Implementation process
How do I start?
Because implementing the Code will ultimately affect everyone in your organisation, it is vital that staff understand what’s involved and buy in to the process. Getting colleagues on board is crucial and successful implementation depends on the support of senior management and the chair or chief executive. Implementing the Code therefore typically begins with informal discussions with key decision makers and by sharing the Code and People In Aid materials throughout the organisation.
If your agency is not a member of People In Aid at this stage, then membership should also be included within the discussions.
Implementing the Code
People In Aid provides comprehensive support to members that implement the Code. An Implementation Manual is available free of charge. Implementation relies on effective stakeholder engagement; the process adopts the social audit model which provides a comprehensive framework for action and promotes a participatory, transparent and accountable approach.
The implementation process is a continuous cycle and has four key stages:
- Commitment, which entails scoping the implementation process; planning for reviewing organisational practices; ensuring senior management commitment and securing adequate resources for the implementation process.
- Stakeholder engagement, which involves reviewing the organisation’s current vision, values and policies, consulting with stakeholders to identify key issues, and generating commitment to the process of review and actions resulting from it. The Principles and Indicators of the People In Aid Code provide a framework for the dialogue, review, and analysis, and from this targets for improvement are set.
- Reporting and auditing, during which stage organisations prepare a full report showing how the organisation has performed against its values, targets and objectives, and including a plan for future action. The report is externally audited to assess the accuracy of data, and whether it is a true and fair reflection of performance, and the findings are then communicated to stakeholders.
- Continuous Improvement, describing the stage where the organisation works to establish systems to embed the process, monitors achievements against objectives, and continues to collect information and audit in accordance with the social audit cycle.
Recognition
People In Aid provides recognition for agencies that commit to and successfully implement the Code. The "Quality Mark" (a quality mark or stamp) takes the form of a specially designed logo together with a sentence or strapline which can be used by an agency on all their communications. Successful implementation is verified through a process of social audit.
How long does it take?
The whole process of implementation from getting started to the external audit might typically take 12 to 18 months depending on the size of your organisation and the scope of implementation.
How much does it cost?
The main costs will be your agency’s internal time in managing the consultation with staff, analysing the results, producing an action plan, and reporting back on the process. You will also be required to make an additional annual contribution to People In Aid (according to your income) to offset the costs of the social audit support and the audit itself.
The social audit model
What is social audit?
Social audit is a comprehensive process of accounting for and reporting on social performance, which is then externally verified. It is an ongoing process of dialogue and continuous improvement – and provides a way of measuring an organisation’s performance against its values and objectives and the expectations of its stakeholders, ie those it affects or is affected by.
It enables organisations to build a clearer picture of how their stakeholders view them and build more mutually beneficial relationships with them. They can also anticipate any concerns that stakeholders have, manage consequential risks and let stakeholders know how they are performing through a report.
The report, produced following consultations with stakeholders (social accounting), is externally verified to enhance the credibility of information presented. In this way social auditing is analogous to financial reporting - the organisation produces the accounts, which are then audited by an independent third party.
A standard framework...
There is a standard process of social reporting, accounting and auditing (known as Assurance) which is covered by the AA1000 Assurance Standard.
AA1000 is an evaluation method that uses a set of specified principles and standards against which a reporting organisation can be assessed. It has been chosen as the most appropriate process for effectively evaluating and enhancing performance against the People In Aid Code. The independent third party auditor is known as an ‘Assurance Provider’ and in this case, provides People In Aid with the assurance that an agency has met the requirements of AA 1000.
Social accountability and auditing offers People In Aid members a systematic link between their values, as stated in the Code, and the increasingly widespread concern about quality and accountability in aid. Social accountability encourages organisations to start from where they are, reviewing and building on existing information systems. There is no pass or fail: instead of a finishing line, each organisation can move at its own speed to implement a continuous cycle of improvement.
Our auditors
People In Aid’s current assurance provider is ethics.etc. Richard Evans, Director of ethics.etc has an established track record in providing assurance and services related to social auditing.
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