Part IV — Governance · Chapter 18
SDARM Brand Book · 2026
18
Governance
and Approval
How the brand is managed, who may approve what, how to request exceptions and how the identity system is updated over time.
Part IV · Ch. 18
4 levels of authority
Approval process
In this chapter
18.1
Governance structure
GC · Unions · Associations · Local churches
→ 18.2
Permission levels
What each level may and may not do
→ 18.3
Approval process
A 5-step flow for new materials
→ 18.4
Response times (SLA)
Urgent · standard · low priority
→ 18.5
Contact channels
Brand Manager · e-mail · form
→ 18.6
Exceptions and adaptations
When and how to request an exception
→ 18.7
Update cycle
How the Brand Book is revised each year
→ 18.8
Statement of commitment
What it means to adopt this system
→
18.1 — Governance structure

GC · Unions · Associations
and Local churches

Governance of the SDARM brand follows the same administrative structure as the Church — from the General Conference to the local churches. Each level has defined authority over, and responsibility for, the visual identity within its own sphere.

Level 1 — Highest authority
General Conference
Brand Manager
Hugo Cibalde
Defines and alters the identity system
Approves exceptions at any level
Issues updates to the Brand Book
Authorises departmental identities
Level 2 — Regional coordination
Unions
Owner
Communication Coord.
Applies the system in regional materials
Approves the materials of the associations under its jurisdiction
May adapt the union color (see Ch. 08) without GC approval
May not alter the typographic system or the symbol
Level 3 — Local execution
Associations and Fields
Owner
Secretary / Communication
Produces materials using the approved templates
Adapts the texts and dates of the templates
Requests Union approval for materials outside the templates
May not create new patterns or alter the color palette
Level 4 — Direct application
Local churches
Owner
Pastor / Communication leader
Uses the templates without structural modification
Inserts photos, texts and dates in the fields provided
Questions about application → Quick Guide (Ch. 19)
Does not approve its own materials without review by the association
The principle of brand subsidiarity
Each level settles what lies within its own authority — with no need to escalate. The GC needs to be consulted only when the system is being altered or a structural exception is required. The aim is speed with control, not paralysing centralisation.
Section 18.1 · Governance structure
"Documentary photo of church leaders reviewing a printed brand manual around a wooden meeting table, modest dress, warm window light, film grain, low saturation, no readable text, 16:9"
18.2 — Permission levels

What each level
may and may not do

The table below is the definitive reference for permissions. Whenever there is doubt as to whether an action requires higher approval, consult this table before proceeding.

Action GC Union Association Local church
Alter the symbol or logotype
Alter the institutional color palette
Define the Union color (within the palette)
Create a new communication template
Adapt text and photos in the templates
Publish on the association's social media
Publish on the local church's social media
Order internal signage
Create a new pattern or texture
Request an exception to the system
Update the Brand Book
Authorised without higher approval
Authorised with conditions or notification
Not authorised — requires higher approval
18.3 — Approval process

A 5-step flow
for new materials

Every material that does not follow a pre-approved template must go through the approval process. The process exists to protect the brand — not to create unnecessary bureaucracy.

Standard approval flow
1
Request
Fill in the approval request form with: the purpose of the material, the target audience, the period of use and an initial outline (draft or briefing).
2
Screening
The Union's communication officer checks whether the material can be resolved with existing templates. If it can, the template is sent. If not, it is forwarded to the GC Brand Manager.
3
Brand analysis
The Brand Manager assesses: coherence with the system, correct use of colors and typography, suitability to the cultural context, and the need for a formal exception.
4
Feedback or approval
The Brand Manager replies with: direct approval, approval with requested adjustments, or a reasoned refusal with a proposed alternative.
✓
Publication
Approved material may be published. The final approved file is recorded in the Brand Hub for future reference and possible conversion into a template.
Quick decisions — when to escalate?
No need to escalate
Using a template without structural modification · Changing text, photo and date · Publishing a routine story or post · Adapting the language for the local field
Escalate to the Union
Material outside the approved templates · A large regional event · A partnership with an outside body · Significant cultural adaptation
Escalate to the GC
Any alteration to the symbol or logotype · A new color outside the system · Material with international repercussions · A structural exception to the Brand Book
Never publish without approval
Material that alters the symbol · Use of unapproved colors · Material created outside the templates without review · Anything that "looks different from the system"
Emergency material
In situations of genuine urgency (a disaster, an urgent pastoral notice), the local pastor may publish using the basic templates without prior approval — and notify the association within 24h. This exception applies only to crisis communication, not to events or campaigns.
Section 18.3 · Approval process
"Close-up of hands passing a printed document across a desk for review, pen resting beside it, warm side light, shallow depth of field, film grain, low saturation, no readable text, 4:3"
18.4 — Response times (SLA)

Urgent · standard
and low priority

The GC Brand Manager answers every request within the times set out below. Meeting these times presupposes that the request arrives with all the necessary information — incomplete requests restart the clock.

48h
Urgent
Crisis communication · An event less than 5 days away · Correction of material published incorrectly. Send by e-mail with the subject marked [URGENT].
7 days
Standard (default)
New material outside the templates · Cultural adaptation · A template for a recurring event · Signage approval. Send via the standard form.
21 days
Low priority
Requests for structural exceptions · Proposals for a new template · Suggestions for updating the Brand Book · Long-term strategic enquiries.
A request with no reply
If a request receives no reply within the stated time, resend it together with the history of the original request. Receiving no reply does not authorise publishing the material without approval. In cases of inactivity over more than 2 consecutive periods, escalate to the presidency of the General Conference.
18.5 — Contact channels

Brand Manager · e-mail
and approval form

All brand-related contact must be made through the official channels below. Contact outside these channels — personal messages on social media, informal WhatsApp — does not produce official approval.

