Report: Assessing, measuring and improving culture in charities

05 May 2017 News

A strong personality is among the red flags highlighted in the ICSA: The Governance Institute’s report that looks at ways charities can identify early warning signs.

The report, Cultural markers: Assessing, measuring and improving culture in the charitable sector, identifies behaviours and practices that may indicate a poor organisational culture that does not match the states values of the charity.

The report identifies 13 areas that charities should implement or avoid. These include ‘the power of personality’, where a strong personality may be able to unduly influence and overpower the better instincts of those around them.

Other red flags include a pressure on a charity to increase funds to support the cause. The report states that this single-minded focus can lead to decisions and actions that “might otherwise be deemed questionable”.

Others include ‘existential stress’, and membership charities. It says that “the rights of members must be balanced with the legal duties of trustees”.

Louise Thomson, head of policy (not for profit) at ICSA, said at the report launch: “Few charities explain well what they do and how and why they do it, but if a charity is to inspire trust amongst its users and supporters, a desired and stated culture must be evident. This report provides charity bosses with the tools to think about their culture and provides practical insights into how culture can be assessed, measured and improved.”

The full report can be found here.

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