How can you promote accountability and transparency in your organization?

1 Define your expectations

The first step to promote accountability and transparency is to define your expectations clearly and communicate them to everyone involved in your organization. This includes your staff, volunteers, board, donors, beneficiaries, and allies. You should have a written document that outlines your purpose, principles, objectives, strategies, roles, responsibilities, and indicators of success. You should also have a code of conduct that defines your values, norms, and standards of behavior. Make sure that everyone understands and agrees to these expectations, and that they are accessible and visible to all.

2 Monitor your progress

The second step to promote accountability and transparency is to monitor your progress regularly and report on your results. You should have a system that tracks your activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts, and that collects feedback from your members, partners, and stakeholders. You should also have a mechanism that allows you to evaluate your performance, identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges, and learn from your successes and failures. You should share your findings and lessons with your internal and external audiences, and acknowledge your achievements and challenges.

3 Engage your stakeholders

The third step to promote accountability and transparency is to engage your stakeholders in a meaningful and inclusive way. You should involve them in your planning, decision-making, implementation, and evaluation processes, and respect their views, needs, and interests. You should also create spaces for dialogue, consultation, collaboration, and participation, and foster a culture of openness, honesty, and feedback. You should listen to their opinions, suggestions, and complaints, and respond to them promptly and effectively.

4 Address your issues

The fourth step to promote accountability and transparency is to address your issues proactively and constructively. You should have a policy that defines how you handle conflicts, disputes, grievances, and misconduct within your organization, and how you prevent and resolve them. You should also have a procedure that specifies how you deal with external complaints, allegations, or accusations against your organization, and how you communicate and cooperate with the relevant authorities. You should act swiftly and fairly when you face any issues, and take corrective and preventive actions.

5 Review your practices

The fifth step to promote accountability and transparency is to review your practices periodically and improve them continuously. You should have a process that allows you to reflect on your achievements, challenges, and opportunities, and to solicit feedback from your members, partners, and stakeholders. You should also have a mechanism that enables you to update your expectations, systems, policies, and procedures according to the changing needs, contexts, and standards of your organization. You should strive to enhance your quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and impact.

6 Celebrate your values

The sixth step to promote accountability and transparency is to celebrate your values and recognize your contributions. You should have a strategy that showcases your work, achievements, and learnings, and that acknowledges your staff, volunteers, board, donors, beneficiaries, and allies. You should also have a culture that appreciates your values, norms, and standards, and that rewards your performance, behavior, and impact. You should be proud of your accountability and transparency, and inspire others to follow your example.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?