The IET is governed by an elected Board of Trustees. The terms of reference of the Board of Trustees are in the IET Bye-laws. Reporting to the Board are:

• Audit Committee;
• Finance and Investment Committee;
• Nominations and Succession Committee;
• Remuneration Committee;
• Disciplinary Board;
• Policy Panels;
• Council.

The activities of the IET are managed by two main boards. These are:

• Knowledge Services Board;
• Membership and Professional Development Board.
  

Each main board has a set of generic and specialist requirements. The constitution of the boards is designed to ensure that, collectively, the members of the board have the full range of knowledge and skills required. These are:

• Knowledge Services Board person specification;
• Membership and Professional Development Board person specification.
  

Reporting to the Knowledge Management Board is a Communities Resourcing Committee, to which report six communities committees:

• Communities Resourcing Committee;
• Communities Committee Americas;
• Communities Committee Asia Pacific;
• Communities Committee Europe, Middle East and Africa;
• Communities Committee South Asia;
• Communities Committee United Kingdom;
• Young Professionals Community Committee.

Each board and committee operates under specific terms of reference and members uphold high standards of personal behaviour, both individually and in their collective responsibility, to ensure good corporate governance of the IET.  It is expected that any conflicts of interest, if they arise, are declared.  Nothing in the IET’s procedures precludes a member from questioning any aspect of the IET’s governance, bringing forward any issue for debate, or stating his view in a personal capacity.

The normal period of service for an elected or appointed member of any board or committee is three years.  For elected members, re-election is only possible after an interval of at least one year.  For nominated members, the period of service on a board or committee cannot be extended beyond a maximum of six years.  It is customary for one third of the members of a board or committee to retire each year, to ensure a regular turnover.  The president is ex officio a member of all boards and committees.