Package Description

Proposed Amendments to the IOA Bylaws & Articles of Incorporation

In June 2021, the IOA Board of Directors called on all voting members to cast their vote on a set of proposed amendments to the IOA Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation. These amendments involve a number of changes that incorporated recommendations from the Independent Election Review Report which was shared with IOA members, as well as governance changes, brought about by the 2021-2024 Strategic Direction and additional recommendations from IOA’s outside general counsel, staff, and the Nominations & Governance Committee.

The findings from the Election Review Report helped shape proposed reforms to IOA's Bylaws, including changes to the Board election process so that they could be more transparent and fair. Some of these changes were designed to remove barriers to having a more diverse pool of candidates who may seek, qualify for, and earn a nomination and/or an election to the IOA Board of Directors.

Additional proposed revisions to IOA's Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation included the separation of nominating and governance functions into separate committees, a higher voting majority threshold for the Board on motions to alter IOA's Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, and the creation of a new succession process for IOA Officers in order to provide leadership continuity. Further changes include finalizing IOA's name change to International Ombuds Association and making updates to bring the Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation in line with association best practices. The 2021 Board regarded these proposed amendments as important improvements and is hopeful they are approved by IOA members. 

A Special Member Meeting was held on 15 July 2021 and subsequently, two Member Dialogue Meetings were held on 12 August 2021. The recordings of these meetings are available in this package.