Code of Good Conduct for Caribbean NGOs
Basic information
- Type: Code of Conduct/Ethics
- Status: Inactive
- Thematic area: General
- Summary: The Code of Good Conduct provides guidance for NGOs in the Caribbean region. It addresses internal governance of NGOs, the relationship among NGOs at local, national, regional and international level as well as the relationship between NGOs and beneficiaries, donors and governments; and the relationship of NGOs with labour, private sector, media and the general public.
Contact details
- Host organisation: Caribbean Policy Development Centre
- Acronym: CPDC
- Website: www.cpdcngo.org
- Email: cpdc@caribsurf.com; cpdc@caribnet.net
- Phone: +1 (246) 437-6055
- Postal address: P.O. Box 284 Bridgetown, Barbados
Areas addressed
- Principles or standards: Principles-based
- Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
- General commitment to transparency
- Ethical communications
- Fundraising standards
- Governance and Management:
- General commitment to good governance
- Auditing
- Board structure
- Conflict of Interest
- Stewardship of funds
- Human resources:
- Staff development and training
- Staff relations
- Beneficiary / client / supporter participation:
- General commitment to beneficiary participation
- In needs assessment
- In project design
- Cross-cutting thematic areas:
- Gender equality
- CSO collaboration and partnership
- State - CSO relations
Further info: The Code also encourages CSO cooperation with trade unions, labour and the media.
Participation
- Reasons for participation
- Enhancing credibility, quality or reputation
Compliance
- Monitoring mechanism: Commitment only
- Description of monitoring mechanism: Each member of CPDC is responsible for upholding and assisting other NGOs to adopt and maintain the Code.
- Has sanctioning mechanism: Yes
- Description of sanctioning mechanism: Complaints against violations to the Code are to be brought to the attention of the relevant NGO and government authorities.
Assessment
The Code of Good Conduct for Caribbean NGOs serves as a model of how CSOs in the region can work together to establish common norms and standards in the sector. This is an important contribution in a region where CSO self-regulation is relatively underdeveloped. However, until the initiative can be fully implemented in all signatory countries, its impact on practice will remain unclear.
