This governance structure comprises a Board of Trustees and a high-level Advisory Council of distinguished experts.

The Trustees constitute the Forum’s Directors for the purposes of the Companies Act governing Companies Limited by Guarantee (social enterprises).

The Advisory Council will grow in time to comprise highly distinguished and accomplished leaders who provide advice, guidance, direction and leadership on overall strategic direction, thematic focus, and partnership to the Azure Forum. The Advisory Council helps to maintain and advance the high quality of the Azure Forum’s strategic outputs. Our advisory council are thought leaders, both nationally and internationally, comprising experts from across academia, government and the private sector in order to enable the Forum’s vision to combat modern risk from different perspectives and disciplines.

The Trustees constitute our Directors for the purposes of the Companies Act governing Companies Limited by Guarantee (social enterprises).

• We pursue and promote future-focused and solutions-oriented strategic research, analysis and dialogue on contemporary peace, security and defence research, policy and practice.
• We promote collaboration, engagement and dialogue with and between national and global stakeholders from academia, the research community, government and civil society.
• We promote and pursue constructive debate and discussion on under-examined contemporary risks to inform sustainable and effective solutions.
• We are an independent body providing non-partisan thought leadership.
• We respect human rights and civil liberties.
• We pursue policies of diversity and equality.
• We believe in providing transparency and accountability.
• We believe in securing and safeguarding the security, prosperity and general well-being of society.

The Azure Forum for Contemporary Security Strategy is a company limited by guarantee (CLG) registered in the Republic of Ireland. Financial information is provided to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) in compliance with all CRO regulations. As a CLG/social enterprise, the organisation is a profit seeking, trading organisation that has a social mission as well as measured and positive social impact. We operate as a trading enterprise that generates revenue through its social outputs/services, in which all profit is reinvested into the business/social mission.

As the forum grows, our Trustees will work to ensure that all fundraising with governments, private companies, foundations and high net worth individuals is consistent with our values of independence.

In line with these principles:

• As the forum grows, it will endeavour to begin reporting publicly in its future annual reports the sources of its revenue in general terms divided between various categories such as general donations, publications income, foundation grants, government grants, individual support and corporate support.
• Neither staff nor the Trustees seek or accept funding from any source that places any limitation on our research and analysis or our convening or organisational independence. The Trustees will act as the Institute’s ethics body and ensure through their oversight that the Institute’s fundraising practices and execution of grants or contracts meet the highest standards and conform to the values of independence and excellence that are at the core of the research institute.
• When required we will secure our independence through Memoranda of Understanding that govern donations, especially from governments. These would establish that financial support is provided with the funder’s agreement that the Azure Forum has sole authority over the staff hired, the research themes chosen, the methodology applied, the analytical approaches adopted and the conclusions reached.