Governance and Organisation

Governance

The governance structure of TNI is set up as follows:

  • The Supervisory Board, which is responsible for supervising the management of the Foundation and the general course of affairs, and to provide the Management Board with advice.
  • The Management Board (Executive Director), which is responsible for the realisation of the objects of the Foundation, the strategy, the policy and the results thereof.
  • The Fellowship consisting of recognised international experts in the substantive areas that are relevant for the work of TNI, which also advises the Supervisory and the Management Board on issues of substance.
  • The Board of Advisors, composed of eminent international experts, which renders assistance to the organisation in more general terms.

The structure is set out below:

SupervisoryBoard ManagementBoard(ExecutiveDirector) InternationalAdvisors Fellowship

The composition of each of these organs is based on a careful balance to ensure participation of the various stakeholders relevant for TNI and to reflect its international composition and orientation as well as its ambitions. This includes considerations of gender, continental representation, scholarly capacity, engagement with social movements TNI seeks to serve, as well as the relevant disciplines and skills required by TNI.

Composition of the Supervisory Board in 2023

The Supervisory Board is selected on the basis of the criteria laid down in the by-laws, and profiles which are regularly reviewed and revised. A committee – comprised of one Supervisory Board member, one staff member (usually the Executive Director), and one fellow – interviews candidates and makes a recommendation to the Supervisory Board, which makes the final decision.

The Supervisory Board members serve a four-year term, once renewable, and are not remunerated. The Supervisory Board meets at least three times per year, approving strategic plans, budgets, annual reports, policies and to discuss operational progress. Detailed information about the Supervisory Board members can be found on the TNI website here.

Susan George has served as President of TNI since 2015, which is an honorary position.

The composition of the Supervisory Board in 2023 was as follows:

Imad Sabi, Chairperson 01/03/2021 – 28/02/2025 (1st term)
Frenk van Enckevort, Secretary 15/06/2022 – 14/06/2026 (2nd term)
Ruth Kronenburg, Treasurer 29/10/2022 – 28/10/2026 (2nd term)
zohra moosa 30/10/2023 – 29/10/2027 (1st term)
‍Ferrial Adam 30/10/2023 – 29/10/2027 (1st term)

In 2023, we expanded the Supervisory Board to five. We are very fortunate to have found two excellent new Board members in zohra moosa and Ferrial Adam. They also assure some continuity beyond 2026.

Composition of the Management Board

The Management Board consists of one person – the Executive Director, Fiona Dove. The following staff report directly to her: the Personnel Officer, Programme Directors, Communication Coordinator, Evaluation Officer, and Fundraising Coordinator. In addition, the contact point at Jac’s Den Boer en Vink, which administers TNI’s accounts, reports to her.

The leadership expected from the Executive Director is to provide vision and to help staff think strategically. She is supported in the daily management by a Management Team, comprised of the Personnel Officer, a Programme Director, a Project Coordinator and the Communication Coordinator, which meets weekly. The gender breakdown for the Management Team in 2023 was 50:50

The Supervisory Board determines the remuneration of the Executive Director. It refers to the guidelines provided by Goede Doelen Nederland and the Dutch Government (Wet Normering Topinkomens) for purposes of comparison.

Remuneration of the Executive Director:

2023 2022
Gross salary 93.820 89.080
Holiday pay 7.506 7.126
End of year payment 500 500

101.826 96.708
Taxes and premiums paid by TNI 11.915 10.711
Pension contribution from TNI 17.204 16.858

130.945 124.275

Composition of the International Fellowship

As currently laid down in the Institute’s by-laws, Fellows serve a four-year term, renewable once. We had also evolved a looser category of Associates, comprised of former Fellows, Supervisory Board members, and staff, as well as other researchers and scholars who make substantial ongoing contributions to the TNI. Together, they have constituted the ‘think tank’ dimension of TNI, bringing our institute vision, new ideas, expertise, creativity, guidance and advice that helps us stay ahead of the curve and connects us to the needs of social movements today.

In line with TNI’s current five-year Strategic Plan, the definition and role of Fellows and Associates has been reconceptualised within the newly established Knowledge Hub. The whole cohort is now called the Fellowship, and is comprised of Associates and Research Fellows. Associates are defined as internationalist public intellectuals with a track record of progressive activist-scholarship, a passionate commitment to social change and a history of collaboration with TNI. Research Fellows comprise a diverse group of experts, as well as activists and artists, collaborating with specific TNI programmes or the Knowledge Hub. For both categories, the term of office is three years. In 2024, the TNI Articles of Association and By-laws will be amended accordingly.

The process

In May 2023, we invited existing staff and Associates to nominate candidates as Research Fellows and Associates. Meanwhile, 28 existing Associates confirmed that they wished to remain Associates. In July 2023, a committee comprised of an Associate, a senior staff member, a dedicated freelance team member, the Knowledge Hub Coordinator and the Director, then shortlisted candidates. The result is that 13 new Associates, and 12 new Research Fellows have joined the Fellowship, bringing the total complement to 53 people. Of these, 43% are women (up from 31%), 38% are from the South (up from 33%), and the average age has dropped considerably with 29% in their 40s (up from 5%). We will continue to strive for improved gender and North-South balance.

