Governance guide launched for UK international NGOs
Melanie May | 28 July 2022 | News
A governance guide has launched to help international NGOs in the UK address increasingly urgent issues within the sector – from equality, diversity and inclusion to safeguarding and securing funding.
The guide from Buzzacott, a UK accountancy firm, and Bond, the UK network of international development organisations, offers specific, tailored and practical advice on charity governance for trustees.
Stephanie Draper, Chief Executive at Bond, said:
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“From the pandemic to political and humanitarian crises around the world, international NGOs face mounting pressure. The sector must remain agile, and in the current climate, trustees need to rethink governance. This handbook will help them identify where change is needed so that their organisation can run as effectively as possible.”
While the Charity Commission’s Charity Governance Code offers a framework for governance best practice, this guide provides much-needed clarity on how to practically apply these principles to everyday operations – particularly for international NGOs, which face additional challenges such as tackling safeguarding and building trust with local communities.
It has three main sections – culture, business models and visibility – which give an overview of the topic, and a set of key questions that trustees and their board can work through to address the issue effectively and ensure best practice within their organisation.
Mike Wright, Director of Membership and Communications at Bond, commented:
“The role of the trustee in an INGO has never been more complex. Organisations are increasingly challenged about their legitimacy and their role in the development ecosystem, and financial sustainability is no longer a given.
“Bond has been working in partnership with Buzzacott to produce this much-needed guide, which will give organisations practical and direct advice to help transform governance practice for the better.”
Hugh Swainson, Partner at Buzzacott, added:
“Successful governance is the constant, ever-changing, goal for any trustee. This guide has been created to help trustees and their boards support organisational transformation, lead on culture and rethink how their organisation runs in an increasingly complex environment.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.