Every CHERUB mission must be approved by the ethics committee. There are five committee members, none of whom had any links with CHERUB before they took up their posts. Three members review each mission. Any mission that they deem dangerous, too complicated, of limited value, or capable of being performed by an adult will be rejected.

The committee also lays down guidelines for agents behaviour. They allow agents to quit a mission at any point without being punished. They also include rules on the levels of permitted criminal behaviour and what to do with the proceeds of crime. There may also be specific rules set for individual missions.