Governance
Christian Book Standard is governed by a published structure, not by the people who submit books.
Who decides
Certification decisions are made by Christian Book Standard reviewers working under the current version of the Christian Book Integrity Standard and its published audit procedure. Submitters, publishers, retailers, and sponsors have no role in any decision.
Recusal
A reviewer with any personal, financial, or professional interest in a title, its author, or its publisher does not review it. Titles by people affiliated with Christian Book Standard are submitted on public terms, reviewed by an unaffiliated reviewer, and marked “affiliated” on the record.
Appeals
A submitter may appeal a decision once. The appeal is decided by a reviewer with no prior involvement in the title. Complaint and appeal timelines are published in the Standard.
Changes to the Standard
Every version of the Standard is published in full and kept permanently. A record always states the version under which it was certified. Changes are announced in the changelog before they take effect; no record is re-graded retroactively.
Ownership
The owners of Christian Book Standard hold interests in other Christian publishing and retail businesses. Those businesses have no role in certification. See Independence.