Charities SORP

Louise Thomson FCG

The Chartered Governance Institute SORP Engagement Partner (Trustees) Convenor Profile

About The Chartered Governance Institute

The Chartered Governance Institute (the Institute) is the qualifying and membership body for governance, with over 125 years’ experience of educating and supporting governance professionals. With a Royal Charter purpose of leading ‘effective and efficient governance and administration of commerce, industry and public affairs’, the Institute provides professional development, guidance and thought leadership, working with regulators and policy makers to champion high standards of governance.

The Institute has an extensive pedigree in the governance arena, advising governments and regulators on company law, charity law and governance issues. The breadth and experience of our membership enables the Institute to access a variety of applied experience in order to provide insights into effective practices across a range of organisations.

Online resources supporting good governance can be accessed at www.icsa.org.uk, including a dedicated charity sector knowledge hub: www.icsa.org.uk/knowledge/charity-resources. The Institute’s social media presence attracts over 32,000 followers (Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook), providing regular updates on a wide range of governance developments in the UK and overseas.

About Louise Thomson FCG

Louise has worked for the Institute since 2001 and has been the leading force behind its enhanced profile in the sector, its greater focus on charities and trustees and its deep understanding of the governance issues charities face. One of her earliest achievements was to gain Reporting Accountant status for members (from the then DTI), later enshrined in the Charities Act 2006.

She was one of the originators of the Charity Governance Code in 2003 and has been a member of the Code’s steering group ever since. The Institute continues to be the secretariat for the Code.

As a leading governance thinker and practitioner, Louise is adept at translating technical documents into practical guidance that professionals and lay trustees alike can read and implement. She is the primary author of the Institute’s guidance for the sector, alongside that for other non-profit making bodies. She is an experienced board reviewer and is dedicated to developing and promoting ways for organisations to improve governance in order to achieve their aims.