Trust

Trust is at the heart of our sector

I never think of our essential sector without immediately seeing volunteers. Volunteers are the actual life-blood of our sector. More about volunteers in another post.

Today’s post looks at Trust, which is the very heart of our sector, enabling our volunteers to help our beneficiaries.

This shouldn’t be news to anyone in our sector, but it’s often overlooked. For those of you who are Trustees (Charity or other) it’s in your Title. All our Third sector organisations hold something in Trust for their beneficiaries. This can be in any form from an asset (building or land) through money to food and intellectual property and time. It can be held in a CIO, a CiC, a Company, a Trust, a Mutual, an unincorporated association or other forms. It usually comes from or through donors.

Much Governance legislation in our sector is aimed at increasing public trust. And it is crucial that the Governance of each organisation inspires trust, and demonstrates accountability and trnasparency.

Here’s the thing. When any Third Sector Organisation’s governance falls below the standard required, and the standard the Public expect, the Public see this as a failing of our whole sector. every Kids Company or Captain Tom Foundation or any other scandal or story erodes public trust in our sector. And we all know bad news sells better than good news.

One of my not so many) mantras is “We’re all in the marketing department”. How we discharge our duty to govern within a legislative framework reflects not only on us, but on our sector

I’ve been advising our sector for 35 years, and my soon to be published guide to good governance includes everything an organisation needs to comply and to demonstrate good governance to its beneficiaries, volunteers, donors, commissioners, customers, in fact all stakeholders.