AccountAbility is registered in the UK as a Company Limited by Guarantee.  Consistent with its not for profit standing, funding generated from any of the firm’s three areas of focus (AA1000 Standards, Research, and Advisory Services) are focused on further advancing the firm’s mission and offerings. AccountAbility’s legal Directors have fiduciary responsibilities and lead the organisation according to its mission and strategy

A global Advisory Council, consisting of internationally renowned CEO’s, policymakers and regulators from the public and private sectors, and civil society constitute the top governing body for AccountAbility.  Their role is to: advise and support the firm in the development and execution of its strategy, help operationalise its core principles of Inclusivity, Materiality and Responsiveness, and be a catalyst for engagement with the broader community of stakeholders.

The AA1000 Standards are governed by a separate structure to ensure their independence and provide for multi-stakeholder participation. An independent Standards Board has sole responsibility for setting the strategic direction and ongoing technical development of the Standards and ensuring broad stakeholder engagement. The current “interim” Standards Board was constituted with a term limit of one year (ending June 30, 2012) and will be replaced with an expanded longer-serving Board in 2012.

The AccountAbility Advisory Council

The Members of the Advisory Council are:

  • Mr. Hans W. Decker – former President and CEO of Siemens Corporation (USA); Adjunct Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University; Board of the Graduate Faculty of the New School University, NYC (Emeritus); President of Heidelberg University Association
  • Ms. Carol  Atwood – Entrepreneur; Chair of King Arthur Flour; Board Member – Community Investment Partners (CIP), Calvert Foundation, New Paradigm Fund
  • Mr. John A. Fraser – Chairman and CEO of UBS Global Asset Management; Member of UBS Group Executive Board; former Deputy Secretary (Economic) of the Australian Treasury
  • Mr. Robert H. Herz – former Chairman of the US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB); Board Member of Fannie Mae; Trustee of the Kessler Foundation; Executive in Residence, Columbia Business School
  • Mr. Abdallah S. Jum’ah – former President and CEO of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco); Board Member – Halliburton Company, American University (Cairo), Reliance International, Saudi Investment Bank
  • Mr. Mthunzi Mdwaba – Entrepreneur; Member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (Geneva, Switzerland); Board Member of the International Organization of Employers (Geneva, Switzerland); former CEO of Torque Holdings; Vice-President of Business Unity South Africa(BUSA)
  • Sir Mark Moody-Stuart – Chairman of Hermes Equity Ownership Services; former Chairman of Anglo-American plc; former Chairman of Royal Dutch/Shell Group; Board Member – Accenture, Saudi Aramco; former Board Member, HSBC
  • Mr. Subramaniam Ramadorai – Chairman of Tata Technologies Limited; Chairman of CMC Limited; Chairman of Tata Elxsi; Vice Chairman of Tata Consultancy Services; Chairman of the Bombay Stock Exchange