BCFIRB Governance

Governance is about the structures and processes an organization uses to provide direction, control, and accountability in their day-to-day operations. Good governance helps organizations to effectively meet their mandate, goals, and objectives.

“Good governance is … essential for ensuring that government is allocating provincial resources wisely and fairly, and that it is serving the public interest in an open and transparent manner...” (Source: Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia’s 2008 report, The Public Reporting of Performance Measures in British Columbia, p. 5)

One example of a key governance tool is BCFIRB’s Code of Conduct for board members.

• Read the updated BCFIRB Code of Conduct (PDF) – March 9, 2017

Accountability Framework

BCFIRB created an accountability framework to help focus its activities.

The framework describes the legal authorities, the relevant policies that affect operations, and the internal and external controls that help ensure effective governance. BCFIRB also supports the eight agricultural commodity boards in B.C. to adopt the accountability framework.

• Review BCFIRB's accountability framework (PDF)

BCFIRB incorporated the accountability framework into its strategic business planning, as part of its commitment to lead by example.

Principles-Based Regulation (PBR)

A principles-based approach to supervision and regulation relies on principles and outcome-focused rules. This approach sets expectations for those directly affected by BCFIRB decisions as well as those directly affected by the decisions and actions of the agricultural commodity boards as regulators in the agri-food industry.

BCFIRB defined six principles that are a lens or filter that help ensure a principled approach by both BCFIRB and the commodity boards to their responsibilities. These six principles are collectively referred to as "SAFETI" principles:

S	Strategic	Identifying key opportunities and systemic challenges, and plan for actions to effectively manage risks and take advantage of future opportunities
A	Accountable	Maintaining legitimacy and integrity through understanding and discharging responsibilities and reporting performance.
F	Fair	Ensuring procedural fairness in processes and decision making.
E	Effective	Ensuring clearly defined outcomes with appropriate processes and measures.
T	Transparent	Ensuring that processes, practices, procedures, and reporting on how the mandate is exercised are open, accessible and fully informed.
I	Inclusive	Ensuring that appropriate interests, including the public interest, are considered.

In response to a request from B.C.’s agricultural commodity boards and commissions, BCFIRB developed a guidance document that defines BCFIRB’s SAFETI principles and provides further details.

• Read the PBR guidance document (PDF) – September 2011

On June 6, 2016, BCFIRB directed the commodity boards to “consistently show they are meeting their responsibilities as first instance regulators using principles-based regulation and SAFETI”.

• Read the BCFIRB Chair to Boards letter re Governance Expectations (PDF) – June 6, 2016