Dynamic Accountability Dialogue: Right Sizing Safeguards — A Recap
SHARE THIS ARTICLE BACK TO INSIGHTS Across the globe, CSO accountability practitioners are grappling with the same questions: Are we doing enough to protect our stakeholders and organizations? What is the right way for organizations to rightsize their safeguards? What is good enough? And how do we ensure that the systems we put in place […]
Transparency International’s Impact Monitoring Process
Transparency International’s approach to monitoring impact for anti-corruption work is collaborative and participatory. It is designed to help the organisation gain a better understanding of what works in the fight against corruption, including why and how it works. It captures the different change processes that the Transparency International movement and more broadly the anti-corruption community are contributing to and achieving.
CIVICUS’ Approach to an Accessible Mission Statement and Theory of Change
To enhance accessibility, transparency, and the ability for stakeholders to engage with the organisation’s overall work, CIVICUS has made a copy of their strategic plan publicly available (in 6 languages) on their website, showing their commitment to being inclusive. In addition, it further made introductory videos available in four main languages for its members and wider civil society.
Oxfam strengthens safeguarding through Core Standards and a Global Case Management System
One Oxfam Safeguarding Core Standards offer a simplified, easy to understand and ‘non-negotiables’ document, offering a summary of Oxfam’s multiple public safeguarding commitments to guide practice (assess gaps, support planning, analyse performance), strengthen safeguarding systems and ultimately help hold managers in Oxfam accountable.
Sound fundraising policies and diversification of funds underpin Educo’s strong approach to resource acquisition
Educo has a Donation Policy, a Policy for Collaborating with Companies (in Spanish), and an Investment Policy which aim to ensure that funds received do not restrict the free action of the organisation, and they work in line with the Spanish Fundraising Association’s Code of Conduct for Development Fundraising in Spain.
MIO-ECSDE ensures they maintain independence whilst acquiring funding
MIO-ECSDE sees its reputation, integrity, high calibre and independence as its main capital, and highlights the importance of safeguarding these qualities. In practice, this means there are criteria regarding the sources and conditions of funding from private sources – these must be transparent, carefully scrutinised, and free from any influence on MIO-ECSDE’s policy and strategy.
World YWCA’s Approach to Feedback from Internal Stakeholders
A helpful illustrative example is provided, outlining how MAs, staff, and partner organisations provided input on the development of World YWCA’s Goal 2035. The Panel notes positively the efforts to obtain input from a diverse membership base and to gather feedback in several rounds of consultations over several years.
SOS Children’s Villages’ user-appropriate feedback and complaints mechanisms
All of the information about SOS’ various feedback mechanisms is easily accessible on their website. The mechanism for safeguarding concerns is particularly accessible. It is available in six languages and has a separate submission form aimed at children, which uses language that speaks directly to them, provides examples of what kind of behaviour to report and explains how to submit anonymous reports.
Educo’s financial statements are audited by two firms
The 2014 financial statements were audited by two auditing firms, Ernst & Young and Audalia. As a control measure, both firms had to agree on their opinion about the accounts. To date, Educo is the only NGO in Spain that uses this co-auditing system. Later on, Educo presented annually its audited financial statements to the Protectorate of Foundations of the Generalitat de Catalunya, in which the organisation is legally registered, and the statements were published on the website.
World YWCA ensures an accountable movement through its strategy
The World YWCA took major decisions to implement the Accountability Commitments and adopted the Strategic Framework 2016-2019. The 3rd Goal in the Strategic Framework is to build an effective, well governed, accountable and sustainable movement that has robust assets to sustain the work of the movement and has a key action to “implement the accountability framework for the World YWCA, including a formalised monitoring and evaluation strategy, processes and the International Accountability Charter (INGO).”