Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)

Name

Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)

Legal name

The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland

Website

https://cgi.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Governance Certification

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal, Governance, Privacy & Audit Certifications (EDAAANAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF), Digital Assessment Platforms & Computer-Based Testing Authorities (EDADAFAK)

Keywords

• Governance qualifications
• Professional membership services
• Company secretarial training
• Chartered secretary certification
• Corporate governance education

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees charged to governance professionals who hold the Chartered Secretary qualification or other credentials awarded by ICSA/CGIUKI. Membership provides access to resources, professional networks, CPD, and the right to use post-nominal designations.
2. Qualification and Examination Fees: Fees charged for enrolling in and sitting governance and chartered secretary qualifications, including the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme (CGQP). These are one-time or per-assessment charges levied on students pursuing credentials.
3. Training Courses and CPD: Revenue from delivering online and in-person training courses, workshops, and continuing professional development sessions through MyCG and at physical locations. Courses cover governance, compliance, company secretarial practice, and related topics.
4. Events (Conferences, Awards, Branch Meetings): Ticket sales and sponsorship revenue generated from events including the annual CGIUKI Awards, national conferences, webinars, and regional branch meetings. Events serve both as a revenue stream and a member acquisition/retention mechanism.
5. Publishing (G+C Magazine and Resources): Revenue from publishing Governance+Compliance (G+C) Magazine and related professional publications, including digital subscriptions and single-copy sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (formerly ICSA) qualifies, certifies, and supports governance professionals through chartered examinations (Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme), professional membership with post-nominal designations (FCIS, FCG), continuing professional development (CPD), training courses (one-day, e-learning, bespoke, GRAD AI Masterclass), specialist publications (G+C Magazine, governance handbooks), and community events (CGIUKI Awards, Annual Conference). It operates as the UK & Ireland division of the global Chartered Governance Institute under Royal Charter, serving approximately 10,000 members domestically and 40,000 globally across 62 jurisdictions.

