Interim Period
The SGCI governance structure is established in two phases: an interim phase led by ZenDiS and a steady-state phase where the community governs itself. This page describes the interim phase and the transition to full community governance.
Why an Interim Period?
A community-driven governance model requires an active, engaged contributor base to function. At the outset, the community is still forming — there are not yet enough proven contributors to populate elected bodies or establish community norms organically. The interim period provides the structure needed to bootstrap governance without compromising the initiative's community-driven principles.
Phase 1: Establishing the Technical Advisory Board
Initiated by ZenDiS
ZenDiS initiates the governance process by establishing the interim Technical Advisory Board (TAB) through a public application process.
Application Process
- ZenDiS publishes an open call for applications for the interim TAB, describing the role, responsibilities, eligibility criteria, and expected time commitment.
- Any individual with relevant technical expertise may apply. Applicants submit:
- A brief statement of their technical background and relevant experience.
- A description of their current or intended contribution to SGCI.
- A statement of motivation for joining the interim TAB.
- ZenDiS reviews applications and selects up to 5 members for the interim TAB — approximately half of the regular TAB capacity. Seats are deliberately left open so that contributors who join after launch can be added without displacing incumbents. Selection prioritizes:
- Demonstrated technical competence in container security, vulnerability management, or compliance tooling.
- Diversity of organizational affiliation (no more than three members from the same organization).
- Active or committed contribution to SGCI.
- The interim TAB composition is published publicly along with a summary of the selection rationale and the number of seats left open for later additions.
Phase 2: Interim TAB Responsibilities
The interim TAB operates with the full authority of the regular TAB as described in the Technical Advisory Board charter, plus the following additional interim responsibilities:
Defining Initial Rules and Standards
The interim TAB establishes the initial versions of its core responsibilities as defined in the TAB charter:
- The security baseline — the automatically tested compliance rules that every image must pass to be listed.
- The container hardening checklist and related technical requirements.
- Recommendations on which open standards the community should adopt (e.g., for vulnerability reporting, SBOMs, image signing).
These initial rules are published as proposals, open for community feedback for at least two weeks before adoption.
Meeting Cadence During Setup
To make rapid progress while the foundations are being laid, the interim TAB meets on an accelerated schedule during the first quarter (approximately the first three months) after it is established:
- Weekly or bi-weekly meetings, as agreed by the interim TAB at its kick-off.
- Meetings remain open to the public — any community member may observe.
- After the setup quarter, the interim TAB may step down to the regular monthly cadence described in the TAB charter once initial rules and standards are in place.
The interim TAB chair is responsible for scheduling, publishing the agenda, and ensuring that minutes are made public after each meeting.
Supporting the Steering Board Setup
The interim TAB actively supports the establishment of the Steering Board by:
- Drafting the initial governance charter — defining roles, election procedures, and policies for the Steering Board based on this governance framework.
- Defining community membership criteria — establishing what qualifies a person as a community member eligible to vote in the first Steering Board election.
Establishing the Initial Steering Board
The initial Steering Board is established through a structured application process:
- ZenDiS publishes an open call for applications for the initial Steering Board, including the role description, eligibility criteria, and expected commitment.
- Any individual meeting the Steering Board eligibility criteria may apply.
- ZenDiS screens applications against the published criteria and provides a recommended shortlist of eligible candidates to the interim TAB. The criteria and screening rationale are published transparently.
- The interim TAB reviews the shortlist and selects up to 5 initial Steering Board members by majority vote — approximately half of the regular Steering Board capacity, leaving seats open for later applicants.
- The initial Steering Board composition is published publicly, including the number of seats left open.
Phase 3: Transition to Steady-State Governance
First Regular Steering Board Election
Once the initial Steering Board determines that the community has reached sufficient maturity — defined as having an established contributor base and adopted initial rules — it organizes the first regular election according to the Steering Board election process. From that point on, all Steering Board seats are filled through community elections.
TAB Transition
Within six months of the Steering Board taking office, the TAB transitions from its interim form to regular governance:
- The Steering Board ratifies or amends the TAB charter.
- The Steering Board confirms or replaces interim TAB members through the regular selection process described in the TAB charter.
- Interim TAB members in good standing are eligible for regular TAB membership without a waiting period.
End of Interim Period
The interim period officially ends when:
- The Steering Board has been elected and has taken office.
- The TAB has been reconstituted under the regular selection process.
- The governance charter has been ratified by the Steering Board.
At that point, all governance processes operate as described in the steady-state governance documents.
Safeguards
To ensure the interim period serves its purpose without creating entrenched authority:
- The interim period lasts no longer than 6 months from the date the interim TAB is established, to avoid prolonged provisional governance. If the transition is not complete by then, ZenDiS and the interim TAB must publish a public explanation and a revised timeline.
- All interim TAB decisions are subject to review by the elected Steering Board once it takes office.
- ZenDiS has no ongoing governance role once the Steering Board is elected. Its role is limited to the initial bootstrapping of the TAB.