Organisations in every sector now face tougher scrutiny from regulators, funders, lenders and the public. A single lapse in oversight, whether an unapproved payment, a missed filing or a conflict of interest left unmanaged, can cost a licence, a grant or years of reputation. Strong governance and a disciplined compliance function are what allow leaders to take decisions with confidence and prove afterwards that they acted properly.

The IMPACT Governance & Compliance Training Course walks participants through the whole system. It starts with the principles of good governance and the distinct duties of boards, committees and executives, then moves to the legal and regulatory landscape, policy design, risk management and internal control. Later sessions deal with monitoring, investigation of breaches, ethics and whistleblowing, and the way compliance information should be packaged for boards and external stakeholders. Throughout, participants test each idea against their own organisation's structure and reporting lines.

Learning is practical. Facilitators use short case files, templates and group clinics so that every participant finishes with working tools, including an obligations register, a policy review checklist and a board assurance report outline that can be introduced at work the following week.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Distinguish the responsibilities of the board, committees, management and assurance functions.
• Identify the laws, regulations, donor conditions and standards that bind their organisation.
• Design a policy framework with clear owners, review cycles and approval routes.
• Apply the three lines of defence model to allocate control and oversight duties.
• Assess governance and compliance risks using a risk register and rating matrix.
• Establish monitoring, breach reporting and whistleblowing arrangements that staff trust.
• Prepare concise assurance reports that support board decisions.

The course is intended for people who set, apply or check the rules their organisation lives by, including:

• Board members and trustees of companies, NGOs and public bodies
• Company secretaries and corporate affairs officers
• Compliance and regulatory affairs officers
• Risk managers and internal auditors
• Heads of legal services and contract managers
• Programme and country directors in development organisations
• Permanent secretaries, principal officers and senior public servants
• Finance directors and chief executives responsible for oversight

Participants return to work with:

• A draft obligations register listing duties, owners and deadlines.
• A governance health check scored against their own institution.
• A policy review checklist and a template for approving new policies.
• A compliance calendar that prevents missed filings and renewals.
• An outline for a quarterly assurance report to the board.
• A short improvement plan with priorities, owners and timelines.

The programme is run as a working clinic rather than a lecture series:

• Concise facilitator input on each governance and compliance topic
• Case files drawn from corporate, NGO and public sector settings
• Template workshops where participants draft registers, checklists and reports
• Role plays of board discussions and breach investigations
• Peer review of each participant's improvement plan

Participants who attend the sessions and complete the practical exercises are awarded a CPD-accredited Certificate of Completion by Vision Reach Global Consultancy, confirming the hours of professional development undertaken.