chief governance officer

The chief governance officer (CGO) is normally a senior vice executive reporting to the CEO; however, in the not-for-profit sector, when an organization uses policy governance, the chair of the board often takes on the role of CGO, who is tasked with directing the people, business processes and systems needed to enable good governance from inside the corporation in support of the board of directors. In some geographies the role is assumed by the chief counsel, in others by a corporate or company secretary. The role is likely to grow in prominence as corporate governance requirements - in voluntary codes or law - grow and mature. The heads of several governance-related functions may report to the CGO, including community relations / public affairs, corporate strategy, business continuity m...