Elements of a Community-Governed Trust Framework (and how Velocity Network delivers them all TODAY)
In an article published in November 2025 titled “Credentials not anchored in law – versus anchored”, Bo Harald, a thought leader in verifiable credentials and Trust Infrastructure, explains the critical roles of a trust layer. In this article, he explores the difference between credentials anchored in law and those not anchored in law.
He writes:
“When credentials are not anchored in law, the missing legal authority must be compensated with community-governed trust frameworks — aka rulebooks. These rulebooks make the credentials verifiable and usable even without legal mandate.”
A trust framework which crosses national and regional (e.g. European Union) jurisdiction, such as a global framework for education and work-related credentials, falls into this category of not being anchored in law.
Bo Harold, with the help of ChatGPT, explains what is typically needed of such a trust framework:
1️⃣ Governance Rulebook
Defines who’s in charge and how trust is earned and maintained.
- Membership criteria for issuers, verifiers, and holders
- Procedures for onboarding/offboarding actors
- Conflict resolution and sanctioning
- Versioning and change management
- Link to trust registries (where accredited issuers/verifiers are listed)
This is the backbone: “Who do I trust to issue or verify this credential?”
2️⃣ Semantic & Data Rulebook
Ensures all parties speak the same data language.
- Defines the schema (data elements, datatypes, cardinality)
- Controlled vocabularies and code lists
- Reference to semantic assets (e.g. EU vocabularies, UN/CEFACT, ISO, DCAT, SKOS, OWL)
- Validation rules (e.g. SHACL shapes)
This is what makes credentials interoperable and machine-readable across borders and sectors.
3️⃣ Process & Liability Rulebook
Describes how the credential is issued, verified, and revoked — and who is liable if something goes wrong.
- Business processes and verification steps
- Evidence required for issuance
- Validity period and revocation policies
- Responsibility and liability of issuers and verifiers
- Audit and supervision procedures
- Dispute handling
This provides the “insurance” that verifiers need before trusting data that’s not legally mandated.
4️⃣ Technical & Security Rulebook
Specifies how the bits flow securely.
- DID method or other identifier scheme
- Protocols (OID4VCI, OID4VP, DIDComm, etc.)
- Encryption and signing requirements
- Hosting and data retention standards
- Conformance testing procedures
This guarantees technical interoperability and trustworthiness.
5️⃣ Business Model & Sustainability Rulebook
Explains why it’s worth joining.
- Cost/revenue model for participants
- Incentives for issuers/verifiers
- Funding of registry/governance operations
- Fee transparency
- KPIs and success metrics
Without this, no ecosystem survives long term — even if the tech works.
6️⃣ Ethics, Privacy & Consent Rulebook
Clarifies rights, duties, and limits of data use.
- GDPR and data minimisation alignment
- Consent management rules
- Transparency and redress mechanisms
- Ethical use principles (esp. if AI-agents are involved)
This prevents “wild west” usage and protects individuals and SMEs.
The Velocity Network, governed by the Velocity Network Foundation community, perfectly aligns to all these requirements, clearly and transparently defining all elements of the rulebook.
Not only are all these requirements defined by the global community in a democratic process, but the rulebook is implemented in a fully operational, scalable, open and public infrastructure – the Velocity Network MainNet.
Velocity MainNet is live and trusted by governments, corporations, industry groups, and education leaders.
The Velocity Network Foundation® is a non-profit membership organization hosting the leading workforce-tech and ed-tech vendors and solution providers, as well as NGOs, government, and industry associations representing major labor market stakeholders. Together, Velocity Network Foundation’s Members work to combat the challenges and inefficiencies of hiring people based on what they say themselves about their skills, identity, education, and work Credentials. Learn more at https://www.velocitynetwork.foundation/.