About us

Who we are

We are New Zealand’s only truly chartered professional body focused on best practice governance for you and your organisations.
We whakapapa to the Chartered Governance Institute which has been supporting good governance across the globe in 80 countries for over 130 years.

Excellence. Always Relevant. Inclusive. Whole Of Board. Global.

Our Vision

Governance Leaders in Aotearoa New Zealand


Our Purpose

To support your lifelong governance journey and you and your board be the best you can be.

To provide quality quality education, training and services and advocacy to support excellence in governance and to support governance professionals achieve their professional goals.


Our governance qualifications

Our accredited and internationally recognised Professional Education Programme provides governance, compliance and risk practitioners with the skills they need to improve their organisations’ performance and achieve their strategic goals. 

It is the gateway to qualifying as a Chartered Secretary or Chartered Governance Professional and to gaining membership of Governance New Zealand Inc. and the Chartered Governance Institute (formerly ICSA Global).


International affiliation and history

Governance New Zealand Inc. is the New Zealand Division of the Chartered Governance Institute

The Chartered Governance Institute is an international professional body with a network of nine local institutes (divisions) supporting over 29,000 members living and working in over 80 countries. 

Collectively, The Chartered Governance Institute is the only international organisation that can offer a qualification that empowers a person with skills that transcend borders.

The Chartered Governance Institute was founded in England in 1891 and granted its Royal Charter in 1902. The New Zealand Division of the Institute was formed in 1937.