WHY?
The Business Integrated Governance (BIG) CIC exists to help organisations bridge the persistent gap between strategy, change, and business-as-usual.
In most organisations, governance, performance management, and change delivery operate in silos. Strategy is set at the top, change programmes are launched to deliver it, and operational teams continue with their day-to-day work—often with conflicting priorities, disconnected data, and inconsistent decision-making. The result is fragmentation: strategy stalls, data loses integrity, and governance becomes an administrative burden rather than an enabler of performance.
BIG CIC was established as a Community Interest Company to tackle this systemic problem. Its purpose is to advance the understanding and adoption of Business Integrated Governance—a structured approach that unites purpose, strategy, change, and operations within a single governance model.
Its broader mission is to help organisations make governance work with strategy and performance, not against them—enabling decisions, accountability, and value realisation to flow through the business as one integrated system.
Purpose
The Business Integrated Governance (BIG) CIC exists to advance the understanding and practical application of integrated governance — helping organisations align strategy, change, and business-as-usual within a single, coherent system.
BIG CIC operates as a not-for-profit, community interest company, established to serve the public good through the development and dissemination of knowledge. It does not exist to deliver consulting, training services, or technology products.
In practice, BIG CIC exists to:
Develop and Promote the BIG Framework
Maintain and advance the BIG Framework as a practical model for integrating governance across strategy, change, and operations — aligning key domains such as assurance, performance, value creation, and business-as-usual.
Build Capability through Education and Accreditation
Provide education, training, and professional accreditation in Business Integrated Governance, including the development of a recognised syllabus, certification standards, and examinations leading to BIG credentials.
Support a Professional Community of Practice
Connect and support practitioners, academics, and organisations who share an interest in improving how governance enables strategy delivery, fostering collaboration and shared learning.
Undertake Research and Advocacy
Contribute to the advancement of knowledge in integrated governance through research, publications, and thought leadership, influencing how governance is understood and applied across sectors.
Foster Collaboration and Community Involvement
Encourage volunteer participation and active collaboration with public bodies, professional associations, and commercial partners to advance integration practices.
The Purpose of the BIG CIC is not: To deliver consulting / training services or technology-based products
The BIG Vision
BIG CIC’s vision is to build and sustain a community and knowledge base that make integrated governance accessible, practical, and professionally recognised. Its key elements include:
A Developing Body of Knowledge (BoK):
A comprehensive knowledge base summarised publicly and made available in full detail to BIG Members, free of charge.
BIG Volunteers:
Individuals who operate the CIC, develop and share knowledge, and represent the principles of BIG in practice.
BIG Partners:
Organisations and individuals who volunteer time or expertise to support BIG’s mission, and who may independently provide consulting, training, or services that help others understand, adopt, and sustain BIG principles. Partners also contribute to funding the CIC’s modest operating costs.
BIG Professional Connections:
Collaborative relationships with thought leaders and professional bodies to ensure BIG thinking remains complementary, validated, and integrated with existing frameworks — not reinventing what already works.
BIG Membership:
A free membership base providing access to the Body of Knowledge and forming the core stakeholder community of the CIC.
BIG Exams and Accreditation:
A syllabus and examination process enabling Members to demonstrate their knowledge of, and capability with, the BIG Body of Knowledge.
BIG Funding:
Operating costs funded through donations and examination fees, covering essential expenses such as accounting, regulatory fees, web hosting, publishing, professional services, and software — typically under £2,000 per year.
BIG Website:
The central platform for introducing BIG, providing access to the Body of Knowledge, listing partners, sharing materials, and offering a public contact point.
BIG Collaboration:
Use of digital platforms — including LinkedIn for community engagement, YouTube for video content, and shared collaboration tools (e.g. Teams or SharePoint) — to enable communication, discussion, and knowledge development.
What should the Goals for the BIG CIC include next?
So far, the approach has been:
- Step 1 – Get the BIG CIC Launched – COMPLETED
- Step 2 – Get the BIG CIC Operational – this is the Phase the BIG CIC is entering where there is a group of leaders that drive the BIG CIC
- Step 3 – Make it self sufficient – once Operational, can the leaders may it a self financing, stand alone, not for profit organisation?
Assuming the BIG CIC is entering Step 2 –
- what should the purpose become?
- what should the vision be?
- what goals should the CIC set for which timeframes?