Governance Overview

How the CAFE Certification Platform is governed, controlled, and accountable. This overview provides clarity to certificants, regulators, partner organizations, and members of the public.

ActiveDec 2025

CAFE is incorporated by special Act of the Ontario Legislature and mandated under provincial law to set, promote and regulate standards of knowledge, skill and ethics for financial counselling and related services, including protected accreditation and certification. Our Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice are foundational to our regulatory framework and our commitment to ethical, client-centred counselling.

1Governing Authority

The CAFE Certification Platform is governed by the Canadian Association for Financial Empowerment (CAFE).

CAFE is responsible for:

  • Establishing certification standards
  • Defining eligibility and renewal requirements
  • Enforcing professional and ethical expectations
  • Maintaining the integrity of certification records
  • Ensuring compliance with applicable Canadian laws

2Separation of Roles

Governance is structured around functional separation, even where operational roles may be limited in number.

  • Policy and standards setting: Certification criteria and ethics requirements established through CAFE governance processes.
  • Administrative operation: Day-to-day administration conducted through controlled administrative access.
  • Technical stewardship: Platform maintained for reliability and security, without discretionary authority over certification outcomes.

3Certification Decisions

Certification decisions are governed by defined rules, documented criteria, and accountable processes.

The Platform:

  • Records certification status and standing
  • Enforces timelines and conditions
  • Supports verification and revocation workflows
Certification outcomes are attributable to CAFE governance, not to automated systems acting independently.

4Auditability

The Platform supports accountability through:

  • Logged administrative actions
  • Recorded changes to certification status
  • Traceable consent and privacy decisions
  • Immutable historical records required for integrity

Auditability is treated as a governance requirement, not a technical afterthought.

5Privacy and Ethics

Privacy protection is embedded into Platform governance. Key principles include:

  • Data minimization
  • Conservative default visibility
  • Explicit consent for expanded exposure
  • Immediate effect of revocation or restriction
  • Recognition of distinct First Nations, Métis, and Inuit data sovereignty frameworks (see card 11)

6Automation and AI

The Platform may use automated processes to support administration, verification, and system integrity. At present:

  • Certification outcomes are not determined by artificial intelligence
  • Automation operates under defined rules and human oversight
  • Discretionary authority remains with CAFE governance structures

Any future use of AI-assisted functionality will be subject to explicit governance review.

7System Integrity

The Platform is governed with an emphasis on continuity and resilience. This includes:

  • Documented operational procedures
  • Controlled administrative access
  • Retention of records required for governance
  • Planning for continuity in the event of operational disruption

8Public Trust

Public verification tools are governed by the principle of accuracy without overreach. Verification confirms certification status as recorded by CAFE. It does not:

  • Imply licensure
  • Guarantee competence
  • Substitute for professional judgment
  • Extend beyond the defined scope of certification

9Transparency

The governance framework is not static. CAFE may refine policies, processes, and systems in response to:

  • Regulatory developments
  • Operational learning
  • Stakeholder feedback
  • Evolving ethical standards

Material changes are approached deliberately and documented to preserve continuity and trust.

10Indigenous data sovereignty

CAFE recognises three distinct Indigenous data sovereignty frameworks and treats them as distinct throughout our operations:

  • First Nations: the OCAP Principles stewarded by the First Nations Information Governance Centre.
  • Métis: articulated separately by Métis governments. CAFE recognises the Consolidated Métis Nation Data Strategy published by the Métis National Council, the Saskatchewan Métis Health Research and Data Governance Principles published by Métis Nation Saskatchewan, and the work of other Métis governments.
  • Inuit: the National Inuit Strategy on Research stewarded by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami.

CAFE does not collapse these frameworks into a single Indigenous reference and is not a rights holder for Indigenous data. We do not speak for First Nations, Métis, or Inuit Peoples.

Full detail is set out in the Data Sovereignty Statement, which governs our approach.

11A living charter

CAFE strives to honour the rights of all people and continuously expands our knowledge. This document is evergreen and will be modified to ensure accuracy and fairness as our ethics charter for all.

12Contact

For questions about this document or the Platform, contact CAFE Administration.

@certification@cafe-acaf.org