Standard

Government Functional Standard GovS 011: Communication

This functional standard is part of a suite of functional standards designed to promote consistent and coherent working within government organisations and across organisational boundaries.

Documents

Details

The standard provides direction and guidance for:

  • permanent secretaries, directors general (and chief executive officers (CEO) of arm’s length bodies)
  • senior leadership and board members within organisations;
  • those commissioning communications
  • communications leads within organisations
  • those involved in developing, managing and delivering communications
  • third parties engaged in government communications, including in partnership marketing

If you have comments or feedback about this functional standard, please email gcs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Updates to this page

Published 4 November 2020
Last updated 30 November 2023 + show all updates
  1. Version 2.1 of this standard replaces the previous edition [version 2 dated June 2021] and has the same purpose, scope and intent. The main changes relate to: Minor wording changes to ensure consistency across the suite of functional standards Updated references to GCS governance structure Reordering to better reflect the structure of the Modern Communications Operating Model v3.0, and adding two new communications disciplines, Data & Insight and Digital Updated references to the GCS canon of professional guidance Clariifcation around requirements on conduct, propriety and ethics.

  2. Version 2.0 of this standard replaces the previous edition [version 1 dated August 2019] and has the same purpose, scope and intent. The main changes relate to: • Updated references from the GCS Canon of Professional Practice • Minor wording changes to ensure consistency across the suite of functional standards • Splitting the key Principles [section 2] from seven into nine, for purposes of greater clarity.

  3. First published.

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