IOA Seeks Feedback on Final Draft of Standards of Practice

The International Ombuds Association has released the final draft of its revised Standards of Practice and a new accompanying Compendium for member review and comment by July 16, 2026. The revisions conclude a clarification review that began in 2025 and included recommendations from a Board-appointed task force, guided review sessions, and extensive member feedback. According to the IOA, the new Compendium is intended to provide additional guidance on interpreting and applying the Standards (meanwhile, while the review of the Code of Ethics has been paused until the Standards are finalized). This is likely to be the final opportunity for members to comment before the revised Standards are presented to the Board for adoption.

Although described as a clarification project, the revised draft further expands and refines the Standards of Practice. The document places greater emphasis on the structural requirements of organizational Ombuds programs, clarifies the obligations of sponsoring organizations, and provides more detailed guidance on confidentiality, independence, and the operation of an Ombuds office.

Among the most significant revisions are:

• An "intersectional and non-severable" framework. The draft provides that the Standards must be interpreted and adopted as a whole, and may not be selectively adopted. An organization could not claim adherence to the IOA Standards while omitting or modifying individual provisions.

• Clarification that an Ombuds office is not an office of notice. The revised language expressly states that an Ombuds is not authorized to receive notice of claims, complaints, or legal process on behalf of a sponsoring organization unless required by law.

• Reorganization and expansion of confidentiality provisions. The draft consolidates confidentiality protections under the defined term "Confidential Ombuds Information" and expressly recognizes four exceptions to confidentiality: imminent risk of serious harm; disclosures made with the visitor's permission at the Ombuds' sole discretion; disclosures necessary to defend against allegations of professional misconduct; and disclosures required by law, which are newly recognized as an express exception.

• Additional obligations for sponsoring organizations. The revisions require organizations to preserve the Ombuds' authority over staffing decisions and management of the office budget, while also prohibiting retaliation against Ombuds personnel and individuals who use the office.

• More explicit descriptions of Ombuds functions. The Standards provide additional detail regarding systemic issue identification and reporting, organizational education and training, referrals to formal and external resources, and other responsibilities associated with the role.

The accompanying Compendium offers interpretive guidance and explanatory commentary intended to assist practitioners and sponsoring organizations in understanding and applying the revised Standards. Together, the two documents represent a substantial update to the framework for Ombuds practice and are expected to receive close scrutiny during the member comment period. (IOA Blog.)

Related posts: Proposal to Revise IOA Membership Categories Loses [2006]; IOA Members Vote to Change Bylaws [2016]; International Ombudsman Association to Drop '-man' From Name [2021]; IOA Asks Members to Approve Omnibus Revision of Bylaws [2021]; Members Broadly Support Changes to IOA Bylaws [2021]; IOA Updates Standards of Practice [2022]; IOA Seeks Feedback on Revised SOPs and Code of Ethics.