Product overview

The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGIUKI) operates as a professional qualifying and membership body for governance professionals, offering a platform-plus-qualifications model. The core offering is the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme, complemented by the Foundation Programme, Fast-Track Programme, Sector Qualifications (including health, charity, academy, sports, and corporate governance), and International Finance and Administration (IFA) Qualifications at Levels 4 and 5. Training delivery includes one-day courses, e-learning modules, bespoke corporate training, and the GRAD AI Masterclass Series. Knowledge resources include G+C Magazine, the Company Secretary's Handbook, Company Secretary's Checklists, Corporate Governance Handbook, and Corporate Governance Unlocked. Members access services through the MyCG digital portal including exam entry, CPD tracking, and the online examination platform with remote invigilation. Additional offerings include the annual CGIUKI Awards, Governance conference, guidance notes, technical briefings, and a branches/regions network spanning 62 jurisdictions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme The Institute's flagship qualification programme for governance professionals, company secretaries, and individuals transferring from law or finance, leading to Chartered Secretary or Chartered Governance Professional designation.
• Foundation Programme Entry-level qualification programme designed for individuals at the start of their governance career, providing foundational knowledge and a pathway into chartered membership.
• Fast-Track Programme Accelerated qualification route for qualified lawyers or accountants with more than five years of relevant experience to fast-track to chartered membership.
• Sector Qualifications Specialized certificates including Advanced Certificate in Corporate Governance, Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance, Certificate in Academy Governance, Certificate in Charity Law and Governance, Certificate in Corporate Governance, and Certificate in Sports Governance.
• International Finance and Administration (IFA) Qualifications International qualifications at Levels 4 and 5 aimed at finance and administration professionals seeking governance credentials.
• GRAD AI Masterclass Series A four-tiered AI governance training curriculum covering AI introduction, AI boardroom discussions, deploying AI in secretariat functions, and the AI regulatory landscape for boards.
• One-Day Training Courses Short-format training courses covering topics such as Role of the Director, Essential Corporate Governance, Role of the Chair, Effective Minute Taking, ESG Essentials, and Company Secretarial Practice for PLCs.
• Bespoke Corporate Training Customized training programmes developed for specific organizational needs, delivered directly to corporate clients and public bodies.
• Chartered Membership Professional membership category for qualified governance professionals granting post-nominal designations (e.g., FCIS, FCG, GradCG) and access to member benefits, resources, and the professional community.
• MyCG Member Portal Online member and student portal providing exam entry, CPD logging, membership management, exam booking, results access, and knowledge services for the governance professional community.
• CGIUKI Awards Annual awards ceremony celebrating excellence in the delivery, oversight and reporting of governance across the governance community in the UK and Ireland.
• Annual Conference (Governance 2026) Annual two-day conference in London (Governance 2026 held 7–8 July 2026) featuring insights, best-practice discussions and debate for company secretaries and governance professionals.
• G+C Magazine Monthly professional publication for members and students covering governance news, best practices and industry insights.
• Company Secretary's Handbook (12th edition) Comprehensive printed and digital guide to company secretarial practice covering incorporation through winding up, board procedures, company meetings, reporting and shares.
• Company Secretary's Checklists (11th edition) A-Z checklist guide for common company secretarial tasks and transactions, available as a publication through the Institute's bookshop.
• Corporate Governance Handbook (4th edition) Guide covering corporate governance frameworks, board responsibilities, stakeholder engagement, and governance best practices for listed and private companies.
• Corporate Governance Unlocked Accessible guide to corporate governance concepts, evolution, and global governance practices.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ICAEW (Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales): UK chartered professional body awarding qualifications in accountancy and finance with Royal Charter status. Highly comparable to CGIUKI in that both are Royal Charter-holding professional qualifying bodies operating similar membership, training, examination, and CPD business models serving the corporate governance and compliance ecosystem.
• CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants): UK-based chartered professional body awarding management accounting qualifications under Royal Charter. Directly comparable business model to CGIUKI: chartered designations, annual subscriptions, qualifying examinations, CPD requirements, corporate training, and member events targeting governance-adjacent finance professionals.
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants): Global chartered accountancy body offering qualifications and membership to finance and governance professionals. Comparable in scale, international footprint, examination-based qualification model, and member-driven recurring revenue structure, though broader in scope (accounting vs. company secretarial focus).
• The Law Society of England and Wales: Royal Charter-holding professional body regulating solicitors in England and Wales. Closely comparable operating model: chartered professional credential, member subscriptions, qualifying examinations, CPD obligations, branch network, regulatory advocacy, and similar governance/boardroom professional audience. CGIUKI's Fast-Track Programme explicitly routes qualified lawyers into chartered membership.
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD): Royal Chartered professional body for HR and people development, operating with subscriptions, qualifying programmes, CPD, training courses, and events. Comparable UK-headquartered chartered professional body serving a similarly individual-membership plus corporate-account audience, with equivalent revenue diversification.
• CFA Institute: Global professional body awarding the CFA charter with an examination-based qualification model and large international member base. Comparable in operating model (multi-tier exam, post-nominal designation, membership subscriptions, ethical standards enforcement) and global geographic reach through affiliated societies.
• ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association): Global professional association for IT governance, risk, and cybersecurity professionals offering certifications (CISA, CISM, CGEIT). Highly comparable as a professional body issuing governance-focused certifications with global chapters, member subscriptions, training, and conferences serving an enterprise governance audience.
• Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx): UK chartered body for chartered legal executives, with similar qualifying examinations, member grades, and Royal Charter-backed designations. Comparable qualifying-and-membership business model targeting legal professionals in adjacent practice areas to company secretarial work.
• Institute of Risk Management (IRM): UK-based professional body for risk managers offering chartered qualifications (CMgr, CFIRM). Directly comparable as a chartered professional body operating in the governance, risk, and compliance space with international affiliates, examination-based qualifications, and corporate training services.

Emerging players

• Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA): Global professional association for internal auditors with similar governance-adjacent mandate, certification programmes, and international affiliate network. Comparable in addressing enterprise governance professionals, though focused on internal audit rather than company secretarial practice; an adjacent rather than direct substitute for CGIUKI credentials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/icsa_news
• Facebookfacebook.com/icsaglobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/icsa-institute-of-chartered-secretaries-and-administrators

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA)