Independent Oversight Working Group (IOWG)

About Us

Independent Oversight refers to the departments, functions and individuals responsible for assessing an organisation's Safety, Security, Health, Environment and Quality performance which is independent from the operational/functional line.  The main purposes of the IOWG are to:

• Exercise ownership of the Independent Oversight Good Practice Guide;
• Provide an effective industry forum for consultation on standards and legislation;
• Provide a conduit for communication on the conduct of independent oversight;
• Identify and promote learning and information sharing;
• Facilitate cross-industry peer assists;
• Provide a coordinated approach to emergent issues; and
• Advise the SDF on matters of concern or opportunities to improve.

Programme of Work

Three routine meetings are held each year covering development workstreams, aligned to the priorities of the SDF.  These also include discussion of emerging regulatory issues, OPEX, Enabling Regulation and occasional external speakers. Meetings are generally face-to-face, supplemented by additional sub-group activity.   As benchmarking and sharing practices are core elements of the IOWG’s purpose, there are many additional and informal contacts between members in between the formal meetings calendar. Regulators actively participate in IOWG meetings and provide useful updates to IO practice.

The IOWG sponsors  Peer Assist missions where the group evaluates the performance and practices of a member organisation's Independent Oversight function (and the related organisational arrangements) against the IOWG Good Practice Guide and other relevant good practice.

Work Programme - current areas of focus:

• Professionalisation of independent oversight:
  • Development and implementation of a competency scheme and accreditation.
  • Establishing consistent, cross-industry independent oversight training course provision, delivered by oversight professionals.
• Review and update of the Independent Oversight Good Practice Guide
• Engagement with the organisation – how to build traction, trust, credibility and maximise the value of IO.
• Focus on safety and security leadership and its application to areas of independent oversight.
• Organisational design, capability/ capacity and resilience
• Oversight “missed opportunities” – sharing of approaches and case studies
• Horizon scanning

More Information

Links to other sites:

There are a number of informal links with other SDF sub-groups on topics of mutual interest.