Changes

There is a constant tension between keeping ICANN Board decisions and meetings transparent to all stakeholders and holding private discussions related to confidential information, internally divisive, ad publicly detrimental issues. It has run a number of reviews, both internal and external, including a Board review in 2008, and the creation of an [[Accountability and Transparency Review Team]] to make recommendations to improve its internal processes and external communications. The team's first report was due at the end of 2010, and it is to continue to review and report at least every three years on the implementation of its previous findings and the identification of other discrepancies.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/reviews/affirmation/review-1-en.htm ICANN.org, Review]</ref> With regards to the board, the review team had two separate working groups, one looking at governance, performance and composition, and the other looking at the review mechanisms in place for its decisions. A number of important recommendations were made, and most notably on the issue of transparency it found that:

There is a constant tension between keeping ICANN Board decisions and meetings transparent to all stakeholders and holding private discussions related to confidential information, internally divisive, ad publicly detrimental issues. It has run a number of reviews, both internal and external, including a Board review in 2008, and the creation of an [[Accountability and Transparency Review Team]] to make recommendations to improve its internal processes and external communications. The team's first report was due at the end of 2010, and it is to continue to review and report at least every three years on the implementation of its previous findings and the identification of other discrepancies.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/reviews/affirmation/review-1-en.htm ICANN.org, Review]</ref> With regards to the board, the review team had two separate working groups, one looking at governance, performance and composition, and the other looking at the review mechanisms in place for its decisions. A number of important recommendations were made, and most notably on the issue of transparency it found that:

''"Commencing immediately, the Board should promptly publish all  

''"Commencing immediately, the Board should promptly publish all appropriate materials related to decision making processes – including preliminary announcements, briefing materials provided by staff and others, detailed Minutes, and where submitted, individual Directors’ statements relating to significant decisions.  The redaction of materials should be kept to a minimum, limited to discussion of existing or threatened litigation, and staff issues such as appointments''".<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/reviews/affirmation/atrt-final-recommendations-31dec10-en.pdf ATRT Final Recommendations, 31 Dec, icann.org]</ref>  

appropriate materials related to decision making processes – including  

preliminary announcements, briefing materials provided by staff and others,  

detailed Minutes, and where submitted, individual Directors’ statements  

relating to significant decisions.  The redaction of materials should be kept to  

a minimum, limited to discussion of existing or threatened litigation, and  

staff issues such as appointments''"<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/reviews/affirmation/atrt-final-recommendations-31dec10-en.pdf ATRT Final Recommendations, 31 Dec, icann.org]</ref>