Governance & Data Trust
Safeguarding community ownership, participation, and data integrity
WE Share Community Power operates under a governance and data-trust model that ensures all decisions, assets, and information remain community-controlled. It brings together transparent legal oversight, consent-based decision-making, and ethical data stewardship — ensuring that the benefits of community energy flow back to the people, not private interests.
Governance Structure
Platform One Foundation Charitable Trust (P1FCT)
The Platform One Foundation provides the structure through which community-aligned assets, intellectual property, and funding pathways can be safeguarded on behalf of the community. The Foundation offers fiduciary oversight and legal accountability under the Charities Act 2005 and Trusts Act 2019. Its role is to uphold purpose, support values alignment, and enable community benefit — without acting as an operational delivery body.
WE Share Project Circles
Project Circles are self-forming, community-led groups that arise from shared purpose and collective initiative. They self-govern their work using consent-based processes and are supported — but not directed — by the Foundation. They coordinate collaboratively with partners, maintain transparent communication with the Foundation, and help ensure alignment across community-led work streams. Members uphold shared values and community priorities, ensuring their work remains accountable while supporting progress across active initiatives.
Specialist Advisory & Support Roles
Subject-matter advisors — including finance, legal, technical assurance, and community engagement experts — are invited by consent to strengthen decision quality. Their contribution is advisory rather than directive, providing professional insight without overriding community sovereignty or stewardship obligations.
Living Governance Framework
Governance evolves alongside community participation. The Living Governance Framework provides a structured process for updating policies and practices through transparent disclosure and ongoing consent, ensuring WE Share remains adaptive, principled, and grounded in accountability.
Governance in Action
WE Share’s governance model is designed for movement — not meetings.
It connects community-led oversight with agile delivery, ensuring that progress and integrity go hand in hand.
- Action, not bureaucracy
Decisions are made through clear consent-based processes, positioned close to the work to minimise delay and ensure purposeful movement.
- Partnership-driven delivery
Governance sets boundaries and values; trusted partners carry out implementation within those boundaries, maintaining clarity between stewardship and delivery.
- Lean and local
Circles and teams operate with autonomy under the Foundation’s oversight, allowing collaboration and learning without unnecessary red tape.
- Clear accountability
Every project, MoU, and partnership agreement is anchored through the Foundation’s stewardship role, providing transparency while enabling creative and innovative approaches.
- Purpose over process
The governance model remains people-centred, outcome-oriented, and adaptable — a living structure supporting rapid progress without compromising community values.
This approach distinguishes WE Share from traditional institutional models. It protects community interests while enabling collaboration and experimentation — showing that integrity and agility can work together.
Data Trust & Digital Governance
The WE Share Data Trust establishes the safeguards, principles, and approval pathways governing how energy, participation, and operational data may be accessed or used within the community framework.
Community Ownership
Participants retain ownership of their data at all times. The Data Trust holds only delegated custodial rights for approved community-benefit purposes.
Transparency & Consent
Shared data is aggregated or anonymised and used solely for performance validation, regulatory requirements, or community-approved research. Access requires clear consent and follows established protocols.
Ethical Oversight
The independent Data & AI Ethics Circle reviews data access, modelling, and digital technologies to ensure fairness, privacy, and non-extractive practice.
Legal Compliance
All systems and processes follow the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, SEANZ-aligned data practices, and relevant Electricity Authority compliance pathways. The Data Trust does not monetise or repurpose participant information.
This gives participants confidence that their data is protected and used only within the boundaries of the community-mandated framework.
Accountability & Transparency
Public Reporting
Quarterly updates summarise project status, financial stewardship, and data-use outcomes.
Community Access
Community members may request information through an open-access register maintained by the Foundation.
Independent Assurance
Regular audits and consent-based peer reviews ensure ongoing compliance and values alignment.
Conflict Prevention
No commercial entity holds decision-making authority. Stewardship and approval rights flow through the community-governed trust structure.
Join the Governance Movement
The WE Share governance model relies on active community contribution.
Opportunities include:
- Expressing interest in serving as a trustee, contributing member, or advisor with the Platform One Foundation
- Participating in the Governance Circle or Data & AI Ethics Circle
- Offering specialist skills in law, finance, energy systems, data, or community engagement
If you believe in transparent governance, ethical technology, and community-aligned ownership, there is a meaningful role for you in this work.