In the wake of Dispatches, #knitgate and Panorama I recently blogged about how the sector has entered a new era of transparency for Just Giving.
So it was very timely to see ActionAid UK’s new crowdsourced report on transparency and to read what Judith Davey, their Director of People, Performance and Accountability says about it.
ActionAid UK are one of my clients and earlier this year I ran a workshop for them on thought leadership, transparency and social media. We talked about the concept for the report then and they went away to work on it. I was excited to see the finished product last week which includes fantastic contributions from the BBC, Charity Comms and the Big Lottery Fund. There is plenty of food for thought for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes.
I’m hoping the report will kickstart a conversation in the sector about transparency. In my view, there are some worrying misconceptions about transparency out there still, including: it’s something which is done to us by politicians; just putting all our data out there is enough; and it’s a ‘thing,’ a bolt on to all of our other activities. The cutting edge thinking showcased in the report is a refreshing antidote to all that.
Whilst greater scrutiny can be an unnerving thing for many organisations, I think that the best way forward is to embrace it and put it at the heart of your strategy. By being open and honest you can strengthen relationships with stakeholders, build new partnerships and reinvigorate your communications.
The point is, transparency isn’t a one size fits all process, and should really be the start of a conversation about your work and the difference it makes with your audience.
Isn’t it time the charity sector talked about this more? Do join the debate by tweeting ActionAid UK.