Governance for systemic change‍

The following report, authored by the School of System Change, explores different models of organising available for networks collaborating to achieve systemic change.
a black quote
Governance is the process of making and enforcing decisions within an organisation or society. [...] Governance is the way rules, norms and actions are structured, sustained, regulated and held accountable.

Catalyst aims‍

pink pen icon
We want to understand the options for incorporating as an entity under UK law
purple lightening bolt icon
We work in a decentralised and participatory way and want our governance to support this
purple outline of a bee with purple grid cells underneath it
We are reviewing our vision, mission and purpose
blue speaker icon
We want to explore governance which enables relational and values-led ways of working
icon of 3 people - girl on the left is holding shovel, guy in the middle is holding a plant in a pot and guy on the right is holding a ftuiticon of a girl who is holding a pot with a little plant in it up in the air and is looking at it

Explorations‍

Governance models the two perspectives:
Soft: Organising forms (Reflective of the culture we want to create and share);
Hard: Legal forms of organisation (which typically prescribe the nature of accompanying hard elements of governance)
Design tensions that were explored:
Living systems tensions
Relationship to power

Legal form options in the UK‍

a vector of triangle red fruit and green leafa vector of a girl with spade holding a triangle red fruit in one hand and spade in the otheran icon of a boy in wheelchair smiling and holding a small fruit

New and emerging models for organising‍

Decentralised Autonomous
Organisations (DAOs)‍

Designed with ambitions to create scalable global networks for collaboration and remove some of the complexity of governance and its potential for corruption through automation.

Distributed Cooperative
Organisations (DisCOs)‍

Designed to be an accessible approach to collaborative working that is cooperative, commons-oriented and rooted in valuing care work, nourished in small, federated communities.

A platform co-op‍

Platform co-ops bring the longstanding tradition of cooperative enterprise to the online economy. The two key traits that these digital co-ops must realise are democratic control and collective ownership.
a vector of blue and purple tree with branches on its left side and small fruits growing on them
Alongside registered charities, there are 4 main legal entities that are used for social enterprises:
Limited companies
Community interest companies
(CICs)
Industrial and Provident Societies
(Co-operative Societies and BenComs)
Limited Liability Partnerships

New and emerging models
for organising‍

Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs)‍

Designed with ambitions to create scalable global networks for collaboration and remove some of the complexity of governance and its potential for corruption through automation.

Distributed Cooperative Organisations (DisCOs)‍

Designed to be an accessible approach to collaborative working that is cooperative,
commons-oriented and rooted in valuing care work, nourished in small, federated communities.

A platform co-op‍

Platform co-ops bring the longstanding tradition of cooperative enterprise to the online economy. The two key traits that these digital co-ops must realise are democratic control and collective ownership.
a vector of blue and purple tree with branches on its left side and small fruits growing on themicon of 3 carrots growing from the grounda vector of a spade in the ground
an icon of a boy holding garden scissors, looking to the right and smilingan icon of a girl kneeling and planting seeds

Our thoughts ‍

light blue icon with dark blue outline of a spade
A complexity perspective will help us understand our progress. We can make adjustments to meet the needs of the system and our evolving challenges.
light blue icon with the dark blue outline of a 2 leaved plant inside
We are exploring different models, for example coupling a DisCO with a CIC. It is important to have a fiscal host underpinning some of the newer forms.
Skip footer content

Offer your services

Help shape the future of digital for charities. Join our network of skilled professionals and start making a real difference. Find out what's on offer and get involved today!

Offer your services

Join a peer network

We’re keen for you to become part of our growing network and get better connected with people working in the tech for good space. Find a peer network for you.

Join a peer network

Stay in the loop

Follow us on social media, or sign up to our newsletter for the latest information surrounding digital in the third sector, funding opportunities, top tips and events.

Stay in the loop