As we know, the ISI, as a global non-government statistical organisation, is governed by its statutes and by-laws established under Dutch law. These statutes and by-laws are crucial for an organisation like the ISI, ensuring strong governance and orderly operations. As we adapt, innovate, and grow, we must update our statutes and by-laws to comply with current laws and incorporate new technologies for effective operation. Given that the last modification of our statutes and by-laws occurred in 2011, it is an opportune time to undertake the challenge of. revising these documents.
The ISI Executive Committee has appointed a taskforce to develop a draft revision of the ISI Statutes and By-Laws in consultation with our legal counsel, and receive feedback on the draft from the Executive committee, Council and ISI members. The taskforce includes longtime ISI elected members Nancy McBeth and Helen MacGillivray, as well as two members of the ISI Permanent Office, Conchita Kleijweg and Femke Vogels, with me as its Chair. Kleijweg is the current ISI Director, and Vogels is the ISI Board Secretary. McBeth, based in New Zealand, has been the Special Advisor to the International Association for Official Statistics (IAOS) President since 2017. MacGillivray is a former ISI President.
Recently, the IAOS, one of the ISI’s seven associations, prepared an updated set of statutes and established a Code of Conduct for IAOS Executive Committee (ExCo) members to align with the new Dutch legislation. The Code of Conduct, which outlines the expected behaviour of IAOS officers, was endorsed by the IAOS ExCo at its March 2024 meeting. After a period of member consultation, voting on the proposed statutes will begin in mid-2025, with the final statutes to be presented to the 2025 IAOS General Assembly for approval.
An important lesson from the IAOS Statutes revision process has been the value of member input. Statutes may appear dry and less engaging than operational activities, but they establish the core frameworks that benefit all members, with the by-laws providing further detail on operational matters. Therefore, member feedback is vital. The draft revision incorporates matters that have been brought to attention by members over the years, as well as legal input and updating to reflect developments in the ISI and the global statistical community. I encourage all members of the ISI community to review the proposed ISI Statutes and By-Laws when they are circulated for feedback in the northern summer. The current ISI Statutes and By-Laws may be viewed at the ISI Website - Statutes.
