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TS-BGS-13 Trust & Stewardship Board Governance & Strategy CORE Compliance v2.9.7

Board pledge "We did not solicit office"

This criterion assesses whether the organization's board members collectively make an annual public pledge affirming that they did not seek or campaign for their positions. It evaluates the commitment to servant leadership by reinforcing the Islamic principle that leadership (Wilayah) is a responsibility (Taklīf) rather than a privilege (Tashrīf). "Solicit/campaigning" includes canvassing for votes, offering inducements, coordinated vote drives, paid promotion, undue use of organizational resources, or pressuring nominators. This is distinct from CC9 'political campaigning'; this concerns internal governance. Where bylaws mandate elections, the pledge is adapted (Election Variant) to prohibit improper canvassing/inducements while permitting equal, official candidate statements. Transparency applies to the pledge and process—not to confidential allegation details.

Compliance 5
  • Breach protocol with minimum standards: (i) triage within 5 days, (ii) independent investigator, (iii) evidence standard, (iv) sanctions ladder, (v) SIR logging
    Governance Essential
  • Data protection & communications guardrails: published pledge must not reference individuals or allegations; complaints handled confidentially per GDPR
    Governance Important
  • Confidential reporting/whistleblowing channel for campaigning concerns
    Governance Essential
  • Serious incident assessment and reporting to the Charity Commission where applicable
    Governance Essential
  • Annual training on integrity/anti-bribery for trustees
    Training Essential
Basic 5
  • Formal annual board pledge process
    Process Essential
  • Collective public statement
    Governance Important
  • Individual affirmation by all board members
    Process Essential
  • Documentation of pledge in board minutes
    Documentation Essential
  • Ceremonial element to emphasize significance
    Leadership Medium
Good 9
  • Public accessibility of the pledge (excluding sensitive allegation data)
    Governance Important
  • Candidate Briefing Pack issued to 100% of applicants/nominees, including definitions, examples, and sanctions; receipt acknowledged
    Process Essential
  • Pre‑shortlist Candidate Declaration: signed statement covering (a) no inducements/canvassing, (b) conflicts/relationships, (c) use of only official channels
    Process Essential
  • Integration with board appointment procedures
    Process Important
  • Regular review of pledge effectiveness
    Monitoring Important
  • Educational context explaining Islamic basis (Wilayah as Taklīf)
    Leadership High
  • Historical examples accompanying pledge
    Leadership Medium
  • Regular board discussions on leadership ethics
    Continuous Improvement High
  • Alternate Pledge (Election Variant) template used when member elections occur
    Governance High
Better 8
  • Structured 15–20 minute reflection at the first post-AGM board, with prompts on Amānah, motives, conflicts, and stewardship; output a one-page anonymized summary
    Quality Recommended
  • Integration with broader ethical framework
    Leadership High
  • Community witness to pledge
    Stakeholder Engagement High
  • Mentorship on servant leadership principles
    Leadership High
  • Publish pledge and process on website within 30 days
    Transparency High
  • Anonymous trustee pulse on leadership humility and undue influence
    Culture Medium
  • Post‑cycle lessons‑learned review by Nominations Committee
    Continuous Improvement High
  • Publish an outreach plan and diversity monitoring for nominations to ensure the 'no solicitation' norm does not suppress participation from under‑represented groups
    Equality, Diversity & Inclusion High
Best 2
  • Video/audio recording for transparency
    Transparency Medium
  • Independent observer to witness pledge annually and sign assurance note confirming process integrity
    Assurance High

Discussion (1)

Administrator 2026-03-07 11:07:42.447140

📋 **Version updated: 1.0.0 → 2.9.7** **Changes:** Updated islamic_references from mizan-297.json

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