Composition of the International Advisory Board

The International Advisory Board, and its composition, is also under consideration in line with the new five-year Strategic Plan. It was not operational in 2023.

Organisation

TNI puts a lot of effort into ensuring it acts internally in ways consistent with its values. Our internal organisational culture is non-hierarchical and highly consultative. As far as possible, decisions are taken through a process of consensus-building. Monthly staff meetings are held where news is exchanged, and consultations on policy are held.

While most staff are expected to be self-steering, there are also clear lines of accountability and recognition of the authority of the team leader to make final decisions. The gender breakdown for senior staff is 59% women, 41% men.

There is no hierarchy in respect of public representation with all team members encouraged to accept public speaking engagements, and to engage with the media.

Fair Employer

In line with TNI’s vision and values, we are an equal opportunities employer with a strict policy of non-discrimination and a commitment to strive for as much diversity as possible within the organisation. Thirteen nationalities are represented among our total complement of 32 staff, of whom 64.5% are women. 20% of our staff are from the Global South. Of our regular freelance team members, 79% are from the Global South and 68% are women.

Gender breakdown – All TNI workers

MaleFemaleOther 17 38 1

Staff

Regional diversity – All TNI workers

Dutch Other European Africa/West Asia Latin America Asia/Oceania North America 14 15 5 11 2 9

TNI is registered as an employer in The Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom. The average number of FTEs over the year was 26.69 (in 2022: 23.94) – representing an increase of 2.75 FTE on the previous year.

By the end of 2023, the foundation had 28.16 full time equivalent (FTE) employees (in 2022: 24.04) on the payroll, representing an increase of 4.12 FTE. This represents 32 individuals (in 2022: 26). The six new staff who came onto the payroll included two people who had previously worked freelance for TNI, three filling new functions, and trainees.

TNI introduced paid traineeships for the first time. These are 0.89 – 1.0 FTE positions at minimum wage for six months each. This year, we prioritised training in communications. We were pleased to receive a Polish artist and a Colombian journalist. Evaluations suggest it was a very mutually satisfactory experience.

TNI takes seriously its value of being a caring organisation. One staff member was granted 2 months additional unpaid parental leave, while TNI continued to pay full pension premiums over this period. Two other staff members were booked off ill for extended periods, with every effort made to support their recovery and gradual reintegration into the workplace.

TNI uses as its guideline the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CAO) for the Care and Welfare Sector in The Netherlands. Staff receive an incremental increase for each year of service, and any salary increases agreed in the CAO. In 2023, staff saw salary increases of 2% from 1 January and an additional 7% from 1 July. The ratio of the highest:lowest gross salary was 1:2 (calculated on the basis of full-time equivalent, and assuming equal years of service).

There is a training budget set at 1% of the personnel budget, and guided by a training policy. In 2023, TNI spent € 14,000 on training. External trainers were brought in for training on campaign content, and on resilience in the face of online hate. A four-person team was trained as office emergency first responders, as is required by regulation. Eight individuals benefited from training in leadership, messaging, campaigning, writing long reads, EU project proposal design, Spanish language and attendance at an innovation retreat. Staff also self-organised weekly lunch-time accelerator sessions for self-education purposes.

The costs of the employees on the payroll rose by 22% in 2023. This was due to the increase in FTEs, the introduction of traineeships, internal promotions, and salary increases, with concomittant increases in the costs of pension contributions and employers’ taxes and social security contributions.

2023 2022
Salaries 1.443.872 1.187.617
Social security 240.265 204.653
Pension premiums 125.049 109.432
Sickness insurance 28.774 14.989
Other personnel costs 53.582 38.879
Total 1.891.542 1.555.570

Volunteers and Interns

Volunteers are paid an honorarium in line with Dutch tax regulations. TNI had 7 volunteers in the course of 2023. Half are retired people who have kindly volunteered to take on such tasks as gardening, handyman, and general office support. Others donate their time to supporting programmes.

Interns, defined as students, are also paid an honorarium in line with Dutch norms. We welcomed 3 interns hailing from Brazil, Italy and the Netherlands. They were studying at Malaga University (Phd), Wageningen (MA) and Maastricht (MA) universities. One was based in Thailand for his internship.

Consultants

TNI contracted a total of 40 consultants in 2023, of whom 58% were women and 73% from the Global South. They worked from Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, USA, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, as well as the UK and the Netherlands. 60% of our consultants are considered to be regular programme team members. They are treated equally with payroll staff, with calculation of their fees pegged to TNI salary policy, compensation added for social security and pension contributions, and then adjusted for local costs of living (source: www.numbeo.com). They are responsible for paying their own taxes.

Staffing of Fiscally Sponsored Projects

TNI serves as the fiscal sponsor for two projects where coordinators are contracted by TNI. These are:

  • Handel Anders Network (Netherlands), two coordinators are on TNI’s payroll.
  • Drug Policy Alternatives Group, with the coordinator and an assistant contracted on a freelance basis.