International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO) Accountability Charter
Basic information
- Type: Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Year established: 2006
- Status: Active
- Thematic area: General, Advocacy / lobbying
- Summary: The Accountability Charter seeks to identify and define shared principles, policies and practices; enhance transparency and accountability; encourage communication with stakeholders; and improve performance and effectiveness among international NGOs.The principles address good governance, ethical fundraising, transparency, professional management, respect for universal principles, independence and responsible advocacy. All Signatories - including the Founding Signatories - report annually against the criteria of the Charter.
Contact details
- Host organisation: INGO Charter Secretariat at CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Website: www.ingoaccountabilitycharter.org
- Email: info@civicus.org
- Phone: +27 11 833 5959
- Postal address: PO Box 933, Southdale, Johannesburg, 2135 South Africa
Areas addressed
- Principles or standards: Principles-based
- Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
- General commitment to transparency
- Fundraising standards
- Lobbying standards
- Governance and Management:
- General commitment to good governance
- Anti-Corruption
- Auditing
- Financial reporting
- Human resources:
- Staff relations
- Volunteer relations
- Monitoring and Evaluation:
- General commitment to evaluation
- Cross-cutting thematic areas:
- Gender equality
- Environmental impact
- Human rights
Participation
- Reasons for participation
- Enhancing credibility, quality or reputation
Compliance
- Monitoring mechanism: Commitment only
- Certification type: Self
- Evidence base: Desk
- Description of monitoring mechanism: Signatories to the INGO Accountability Charter conduct an annual self-assessment against the principles and report on perfomance using the Intermin Reporting Framework. In the future the Global Reporting Initiative NGO sector supplement will form the basis of reporting. Alongside the annual reporting, the IANGO Charter also has a Complaints Committee which investigates complaints against the process immediately linked to the implementation of the Charter.
- Has sanctioning mechanism: Yes
- Description of sanctioning mechanism: The Complaints Committee (elected every three years) takes up any complaints linked to the implementation of the Charter. Complaints against signatories are addressed at the respective organisation.
Assessment
Signatories to the INGO Accountability Charter conduct an annual self-assessment against the principles and report on perfomance using the Intermin Reporting Framework. In the future the Global Reporting Initiative NGO sector supplement will form the basis of reporting. Alongside the annual reporting, the IANGO Charter also has a Complaints Committee which investigates complaints against the process immediately linked to the implementation of the Charter.
