Corporate Governance

Accountability and responsibility

Minister – Ordnance Survey is an independent non-ministerial government department with Executive Agency status operating as a Trading Fund under the Ordnance Survey Trading Fund Order 1999 (SI 1999/965). Ordnance Survey is accountable to Parliament though the Secretary of State in Communities and Local Government (CLG). CLG will approve the policy and financial framework within which Ordnance Survey operates and the Corporate Business Plan and Agency Performance Monitors.

Director General and Chief Executive – accountable to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the performance of Ordnance Survey in accordance with the Framework Document, the Corporate Business Plan and the Agency Performance Monitors.

Accountability to Parliament – The Secretary of State is answerable to Parliament for all matters concerning Ordnance Survey, and will deal with questions of policy and enquiries from Members of Parliament, Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and the European Parliament.

Accounting Officer – The Director General is appointed by HM Treasury as the Accounting Officer for Ordnance Survey. As such, he or she is responsible for the proper effective and efficient use of public funds and may be required to appear before the Public Accounts Committee.

See ourFramework Document, which sets out our relationship with central government, our status and overall objectives.

Boards and committees

The principal governance structure of Ordnance Survey consists of the Strategy and Operating Boards supported by the Audit and Risk, and Remuneration Committees.

Strategy Board – responsible for determining the long term strategy and vision; monitoring the external business environment and challenging internal business performance to ensure the strategy remains relevant and effective; and oversight of the successful discharge of the remit assigned to Ordnance Survey by Ministers, focusing on the strategic priorities for the business.

Operating Board – responsible for all operational matters at a corporate or multi-group level; ensuring the implementation of the strategy agreed by Strategy Board; managing the resulting operations efficiently and effectively; and making strategic recommendations to Strategy Board as and when appropriate.

Audit & Risk Committee (of Strategy Board) – responsible for the independent appraisal of Ordnance Survey's Internal Audit function and the effectiveness of the systems of internal control established to identify, assess, manage and monitor risks which may impact the organisation.

Remuneration Committee (of Strategy Board) – responsible for reviewing and recommending Directors and Senior Manager Heads' salaries, Non-Executives Directors' payments and agency bonuses.

Second Tier Governance

The following are governance groups accountable to Operating Board for day to day governance of aspects of the business.

Investment Group - responsible for corporate oversight of all investment activity and its funding.

Corporate Programme Board - responsible for corporate oversight of the conduct of all key Investment Programmes and Projects.

Product Life-Cycle Board - responsible for corporate oversight of the development and management of the product portfolio through its life-cycle, and for the co-ordinated development of product enhancements and replacement products.

Pricing and Trading Group - responsible for corporate oversight of the development and operation of the business’s pricing and licensing model(s), and trading activities

Shareholder Executive

Communities and Local Government (CLG) has engaged the Shareholder Executive (SE) to advise CLG on the management of the government interest in Ordnance Survey. The Terms of Reference of the SE involvement focus on four key areas: assessing corporate and business plans; consideration of board membership, remuneration and succession issues; monitoring performance; and supporting commercial interests. The SE focuses on increasing the value of the government's interest in Ordnance Survey.

Accountability and responsibility

Boards and committees

Second Tier Governance

Shareholder Executive

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