Training Module
Training Module
Governance Foundations
Learn the fundamentals of role design, decision rights, governance mechanisms, and escalation paths in management systems
Understand
Implement
Manage
Audit
Training module overview
Many organisations document responsibilities but still struggle with day-to-day decisions: who decides, who owns an issue, when to escalate, and how cross-functional topics are governed. The result is inconsistent decisions, gaps between sites or entities, and committees that exist on paper but do not operate effectively.
This full-day foundation module shows how to design and document governance for a management system in a way that supports real decisions. Participants learn how to define roles, authorities, and escalation paths; how to design fit-for-purpose governance mechanisms (e.g., committees and decision forums); and how to structure governance in single-entity and group contexts. The focus stays on governance structures and decision rights—not on risk methods, objective/KPI design, audit execution, or documentation architecture owned by other modules.
Many organisations document responsibilities but still struggle with day-to-day decisions: who decides, who owns an issue, when to escalate, and how cross-functional topics are governed. The result is inconsistent decisions, gaps between sites or entities, and committees that exist on paper but do not operate effectively.
This full-day foundation module shows how to design and document governance for a management system in a way that supports real decisions. Participants learn how to define roles, authorities, and escalation paths; how to design fit-for-purpose governance mechanisms (e.g., committees and decision forums); and how to structure governance in single-entity and group contexts. The focus stays on governance structures and decision rights—not on risk methods, objective/KPI design, audit execution, or documentation architecture owned by other modules.
Target audience
Management system implementers and coordinators
Managers responsible for role clarity and decision-making in system operation
Governance, compliance, and oversight role-holders (manager-side)
Leaders involved in committee structures and escalation paths across functions or sites
Management system implementers and coordinators
Managers responsible for role clarity and decision-making in system operation
Governance, compliance, and oversight role-holders (manager-side)
Leaders involved in committee structures and escalation paths across functions or sites
Agenda
Governance in a management system
What “governance” means in practice: decision rights, accountability, escalation
Typical failure modes: role ambiguity, forum overload, silent escalations
Scope boundaries: what this module covers vs. what sits in adjacent modules
Roles, responsibilities, and authority
Translating “responsibility” into authority, decision boundaries, and interfaces
Practical role definitions: operational ownership vs. oversight vs. assurance
Avoiding overlaps and gaps across functions and sites
Governance mechanisms
Decision forums: committees, steering groups, management teams
Escalation paths: triggers, decision thresholds, and handover points
Keeping mechanisms lightweight: minimum viable governance
Governance in multi-entity / group structures
Shared vs. local governance: what must be consistent, what can vary
Decision rights across entities: delegation, escalation, and exceptions
Designing interfaces without creating parallel hierarchies
Governance documentation that actually gets used
Terms of reference and charters: purpose, scope, membership, decisions, records
Role and accountability mapping: using role matrices to make interfaces explicit
Governance records: what to capture to support continuity and oversight
Maintaining governance over time
Review cycles and ownership: when governance should be revisited
Managing change: mergers, growth, restructuring, new obligations
Technology as an enabler
Using digital tools to keep role definitions and charters current
Optional AI-assisted role overlap analysis (supporting review, not decision-making)
Workshop
Draft a governance model for your context: roles, decision forums, escalation paths
Identify the few governance artefacts that must be maintained as the system evolves
Governance in a management system
What “governance” means in practice: decision rights, accountability, escalation
Typical failure modes: role ambiguity, forum overload, silent escalations
Scope boundaries: what this module covers vs. what sits in adjacent modules
Roles, responsibilities, and authority
Translating “responsibility” into authority, decision boundaries, and interfaces
Practical role definitions: operational ownership vs. oversight vs. assurance
Avoiding overlaps and gaps across functions and sites
Governance mechanisms
Decision forums: committees, steering groups, management teams
Escalation paths: triggers, decision thresholds, and handover points
Keeping mechanisms lightweight: minimum viable governance
Governance in multi-entity / group structures
Shared vs. local governance: what must be consistent, what can vary
Decision rights across entities: delegation, escalation, and exceptions
Designing interfaces without creating parallel hierarchies
Governance documentation that actually gets used
Terms of reference and charters: purpose, scope, membership, decisions, records
Role and accountability mapping: using role matrices to make interfaces explicit
Governance records: what to capture to support continuity and oversight
Maintaining governance over time
Review cycles and ownership: when governance should be revisited
Managing change: mergers, growth, restructuring, new obligations
Technology as an enabler
Using digital tools to keep role definitions and charters current
Optional AI-assisted role overlap analysis (supporting review, not decision-making)
Workshop
Draft a governance model for your context: roles, decision forums, escalation paths
Identify the few governance artefacts that must be maintained as the system evolves
Course ID:
HAM-GF-1
Audience:
Manager
Domain:
Agnostic
Available in:
English
Duration:
7 h
List price:
CHF 550
Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.
What you get
Learning outcomes
Define roles, authorities, and interfaces so decision ownership is explicit
Map decision rights and escalation paths suitable to the organisation’s size and complexity
Design practical governance mechanisms (forums/committees) with clear purpose and decision scope
Structure governance across multi-site or multi-entity organisations using clear shared vs. local responsibilities
Produce fit-for-purpose governance documentation (charters/terms of reference and role mappings) that supports continuity and oversight
Set up a lightweight cadence to review and keep governance arrangements relevant as the organisation changes
Use optional AI-assisted prompts to identify role overlaps and ambiguous interfaces as input to governance review (not as a substitute for judgement)
Define roles, authorities, and interfaces so decision ownership is explicit
Map decision rights and escalation paths suitable to the organisation’s size and complexity
Design practical governance mechanisms (forums/committees) with clear purpose and decision scope
Structure governance across multi-site or multi-entity organisations using clear shared vs. local responsibilities
Produce fit-for-purpose governance documentation (charters/terms of reference and role mappings) that supports continuity and oversight
Set up a lightweight cadence to review and keep governance arrangements relevant as the organisation changes
Use optional AI-assisted prompts to identify role overlaps and ambiguous interfaces as input to governance review (not as a substitute for judgement)
Learning materials
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Certificate of completion
Templates & tools
Governance design canvas
Role & responsibility matrix template (RACI)
Committee charter / terms of reference template
Escalation path diagram template
Governance review checklist
Optional AI prompt set for identifying governance overlaps and unclear role boundaries
Governance design canvas
Role & responsibility matrix template (RACI)
Committee charter / terms of reference template
Escalation path diagram template
Governance review checklist
Optional AI prompt set for identifying governance overlaps and unclear role boundaries
Prerequisites
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)
Strongly recommended preparatory modules
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Leadership & Policy Foundations: Management Commitment and Policy Direction in Practice
Understand leadership responsibilities in management systems and how top management sets clear policy direction and accountability
7 h
Continuous learning
Follow-up modules
Follow-up modules
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
After completion of this module, the following modules are ideal to further deepen the participant's competence.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.
Ready to achieve mastery?
Bring ISO requirements into everyday practice to reduce avoidable issues and strengthen the trust of your customers and stakeholders.