Templates and records · SGE 21 · Clause 6.1.3

SGE 21 ethics and sustainability committee minutes template

Proof that the committee appointed by the governing body meets, oversees the strategy and makes decisions.

In one sentence

The ethics and sustainability committee minutes record the attendees, topics, follow-up of objectives, risks and decisions of each meeting of the advisory committee that SGE 21 requires the governing body to appoint, which must be representative, meet at least every six months and oversee the sustainability strategy (6.1.3).

Content reviewed on 17 October 2026

Where the standard requires it: SGE 21 · Clause 6.1.3 Sections are cited using the numbering of the October 2024 version of SGE 21, the one Foretica publishes on its website. The Academy groups its nine management areas into six blocks.
Type of information: Good practice The committee and its six-monthly meeting are mandatory (6.1.3); minutes are the way to prove it
Who fills it in: The system manager, acting as secretary Signed by the committee chair and the secretary
When: At each meeting, at least twice a year More often if the strategy or an ethics channel matter requires it
How long it is kept: Set by the organisation The standard sets no periods. Covering at least the three-year certification cycle, with the initial audit and two surveillance audits, lets you show progress at every visit.

What the standard requires

What SGE 21 demands and what it leaves to your judgement

The standard places on the governing body the non-delegable responsibility for driving and overseeing sustainability, through a governance model and an advisory committee. That committee must represent the areas involved in sustainability, secure resources, define the model for stakeholder engagement, oversee objectives, advise on opportunities, interpret the policy and the code, be informed of structural changes and communicate with the governing body.

It must meet at least every six months. The standard does not say how this is documented, but without minutes there is no way to prove it at the audit.

Many organisations call it the ethics committee; the 2024 version extends its remit to sustainability as a whole.

Read it in context: Organizational governance and ethics, in the SGE 21 Academy

Structure

Fields the template should include

Date, attendees and the areas they represent
Agenda
Follow-up of strategy objectives and targets
Environmental, social and governance risks reviewed
Queries on interpretation of the code
Resources allocated
Decisions and owners
Communication to the governing body

Example

Example: first-half meeting (fictitious company)

Company, people and figures are fictitious: the example only shows what a properly completed record looks like.

Field	Content
Date	24 June 2026
Attendees	General management, people, operations, purchasing, finance and the system manager
Objectives	Absenteeism −1 point: on track · fleet emissions −8%: at 5%
Risks	New risk: dependence on a public-sector client with more demanding social clauses
Interpretation of the code	It is clarified that client invitations to sporting events exceed the gifts threshold
Decisions	Budget of €18,000 for equality training · head of people
Communication	Summary sent to the board of directors on 30 June

At the audit

Mistakes auditors commonly flag

The committee meets only once a year.
The minutes record attendees but no decisions.
Key areas such as purchasing or operations are missing.
There is no documented communication with the governing body.

In Kimobox

How this record is kept in Kimobox

1Minutes are kept as a controlled document.
2Decisions become actions with an owner and a date, with an alert if they fall behind.
3Strategy objectives are tracked on the dashboard.
4The appointment of the system manager is recorded.

Frequently asked questions

What people ask us before getting started

Can there be external members?

Yes. The standard allows external experts to join the committee, provided it remains representative of the organisation’s management areas.

Does the committee decide or advise?

The standard defines it as advisory: it advises management and oversees, but responsibility for driving sustainability lies with the governing body, which cannot delegate it.

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Sources

Where each figure comes from

References to the official text in force. If a standard is revised, this page is updated and the review date says so.

SGE 21. Sistema de Gestión Ética, Sostenible y Responsable (Ethical, Sustainable and Responsible Management System) Forética · October 2024 version