CARE NEPAL THURSDAY 21 JUNE 2012 Organizational Accountability Understanding the concept; its value; and options for action Governance Africa Learning Event (GALE), Nairobi 30 th April 2015

 Accountability - the obligation of an individual or organisation to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. (source: business dictionary)  The responsible use of (our) power (source: Humanitarian Accountability Partnership)  The means by which we enable our ‘stakeholders’ to understand and influence our work (source: GALI) Rationale for OA in CARE

For CARE, accountability is… a means to an end (goal)  It helps us to improve the relevance, quality and impact of our work  It has an ‘empowering’ effect An end (goal) in itself  The people whose lives we affect have a right to hold us to account Why do we want to be accountable?

Accountable to whom – types of accountability? CARE family members communities donors partners government peers supporters internally

Donors impact groups upward downward Forward impact groups Internal

Forward Accountability Framework Dimensions of Organizational Accountability… Transparency & info sharing Feedback & complaints Participation & representation Enabling (org.) environment 4 dimensions of OA

Information Enabling organisational environment Attitudes & Behaviour - Leadership - Policies & systems Accountability Learning Demonstrating impact Feedback & complaints Participation Effectiveness, Quality & Sustainability

Dimensions – 1. Transparency and Information Sharing

Dimension 2. – Feedback, complaints and response mechanisms

Accountability is no technocratic/instrumental exercise: Values People Power Dimensions - 3. An Enabling Environment for accountability CARE’s Accountability Framework identifies 3 enablers  Staff attitudes & behaviours  Policies & systems  Leadership (and culture)

Systematically nurturing accountable attitudes & behaviour CARE’s Accountability Framework identifies 3 enablers  Job descriptions; recruitment; and dedicated accountability staff  Staff inductions and clarity around expectations  Staff appraisal mechanisms  Line managers instructed/trained to recognise and encourage good practice  Capacity development

Rooting Accountability in organisational policy Examples of supporting policy & guidance -Transparency & information sharing policy & guidance (what info should and should not be shared, and how) -Feedback & complaints Policy (I nc. a public commitment to receiving and responding to feedback and complaints from its stakeholders, in particular the most vulnerable) -General accountability policy or statement (O utlining the organisation’s commitments with regard to accountability)

Frameworks, Standards & Initiatives CARE-specific Humanitarian Accountability Framework (HAF)Humanitarian Accountability Framework Accountability Framework (AF) (DRAFT)Accountability Framework CARE CO and Sector Specific Accountability Guidelines and Practices (Peru, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, CIUK, Haiti etc)CARE CO and Sector Specific Accountability Guidelines External to CARE Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP) The SPHERE Project People in Aid/Core Humanitarian Standard Good Enough Guide (Emergency Capacity Building Project) Code of Conduct for Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement & NGOs INGO Accountability Charter Save the Children’s Programme Accountability Guidance Pack

2 3 1 Accountability types & partnership

CIUK Organizational Accountability offers Work with COs to push the OA agenda forward TA on OA with COs CO specific OA frameworks Integration of FA into projects and programs OA and strategic partnerships under CI 2020 March 9,

What’s your take? participant feedback