Global Accountability
The One World Trust's highly-regarded Global Accountability Project (GAP) was born out of Charter 99 and ran for a decade. This project sought to bring greater levels of transparency and accountability to large and influential inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), transnational corporations (TNCs) and international non-governmental organisations, with the aim of enhancing their accountability to the individuals and communities they affect.
The pilot report published in 2003, Power without accountability?, was funded by the Ford Foundation, and evaluated the accountability of 18 organisations. A further report, 'Pathways to Accountability - the GAP framework', then followed, which set out the formal methodology for evaluating the accountability of global organisations.
In 2006 OWT produced the first full Global Accountability Report (GAR) on 30 major international organizations. The GAR became an annual report comparing the accountability of ten international NGOs, ten intergovernmental organisations and ten transnational corporations using four criteria:
(1) Transparency: accessibility of information in internal and external stakeholders;
(2) Participation: active involvement of stakeholders and their ability to influence decisions-making;
(3) Evaluation: methods of self-evaluation to monitors performance and establishes learning criteria for future planning;
(4) Complaint and response mechanisms
These criteria were refined over time.
A selection of the key Global Accountability reports are available to download below. If you can't find the document you are looking for, please contact info@oneworldtrust.org for access to our archives.
The One World Trust's highly-regarded Global Accountability Project (GAP) was born out of Charter 99 and ran for a decade. This project sought to bring greater levels of transparency and accountability to large and influential inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), transnational corporations (TNCs) and international non-governmental organisations, with the aim of enhancing their accountability to the individuals and communities they affect.
The pilot report published in 2003, Power without accountability?, was funded by the Ford Foundation, and evaluated the accountability of 18 organisations. A further report, 'Pathways to Accountability - the GAP framework', then followed, which set out the formal methodology for evaluating the accountability of global organisations.
In 2006 OWT produced the first full Global Accountability Report (GAR) on 30 major international organizations. The GAR became an annual report comparing the accountability of ten international NGOs, ten intergovernmental organisations and ten transnational corporations using four criteria:
(1) Transparency: accessibility of information in internal and external stakeholders;
(2) Participation: active involvement of stakeholders and their ability to influence decisions-making;
(3) Evaluation: methods of self-evaluation to monitors performance and establishes learning criteria for future planning;
(4) Complaint and response mechanisms
These criteria were refined over time.
A selection of the key Global Accountability reports are available to download below. If you can't find the document you are looking for, please contact info@oneworldtrust.org for access to our archives.
Charter 99

charter_99.pdf | |
File Size: | 29 kb |
File Type: |
2003: power without accountability
pathways to accountability. the gap framework

pathways_to_accountability_the_gap_framework__lo_res_.pdf | |
File Size: | 928 kb |
File Type: |
2006: global accountability report & briefing paper
![]()
|
![]()
|
2007: Global accountability report & briefing paper
![]()
|
![]()
|
2008: global accountability report & briefing paper
![]()
|
![]()
|
Examining NGO/CSO Self-Regulation
Some non-governmental or Civil Society organisations (known as NGOs or CSOs respectively) are huge and highly influential operations nowadays, acting as major suppliers of public services and wielding significant lobbying muscle on policy issues. Some have a turnover of billions of dollars a year and a global reach. As demands for transparency and accountability from NGOs has grown, something One World Trust has championed, the sector's response has been a raft of self-regulation initiatives. The Trust spent several years researching this subject and producing a worldwide database - by 2010, the Trust’s database on worldwide self-regulation amongst CSOs featured over 350 initiatives, providing for the first time a clear picture of CSO self-regulation as a global phenomenon. Unfortunately the database is not currently available, but several of the key reports and briefing papers on this subject produced by the Trust are available to download below.
Some non-governmental or Civil Society organisations (known as NGOs or CSOs respectively) are huge and highly influential operations nowadays, acting as major suppliers of public services and wielding significant lobbying muscle on policy issues. Some have a turnover of billions of dollars a year and a global reach. As demands for transparency and accountability from NGOs has grown, something One World Trust has championed, the sector's response has been a raft of self-regulation initiatives. The Trust spent several years researching this subject and producing a worldwide database - by 2010, the Trust’s database on worldwide self-regulation amongst CSOs featured over 350 initiatives, providing for the first time a clear picture of CSO self-regulation as a global phenomenon. Unfortunately the database is not currently available, but several of the key reports and briefing papers on this subject produced by the Trust are available to download below.
The Role of NGO Self-Regulation in Increasing Stakeholder Accountability

2005_07_the_role_of_ngo_self-regulation_in_increasing_stakeholder_accountability.pdf | |
File Size: | 160 kb |
File Type: |
NGO Self-Regulation - Enforcing and Balancing Accountability

2006_ngo_self-regulation_-_enforcing_and_balancing_accountability.pdf | |
File Size: | 96 kb |
File Type: |
effective accountability: The drivers, benefits and mechanisms of CSO self-regulation

2012_effective_accountability_-_the_drivers_benefits_and_mechanisms_of_cso_self-regulation.pdf | |
File Size: | 2666 kb |
File Type: |
building a common framework (PRODUCED WITH WORLDVISION)

building_a_common_framework_report.pdf | |
File Size: | 1190 kb |
File Type: |
COLLECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY IN CIVIL SOCIETY: THE AFRICAN PICTURE

briefing_paper_133_the_african_picture.pdf | |
File Size: | 317 kb |
File Type: |
cso self-regulation - the global picture

cso_self_regulation_-_the_global_picture_owt_119-2009.pdf | |
File Size: | 446 kb |
File Type: |
empowering citizens: realising service user involvement in self-regulation initiatives

empowering_citizens_-_realising_service_user_involvement_in_sris.pdf | |
File Size: | 366 kb |
File Type: |
cso self-regulatory initiatives project - faqs

faqs-_cso_self-regulatory_initiatives_project.pdf | |
File Size: | 298 kb |
File Type: |
Specific Sectoral Accountability
Following the Global Accountability Reports, One World Trust undertook some specific sectoral accountability projects, addressing Research Organisations, Climate Change and Lobbying. Most of the key reports and papers from this body of work are available to download below.
'The Accountability Principles for Policy Oriented Research Organisations (APRO)' built on the working paper 'Who Do You Think You Work For?' and consisted of a 2008 Report, a toolkit and a framework and database guide.
'Power, Equity and Accountability in Global Climate Change Governance' was an ESRC/DfID funded research programme resulting from a partnership between OWT and the London School of Tropical Hygiene. More information about this project can be found on the dedicated website http://www.globalclimategovernance.org
The Trust continues to focus on accountability with regard to Climate Change following the Paris Agreement of 2016.
Following the Global Accountability Reports, One World Trust undertook some specific sectoral accountability projects, addressing Research Organisations, Climate Change and Lobbying. Most of the key reports and papers from this body of work are available to download below.
'The Accountability Principles for Policy Oriented Research Organisations (APRO)' built on the working paper 'Who Do You Think You Work For?' and consisted of a 2008 Report, a toolkit and a framework and database guide.
'Power, Equity and Accountability in Global Climate Change Governance' was an ESRC/DfID funded research programme resulting from a partnership between OWT and the London School of Tropical Hygiene. More information about this project can be found on the dedicated website http://www.globalclimategovernance.org
The Trust continues to focus on accountability with regard to Climate Change following the Paris Agreement of 2016.
Accountability for policy orientated research Organisations
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
![]()
|
accountability within climate change governance (produced with lshtm)

pup_poster_2012.pdf | |
File Size: | 736 kb |
File Type: |
accountability and lobbying in parliament
![]()
|
![]()
|