Joining a Scheme

A short guide to the legal structure that underpins participation in an IB1 Trust Framework Scheme, illustrated here using the Energy Sector Trust Framework (ESTF) and the Assured Open Data Scheme as a worked example.

Why three agreements?

Participation in an IB1 Scheme is built on three layered agreements rather than a single contract. Each layer does a distinct job and is intentionally separated so that the rules of the wider ecosystem can be reused, while the rules of a specific Scheme can evolve without disturbing the foundations.

The three layers, in the order you sign them, are:

1. IB1 Membership Agreement: the baseline contract for participation in IB1’s governance and collaborative processes.
2. Trust Framework Terms (e.g. ESTF): the contract that enables you to use IB1’s Trust Services for a given sector or domain.
3. Scheme Agreement (e.g. ESTF Assured Open Data): the contract that sets out the additional rules, technical requirements and licensing specific to a Scheme.

Each layer references the one above it. You cannot sign a Scheme Agreement without the relevant Trust Framework Terms in place, and you cannot sign Trust Framework Terms without IB1 Membership. This is a deliberate hierarchy, as the layered structure means the rules a Member is bound by are precise and proportionate to the level of participation they have chosen.

1. IB1 Membership Agreement

The Membership Agreement is the foundation. It establishes you as a participant in IB1’s governance and collaborative processes, including advisory groups, working groups, consultations and co-design activities, but does not by itself give you access to a specific Trust Framework or Scheme.

The Membership Agreement covers:

• Fees and expenses: membership fees, payment rules, and provisions for cash or in-kind contributions.
• Liabilities and indemnities: for both signatories and IB1.
• Events, networking, branding and collaboration: rules governing participation, attribution, and use of IB1 branding.
• Intellectual property: IB1’s IP rules, copyright position, and the commitment to open publishing.
• Duration, termination and cancellation: how long the agreement runs and the conditions under which it may end.

Terms are available at ib1.org/membership-tcs-2023-01-01.

Note: specific Terms of Reference (ToRs) for participating in individual advisory or steering groups are established and signed separately from the Membership Agreement.

2. The Trust Framework: enabling IB1 Trust Services

A Trust Framework is the contract that enables Members to use IB1’s Trust Services within a specific sector or domain. The Energy Sector Trust Framework (ESTF) is the one used for energy-sector Schemes such as Assured Open Data.

Signing the ESTF Terms gives a Member access to and the obligation to operate within IB1’s core Trust Services:

• Registry: codifies trust framework and scheme rules in a machine-readable format.
• Directory: the system of record for organisational identity and scheme membership.
• Catalogue: publishes scheme-conformant data service catalogues registered by organisations.
• Open Libraries (Specifications): reusable atomic definitions for technical, legal and procedural elements of schemes.
• Open Libraries (Documentation): user guides, reference materials and technical notes for Trust Framework members.
• Sandbox: an environment with synthetic data to help Members develop compliant data services.

Terms can be accessed via ib1.org/terms or https://ib1.org/terms/estf/ 

The ESTF establishes what you need to operate as a verified participant in the energy data ecosystem but it does not, by itself, place your organisation within a specific Scheme. 

3. Scheme Agreement 

A Scheme Agreement is where the specific rules for a use case are codified. It sits on top of the Trust Framework and adds only what is specific to that Scheme, referencing the wider framework for everything else.

The Assured Open Data Scheme Agreement, for example, covers:

• Scheme-specific definitions: definitions additional to those under the Trust Framework.
• Governance and roles: the Scheme’s governance structure, the common requirements and obligations of Scheme Members, and any Scheme-specific roles.
• Data rights and licensing: the Scheme’s model for permission and data licensing. For AOD, this is an Open Data licence as defined within the Scheme Policies.
• Technical requirements: technical requirements for participation additional to those of the Trust Framework (data standards, transmission, security, assurability).
• General conditions: including but not limited to fees, confidentiality, termination and suspension, monitoring and reporting, dispute resolution, and compliance obligations.

The Scheme Agreement references codified items held in the Registry – policies, data licences, data standards, API specifications and processes – rather than restating them in legal text. This is how the Scheme remains responsive: policies can be updated via the Scheme’s own governance process without renegotiating the underlying agreement.

The ESTF Assured Open Data Scheme Agreement is available at ib1.org/schemes.

How the three layers fit together

The layered structure is what makes participatory governance practical at scale. The Membership Agreement creates a stable community of organisations that have agreed to a common set of foundational rules. The Trust Framework layer gives that community access to shared infrastructure (Registry, Directory, and Catalogue) that any Scheme can rely on. The Scheme Agreement then adds the rules and obligations that are unique to a specific use case.

Get involved

To begin the process of joining an IB1 Scheme, or to discuss which Trust Framework and/or Scheme is appropriate for your organisation, please contact partners@ib1.org with any questions.