Consultation Reviewing Principles of Good Governance Launched

The steering group of the voluntary and community sector’s Code of Good Governance has launched a three-month consultation on the Code’s key principles.

The consultation focuses on a ‘refashioning’ of the Code’s principles, which is designed to make them more accessible, applicable and meaningful to all organisations in the sector. The aim is ensure the Code remains a practical and easy-to-use guide to encourage charities to adopt good practice in governance.

The Code is primarily aimed at the trustees of voluntary and community organisations, who have ultimate governance responsibilities. It aims to help enhance the effectiveness of organisations by helping them to achieve excellent governance.

Lindsay Driscoll, Chair of the steering group, said:
 
“This is a challenging time for the sector and for governance generally, with so many questions about the failures of banks.  It is vital that charities can demonstrate that they are well governed in practice, with arrangements in proportion to their needs; and that the sector has a recognised, effective and proportionate code.
 
“Initial feedback from charities on these proposals has been extremely positive.”

Good Governance: a Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector was published in 2005, and in a review conducted by nfpSynergy last year it was found to have been used by 49% of voluntary organisations, with 29% being aware of it. One of the key conclusions the steering group drew from the nfpSynergy report was that whilst the principles of the Code were correct, they needed to be easier to understand and simpler to put in to practice for all organisations, no matter what their size.

To download copies of the original Code click here

Seb Elsworth, Director of Strategy at ACEVO said:

“We know that there are organisations out there who are leading the way in practicing good governance. We also know that there are many who are keen to improve in this area. We hope that by revising the principles of the Code of Good Governance we will be able to assist more organisations seeking practical guidance to put their goals into practice.”

The members of the steering group are Charity Trustee Networks, NCVO, ACEVO, and ICSA. The Charity Commission supports the Code and attends steering group meetings in an advisory capacity.

The steering group is keen to encourage all individuals to have their say and to take part in the consultation.

You can have your say on the proposed  principles of good governance by taking part in the online survey, or by contacting any of the steering group members.

Click here to take part in the online survey.

The consultation will run until the 24th November 2009.