The DCRO Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit collaborative educational initiative that brings essential risk governance expertise to the boardroom and c-suite. We offer a growing library of learning and development opportunities that focus on the practical aspects of governing risk-taking in the positive pursuit of corporate goals and purpose.

Graduates from our programs are leaders in boardrooms and c-suites on five continents. Our faculty members are among the world’s best c-level executives, board members, and authors who focus on risk-taking and risk governance.

Our emphasis is on the positive use of risk and risk knowledge in the strategic planning and execution of plans at organizations of all sizes worldwide and in developing the people to do that work as Qualified Risk Directors®. 

Our goal, which is emblazoned on our logo, is to help you and your organization to Innovate, Sustain, and Create Value.

Our history - The DCRO Institute launched in March 2021 as an outgrowth of its predecessor organization, the Directors and Chief Risk Officers group (the DCRO). The DCRO was formed in 2008 as a collaborative effort to focus on the top-level governance of risk in practice. Comprised of leading board members, chief risk officers, and other c-level officers whose jobs included a fiduciary responsibility for governance and risk management, the DCRO brought together the perspectives and experience of more than 2,000 members from large and mid-size for-profit and nonprofit organizations, coming from over 120 countries. That global, practical, collaborative effort continues with the work of the DCRO Institute and via the graduates of our programs.

The DCRO Institute utilizes a Networked and Distributive Governance model, which includes a dual board structure - Management and Stakeholder Supervisory Boards. In this model, the Management Board establishes strategy and conducts regular business operations with transparency to the Stakeholder Supervisory Board. The Stakeholder Supervisory Board is empowered with veto authority over any Management Board decisions on changes in strategy, disposition of assets, and compensation of executives. As its name suggests, this body is to represent the interests of various stakeholders in the organization, including Qualified Risk Directors®, Regional Directors, and more. Regional Directors will comprise a majority of the Stakeholder Supervisory Board.

The DCRO Institute utilizes a Networked and Distributive Governance model, which includes Regional Directors who act as representatives of the DCRO Institute in various geographic regions. They are responsible for outreach to exchanges, associations, regulators, training companies, corporations, and others who may utilize our offerings. Expansion of Regional Directors across North America, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and other regions is underway.