Brand Manager — GC
Hugo Cibalde
Responsible for the global visual identity of SDARM. The central point for brand approval and strategic consultation.
Reply within 7 working days
Official e-mail
brand@sdarm.org
For approval requests, application enquiries and sending materials for review. Include a standardised subject: [APPROVAL] · [ENQUIRY] · [URGENT].
Monitored on working days · 08:00–18:00 GMT
Brand Hub — Portal
brand.sdarm.org
The central brand portal: template downloads, logotype files, institutional fonts, the approval form and the version history of the Brand Book.
Available 24h · Access by institutional credential
Model e-mail for an approval request
To: brand@sdarm.org
Subject: [APPROVAL] · Event poster · South Union · Jun/2026

Dear Hugo,

We request approval for the following material:

Material: A3 poster — Week of Prayer
Requesting level: South Brazil Union
Period of use: 1 to 7 July 2026
Purpose: Promotion in the churches of southern Brazil
File: [Attachment — poster_v1.pdf]

The material uses the approved templates with adaptation of local text and photography.

Yours sincerely,
Name · Role · South Union · SDARM

Section 18.5 · Contact channels
"Cinematic photo of a person writing a letter at a tidy desk with an open notebook, warm lamp light, modest long-sleeve clothing, film grain, low saturation, no readable text, 4:5"
18.6 — Exceptions and adaptations

When and how
to request an exception

The identity system is solid — but it recognizes that there are cultural, linguistic and operational contexts in 127 countries that may require specific adaptations. Exceptions exist, but they have strict criteria.

Recognized types of exception
Approvable cultural exception
Adaptation to a language with a different script (Arabic, Mandarin, Hindi) that requires auxiliary typography. The main system remains — only the text changes font, and only where necessary.
Approvable technical exception
Printing in countries with no access to printers that support the specified paper. The approval allows the closest available paper to be used, provided the design remains intact.
Sensitive exception — assessed case by case
Contexts where using the logotype may create a security risk (countries with religious restrictions). Decided by the GC together with the local leadership.
Never approved as an exception
Altering the symbol · using colors outside the palette out of aesthetic preference · creating an independent sub-brand without authorisation · simplifying the logotype for convenience.
How to document an approved exception
Every approved exception is documented in a Brand Exception Memorandum issued by the Brand Manager, containing:
A precise description of the exception granted
The approved justification
The period of validity of the exception
The scope of application (a specific field, a type of material)
The signature of the GC Brand Manager
An exception is not a precedent
An exception approved for one specific field does not authorise other fields to apply the same adaptation without approval of their own. Each exception is bound to the context that justified it — it does not transfer automatically.
18.7 — Update cycle

How the Brand Book
is revised each year

The Brand Book is not a static document. It is a living system that has to be revised regularly to reflect the development of the Church, new communication platforms and what is learned in the field.

Update calendar — annual cycle
J
January
Collecting feedback from the field
The communication coordinators of every Union send an annual report: difficulties of application, gaps identified, needs not met by the current system.
M
March
Internal GC review
The Brand Manager consolidates the feedback, identifies the priorities for updating and presents a revision proposal to the GC presidency for approval of the agenda.
J
June
Update and publication
A new version of the Brand Book published on the Brand Hub with a version number, a changelog and a transition period for the fields to adopt the changes.
D
December
Closure and impact assessment
A qualitative assessment of how the changes have been adopted. Identification of fields that need additional implementation support.
Current version
v2026.1
Published in January 2026
Next revision
Jun/2026
v2026.2 — collection open
Notification format
E-mail to coordinators + Brand Hub
Transition period: 60 days
18.8 — Statement of commitment

What it means
to adopt this system

Adopting the SDARM Brand Book is not a bureaucratic formality. It is a declaration that the person responsible for communication at their level understands, respects and undertakes to guard the identity of the Church they represent.

A visual identity system works only when the people who apply it believe in it. Not out of obligation — out of understanding. When a communication leader understands why the blue #0F3999 matters, why the typography cannot be changed and why the symbol is untouchable, they stop seeing the Brand Book as a limitation and begin to see it as a tool.

That is the aim of this entire document — not to create restrictions, but to create competence. Whoever has come this far has more than rules: they have reasoning. And it is reasoning that produces correct decisions in the situations no manual can foresee.

Commitment of the communication officer
"I understand that the visual identity of SDARM is the heritage of the Church and of the message it carries. I undertake to apply it faithfully, to request approval when necessary, and not to modify the system out of personal convenience or circumstantial pressure."
Name · Role · Date · Signature
The brand is a promise —
kept in every detail.
Governance is care
The approval process exists because SDARM is in 127 countries and one inconsistent visual decision in one field can affect how the Church is perceived in all the others. Brand governance is collective protection.
Autonomy with responsibility
The system gives freedom within precise limits. A local church does not need to ask approval to publish a worship post — because the template has already been approved. Autonomy with responsibility is not the same as freedom without criteria.
The Brand Book is alive
This is not the final document. It is version 2026.1. The field will teach us what is missing, what is difficult to apply and what needs rethinking. The next version will be better because this one was honest about its limits.
Closing note from the Brand Manager
"Building this system was an act of respect — for the message the Church carries, for the people who represent it and for the communities it serves in every corner of the world. May every detail of this Brand Book make SDARM look as coherent and as dignified as it is."
Hugo Cibalde
Brand Manager
Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement
General Conference · 2026
← Ch. 17 — Video & Motion
Next chapter
19 — Quick Guide for Local Churches →
SDARM Brand Book · Ch. 18 · Part IV — Governance · 2026