The diversity in governance practices around the world is a reflection of differences in the political, social, economic and cultural histories of countries. There is common recognition, however, that good governance is aimed at delivering what is mandated and ensuring that what is delivered is responsive to the evolving needs of the individual and society. Improved education and new technologies have increased the expectations of the public for accountable and transparent administration, including constant improvements in the delivery and performance of social services.

Good governance is an important objective for social security organizations and a key principle of the iSSa. To provide iSSa member organizations with a basic framework on good governance, a project on governance and social security was included in the Association’s 20082010 Programme and Budget. The ISSA Good Governance Guidelines for Social Security Institutions that was launched at the World Social Security Forum in Cape Town in December 2010 was an outcome of this project.

The current guidelines are a compendium of the ISSA’s work on social security governance over the two triennia of 20082010 and 20112013. They seek to provide iSSa member organizations with guiding principles and practical guidelines on good governance. The guidelines begin by defining, for the first time, what the iSSa means by “good governance”. The governance framework that underpins the guidelines aims to give the user an overview of the range of internal governance issues involved in social security administration.

The ISSA Guidelines on Good Governance presents a virtual checklist of the essential elements which would help engender and support good governance within the institution. Suggestions are given on how to apply each guideline by describing governance structures and mechanisms that would facilitate its use.

The ISSA Guidelines on Good Governance provides a basis on which the iSSa Secretariat will continue to develop further tools to facilitate capacity building and support the efforts of members to promote and improve the governance of their institutions, including training modules, e-learning applications, and indicators and benchmarks for good governance.

Presently, the guidelines are focused on the internal governance of a social security institution and on nine specific areas that are among its major concerns. Future work remains for developing guidelines in other specific areas of operation that are of equal importance to social security administration. Governance guidelines which span the interaction and coordination between the social security institution and other agencies, including stakeholders and the political authorities, may likewise be developed in the future.