The National Governance Framework

The National Business Conduct Authority (NBCA) operates through a dual-governance matrix to ensure that the National Standards Register reflects the complexities of the United Kingdom's commercial landscape. This structure will provide a unified verification system for the 5.5 million businesses operating within the UK economy.

88 National SIC Boards

The primary governance layer is comprised of 88 National SIC Boards, which are structurally indexed to the UK's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) divisions. This will ensure that every commercial entity in the United Kingdom will be verified against benchmarks defined by its own sector-specific practitioners and experts.

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These boards serve as the institutional authority for their respective domains, ensuring that professional conduct requirements remain specialised and relevant across the entire economic spectrum:

Division 69 (Legal Activities): Ensuring a solicitor's professional conduct standards are precise and legally robust

Division 96 (Personal Service Activities): Ensuring a barber or hair stylist's hygiene and sterilisation protocols meet national public health expectations

Constituent Representation

The 88 SIC Boards are comprised of the United Kingdom's primary professional authorities, including sector leaders and representative bodies. By incorporating the collective expertise of those at the forefront of each industry, the National Standard will be a distillation of established best practices.

Trade Associations and Professional Bodies: Key institutional partners who will ensure industry-wide consensus and that the standards reflect the collective voice of the sector

Sector Practitioners and Leaders: Experienced professionals and business owners who will provide the operational insight to ensure standards are practical and effective

Public Sector Specialists: Technical experts from the NHS, Fire & Rescue Service, and Trading Standards who will provide the baseline for public safety and regulatory alignment

National Technical Panels

In addition to sector-specific requirements, five National Technical Panels will establish the universal conduct benchmarks that apply to every business on the Register, regardless of their industry. To ensure these standards are institutionally robust and unassailable, the panels will incorporate guidance from the UK's primary public sector authorities:

Financial Conduct & Pricing Panel: Will establish universal standards for transparent pricing and uniform, fair refund policies

Public Health & Occupational Safety Panel: Will be developed in collaboration with specialists from the NHS and Trading Standards to maintain national baseline safety frameworks

National Fire & Premises Safety Panel: Will be governed by benchmarks from the Fire & Rescue Service to ensure consistent national standards for premises compliance and evacuation protocols

Information Governance & Privacy Panel: Will manage the conduct-focused implementation of data protection benchmarks and secure information management

Professional Ethics & Conduct Panel: Will define the overarching framework for honest dealing and operational transparency within the British economy

Independent Oversight

To ensure fairness and due process, enforcement decisions are subject to review by an Independent Appeals Tribunal. This separation of operational registration decisions from independent adjudication ensures businesses receive fair treatment while maintaining register integrity.

Governance in Practice

The National Standards Register will provide a consolidated verification of a business's adherence to both its sector-specific SIC Board and the universal Technical Panels.

Example: A local Barber Shop will be governed by SIC Board 96 for sector-specific protocols such as hygiene and sterilisation, while simultaneously being verified against the national requirements for fire safety, data privacy, and financial transparency defined by the Technical Panels.
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Public access to the National Standards Register is not yet available. Businesses and consumers will be notified when registration opens. Following the national rollout, all businesses will receive a 12-month grace period to complete registration.