Trust Ledger output specification
Procurement-ready definition of “board-ready” Trust Ledger outputs: artefacts delivered, how they are structured, how acceptance is assessed, and what is explicitly out of scope. Designed to reduce ambiguity, speed approvals, and support auditability.
Procurement reviews stall when “deliverables” are vague. This specification defines concrete artefacts and acceptance criteria so Legal, Security, IT, and Procurement review the same objects (versioned outputs), not interpretations.
Delivered as versioned artefacts. Evidence pointers are explicit. Missing proofs are listed as gaps.
Board memo (PDF)
Decision-ready summary that stands alone for board review.
- Executive summary (decision + rationale)
- Decision options and tradeoffs
- Actions, owners, timelines
- Scope, exclusions, assumptions
Trust Ledger snapshot
Record of system/use-case, accountable roles, controls, and evidence pointers.
- Use case / system identifiers
- Accountable roles (by function)
- Controls and evidence pointers
- Gaps and follow-ups
Controls map
Traceability from risks to controls to proofs (what is verifiable).
- Risks ↔ controls ↔ proof linkage
- Effectiveness notes (evidence-based)
- Prioritized remediation actions
Evidence index
What was reviewed, what was missing, and what was assumed.
- Reviewed artefacts list
- Missing evidence list
- Assumptions register
Optional add-ons (by scope) enterprise
- Policy-to-control mapping pack (board + audit alignment)
- Vendor due-diligence questionnaire and review notes
- Executive risk register slice for a specific program/tool
- Evidence request list for internal teams (what to collect next)
Outputs are designed for review: consistent naming, versioning, and role-based ownership.
Versioning
- Artefacts include version + date
- Change notes for revisions
- Explicit assumptions per version
Board readability
- Executive summary stands alone
- Decisions framed as options + tradeoffs
- Owners specified by role (not person)
Acceptance is based on deliverables and clarity, not undefined “completion.”
- Scope clarity and explicit exclusions
- Ownership clarity (accountable roles)
- Evidence linkage (or explicit assumptions where evidence is unavailable)
- Actionability (clear next steps with owners + timelines)
- Board readability (decision summary stands alone)
Work is evidence-based. Inputs are scoped, minimized, and agreed before sensitive exchange.
Minimum inputs
- Tool/use-case shortlist (or discovery constraints)
- Accountable roles (business + IT + security)
- Existing policies (if available)
- Evidence access plan (what can be reviewed)
Not requested
- Credentials/secrets via public channels
- Unbounded access to systems
- Production data dumps by default
- Anything outside agreed scope
Cadence is defined per engagement, typically:
- Kickoff + scope lock
- Evidence intake plan + access confirmation
- Draft artefacts (reviewable)
- Final versioned pack (acceptance)
- Not legal representation; internal counsel retains final positions
- Not forensic penetration testing; evidence-based review within agreed access
- Public intake is non-confidential by design
Contracting is deliverable-defined. Typical documents: SOW (scope + acceptance) and, if applicable, DPA (privacy boundaries). For vendor onboarding context, see the Vendor pack.