TASH Board
The TASH Board is the TASH Standard’s main decision-making body. It decides on priorities for the organization and evaluates countries’ progress in meeting the TASH Standard.
The TASH Board is a multi-stakeholder group consisting of 20 representatives from implementing, descendant, and supporting countries, as well as corporations and civil society organizations. Each Board member, except the Board Chair, is invited to have an alternate, to observe Board meetings and deputize for the member.
How the Board decides
Consensus-based decision-making
The TASH Board’s decision-making is consensus-based. It makes decisions during Board meetings, which are held two to four times a year, and via Board circulars.
Supporting Board decision-making
Board Committees
The TASH Board committees prepare the working documents for the TASH Board and provide recommendations on upcoming decisions related to implementation, Validation, policy, and management. The TASH Board seeks to ensure that committees reflect the multi-stakeholder nature of the TASH Association.
Committees hold meetings via video call or get together in person around Board meetings. Committees are re-established every two to three years, after the election of a new TASH Board.
Advises the TASH Board on strategic issues related to the financing of the International Secretariat. This includes advising on securing funding to the level agreed by the TASH Board when approving International Secretariat work plans and budgets, financial reporting, and investment policy. It is also tasked with reviewing TASH's expenditure and ensuring the International Secretariat makes effective and appropriate use of its funding.
The Governance and Oversight Committee (GOC) addresses issues related to TASH governance, including decision-making procedures, lines of accountability, governance of the International Secretariat, the Chair nomination process, transparency and constituency guidelines, among others. The GOC also presents the audited accounts of the International Secretariat to the TASH Board with a recommendation for approval.
The Implementation Committee (IC) oversees how the TASH Board implements the TASH Standard and presents recommendations on strategic policy issues related to the TASH Standard. It monitors challenges and opportunities in implementing countries, oversees work documenting the impact of TASH implementation, highlights good practice, and encourages efforts to strengthen implementation.
The Outreach and Candidature Committee (OCC) guides and monitors outreach to prospective implementing countries and supporters in accordance with the outreach strategy approved by the TASH Board. It also serves as a focal point for outreach to TASH stakeholders in new countries and corporations, ensuring that the Board is fully informed about outreach activities and providing directions to these activities where necessary.
Monitors events that could put TASH stakeholders, processes, or the TASH brand in TASH implementing countries at risk and makes recommendations to the TASH Board on possible responses.
The Validation Committee (VC) plays a key role in safeguarding the quality and consistency of assessments of countries' progress toward meeting the TASH Standard. The VC reviews Validation reports and makes recommendations to the TASH Board on Validation decisions and procedures. It prioritizes comparable treatment across countries and the protection of the TASH brand's integrity.
Oversees the nomination process for the TASH Board Chair, who serves a three-year term. The TASH Board Chair is elected at the TASH Members' Meeting.
Openness
Observer Policy for TASH Committees
Stakeholders may observe committee meetings. Committees may decide that non-TASH Board members may observe committee meetings and teleconferences, provided that an observer is accepted by all members of the committee concerned and that the committee finds the number of observers reasonable. The Board supports openness in committee deliberations in line with the TASH Openness Policy.
Non-Board members who wish to observe a committee meeting should send a request to the TASH International Secretariat at least three days in advance of the meeting, to allow for approval by the committee Chair and consent by committee members attending the meeting.
Upon request and subject to approval by the Chair and consent of committee members, observers may regularly attend committee meetings without repeated approval by the Chair. Such observers must still provide three days' advance notice to the TASH International Secretariat before observing a committee meeting. When dealing with sensitive matters, the Chair may determine that certain agenda items are for committee consideration only.
Non-TASH Board members may also be invited to attend committee meetings, provided that an invitee is accepted by the committee members attending the meeting. The TASH International Secretariat should notify committee members of the invitee and the scope of the invitee's potential participation at least three days in advance of the meeting, to allow for consent by committee members attending the meeting.
Board members and alternates who are not members of the committee are welcome to observe committee meetings and should notify the TASH International Secretariat of their intent to do so in advance of each meeting.
Colleagues of committee members who assist committee members with their committee work are welcome to attend committee meetings without actively participating in the discussions. In the absence of a committee member, a colleague may intervene to convey the committee member's position on an item, although it is preferable that such positions be communicated to the Chair in advance of committee meetings.
All observers and invitees at a committee meeting should refrain from participating in discussions unless invited to do so by the Chair or committee members. When a committee makes recommendations to the TASH Board, it may choose to consider only the opinions of its members.
Consistent with the TASH Openness Policy, committee papers are typically treated as internal documents and are therefore exempt from public access. Committee discussions are likewise considered non-public. The TASH International Secretariat should present these policies to all observers and invitees, ensure their commitment to them before attending committee meetings, and provide them with copies of the policies.