At the St John of God Foundation, we believe that good governance is foundational to trust, accountability and impact. Here is how we organise, oversee and report on our governance:

Board and leadership

• The Foundation is overseen by a Board of Trustees who bring a range of skills, experience and independent judgment to their role.
• The Board helps us set and advises us on our strategic direction, ensures alignment with our mission and values, and exercises oversight over performance, risk, finances and compliance.
• The Board is supported by our CEO and leadership team, who are responsible for the foundations operations and compliance functions (e.g. audit, risk, grants, investment) and help to provide deeper scrutiny and expert input.
• The Foundation’s leadership is accountable to the Board and is responsible for day-to-day management, implementation of strategy, and ensuring compliance with policy, regulatory and ethical obligations.

Accountability, transparency & reporting

• We publish an annual report and financial statements, which are made available to the public.
• We adhere to applicable charity, company and tax legislation and regulatory requirements.
• We maintain clear and accessible policies, including in relation to conflicts of interest, risk management, grants, donations, and data protection.
• We welcome engagement and feedback from the public, donors and stakeholders. Complaints or concerns may be raised via our designated channels and are handled in a transparent, impartial manner.

Ethical stewardship of resources

• We strive to ensure that the resources entrusted to us are used effectively, efficiently and in alignment with our mission.
• We will regularly review our fundraising programme, administration, and Better Life grant processes to ensure value for money and relevance.
• Any third parties we partner with in delivering our work are expected to meet our standards of governance, ethics and accountability.

Compliance, risk & assurance

• We maintain robust systems of internal control, risk assessment and monitoring to protect the Foundation, its stakeholders and the people we serve.
• We undertake regular external audits and independent reviews.
• Where relevant, we adhere to codes of governance and best practice frameworks in the charity / nonprofit sector.
• We are committed to continuous improvement — learning from feedback, audit outcomes, sector developments, and evolving standards.

Our commitment

Together, these structures and practices reflect our commitment to operating with integrity, stewardship, openness and accountability. We aim to earn and preserve the trust of our donors, partners, service users and the public — and to ensure that our work delivers meaningful impact in line with the values and heritage of Saint John of God.