence expectations, and how audit results are used in governance and improvement

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Management Review

Learn the fundamentals of planning, conducting, and documenting management reviews using integrated inputs and decision-focused outputs

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Management Review

Learn the fundamentals of planning, conducting, and documenting management reviews using integrated inputs and decision-focused outputs

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Management Review

Learn the fundamentals of planning, conducting, and documenting management reviews using integrated inputs and decision-focused outputs

Duration

7 h

List price

CHF 550

View module

Office scene with people standing, walking and sitting

Ready to improve your management systems?

We support continuous improvement by embedding ISO requirements into everyday practice and daily operations.

Office scene with people standing, walking and sitting

Ready to improve your management systems?

We support continuous improvement by embedding ISO requirements into everyday practice and daily operations.

Office scene with people standing, walking and sitting

Ready to improve your management systems?

We support continuous improvement by embedding ISO requirements into everyday practice and daily operations.