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Our governance

Ensuring our impact

We ensure our excellent science provides positive economic, environmental and social impacts through our impact model, planning and monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

Corporate Plan

The Corporate Plan is our key strategic planning document that demonstrates how we will deliver on our purpose over the next four years. It outlines our strategic initiatives that will enable our commitment to science excellence and reflects our passion for solving the greatest challenges to make life better for all Australians.

Annual reports

Each year, we report on our scientific and operational performance through our annual report. We provide a summary of our activities and performance for the previous financial year against the planned objectives and outcomes in our Corporate Plan and Portfolio Budget Statements. We also highlight our most recent achievements to share with the community.

Access to information

We're committed to transparency. As a Commonwealth organisation, we comply with statutory obligations relating to Freedom of Information, Privacy and Public Interest Disclosures.

Leadership governance

Minister and Board

CSIRO was constituted and operates under the Science and Industry Research Act 1949 and is responsible and accountable to the Commonwealth. CSIRO’s direction is set by the CSIRO Board and the CSIRO Executive Team.

Chief Executive and Executive Team

The Chief Executive is accountable for managing the affairs of CSIRO and is supported by the Executive Team to lead, direct, coordinate and control the operations and performance of CSIRO.

Advisory Group Charter

CSIRO Advisory Groups provide independent, external advice to CSIRO on the national challenges and opportunities of a broad sector of the Australian economy, society or environment in which CSIRO is involved, and provide guidance on how CSIRO might address these needs.

Assessment of CSIRO Impact and Value 2020

CSIRO’s impact and value delivered to the economy and the innovation system were independently reviewed in 2020 by RTI International.