General Assembly (GA)

Role: The General Assembly (GA) serves as the highest authority within the GCRI, holding the ultimate decision-making powers. It is pivotal in shaping the strategic direction and overarching policies of the organization, ensuring alignment with GCRI’s mission to address global risks and foster innovation.

Purpose: The GA's primary purpose is to ensure that the activities and strategic initiatives of the GCRI are closely aligned with its core mission, which includes promoting innovation in risk management, security, privacy, and sustainability across global standards. The GA provides a platform for collective decision-making, enabling a democratic process that reflects the diverse viewpoints of its global membership.

Decision-Making Process

1. Voting Rights:

   • Each member of the GA is entitled to one vote, ensuring equal representation.

   • Decisions are typically reached by a simple majority to facilitate efficient decision-making.

   • For critical matters such as statutory amendments or the dissolution of the organization, a supermajority or higher quorum is required to ensure broader consensus.

2. Voting Procedures:

   • Simple Majority: Utilized for routine decisions and policy approvals to streamline the process.

   • Supermajority: Required for major decisions, including amendments to the GCRI’s statutes or foundational documents, ensuring significant changes are made with widespread agreement.

   • Higher Quorum: Necessary for the dissolution of the organization or other significant structural changes, guaranteeing that such decisions are made with broad participation and support.

Hierarchical Structure

• Highest Authority: The GA is at the apex of the GCRI’s hierarchy, holding ultimate authority over all strategic decisions.

• Oversight Functions: The GA exercises oversight over all organizational bodies, including the Global Stewardship Board (GSB), Regional Stewardship Boards (RSBs), National Working Groups (NWGs), and Technical Councils (TCs).

• Delegation of Responsibilities: While operational responsibilities are delegated to these entities, the GA retains oversight and final decision-making power, ensuring alignment with GCRI’s strategic goals.

Sessions and Meetings

1. Annual Sessions:

   • These scheduled meetings allow members to review progress, set agendas for the coming year, and vote on strategic initiatives.

   • Key activities include the approval of annual reports, budget ratification, and setting strategic priorities.

2. Special Sessions:

   • Convened to address urgent or significant organizational matters requiring immediate attention from the membership.

   • These sessions can be called by the BoT, Executive Director, or by a specified number of GA members, ensuring responsiveness to emerging issues.

Policy Draft Procedure

1. Proposal Submission:

   • Members or committees submit policy proposals to the GA for consideration, ensuring inclusivity in policy development.

   • Proposals must be submitted in a standardized format and within a specified timeline to ensure consistency and thorough review.

2. Review and Discussion:

   • Proposals are reviewed, discussed, and possibly amended in committee sessions or through the collaboration platform before being presented to the GA.

   • Stakeholder feedback is solicited and incorporated during this stage, ensuring policies are well-rounded and address diverse perspectives.

3. Voting:

   • The GA votes on the final draft of the policy, with approval based on the established voting criteria.

   • Results are documented and communicated to all members and relevant bodies to ensure transparency and accountability.

Relationships

1. Global Stewardship Board (GSB):

   • The GA elects members of the GSB and reviews its reports, ensuring that the GSB's activities align with the strategic directions set by the GA.

2. Regional Stewardship Boards (RSBs) and National Working Groups (NWGs):

   • The GA receives input and feedback from RSBs and NWGs, incorporating regional and national perspectives into global strategies.

3. Technical Councils (TCs):

   • The GA approves the creation of TCs and their major outputs, integrating specialized technical work into the broader organizational framework.

4. Central Bureau (CB) and CEO:

   • The GA oversees the work of the CB and the CEO, ensuring that operational activities support the GCRI’s strategic goals.

Checks and Balances

1. Quorum Requirements:

   • A specified number of members must be present to validate decisions, ensuring broad participation and legitimacy.

2. Conflict of Interest Policy:

   • Members must disclose potential conflicts and recuse themselves from related decisions to maintain integrity and trust.

3. Regular Audits and Reviews:

   • Internal and external audits are conducted to ensure compliance with policies and identify areas for improvement. Findings are reviewed and acted upon by the GA to maintain accountability.

4. Performance Metrics:

   • Regular monitoring and reporting on key performance indicators to track progress towards strategic goals. Adjustments are made based on data-driven insights and stakeholder feedback.

Democratic Decision-Making

1. Consensus Building:

   • The GA operates on a consensus basis, reflecting the collective will of all members. Efforts are made to achieve broad agreement on major decisions.

2. Stakeholder Engagement:

   • Active engagement with stakeholders ensures diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes. Mechanisms are in place to solicit and incorporate feedback from all relevant parties.

3. Transparency and Communication:

   • Transparent communication of decisions and rationales to all members and stakeholders. Regular updates and reports are shared to maintain trust and accountability.

Principles

1. Principles of Planetary Nexus Governance:

   • Holistic Approach: Integrates environmental, social, and economic considerations into all decision-making processes.

   • Sustainability and Resilience: Prioritizes long-term sustainability and resilience, addressing global risks comprehensively.

   • Collaborative Innovation: Encourages cross-sector and interdisciplinary collaboration to drive innovative solutions.

2. Implementation Strategies:

   • Strategic Planning: Incorporate Planetary Nexus principles into strategic planning sessions, ensuring all initiatives support holistic sustainability.

   • Stakeholder Engagement: Engage a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, academia, and the private sector, in collaborative innovation efforts.

   • Monitoring and Evaluation: Regularly assess the impact of initiatives on environmental, social, and economic dimensions, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation.

Mechanisms

1. Integrated Value Reporting System (iVRS):

   • Develop an integrated value reporting system that includes metrics for environmental, social, and economic impact.

   • Ensure that all reporting aligns with global sustainability standards and frameworks such as the UN SDGs.

2. Sustainable Competency Framework (SCF):

   • Implement a sustainable competency framework that builds capacity and skills in sustainability and resilience across the organization.

   • Provide ongoing training and development opportunities for members and stakeholders.

3. Earth Cooperation Treaty (ECT):

   • Advocate for and contribute to the development and implementation of the Earth Cooperation Treaty, promoting global cooperation on sustainability and risk management.

   • Ensure that GCRI’s policies and initiatives align with the principles and objectives of the ECT.

4. Decentralized Innovation Commons Ecosystem (DICE):

   • Foster a decentralized innovation ecosystem that supports collaborative research and development.

   • Encourage the sharing of knowledge, resources, and technologies to drive innovation and address global challenges.

5. Integrated Learning Account (ILA):

   • Establish integrated learning accounts for members to track and recognize their contributions to sustainability and innovation.

   • Use ILAs to incentivize and reward continuous learning and development.