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March 20, 2019
Good governance
At the recent Third Sector Interface (CVS and Volunteer Centres in old money) conference, I sat next to someone whose job it is to help very early stage, grass roots groups through the bureaucratic minefield of sorting out constitutions, understanding committee roles and responsibilities, charitable law, finance and so on. She described some pretty dire instances of where no meetings had been held and no records kept but where significant sums of money were being received and spent. At the same conference she introduced me to this. A really straightforward code of good governance. Worth a look.
This Scottish Governance Code has been created for the third sector, by the third sector. It is a statement of best practice and has been developed by Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum following consultation with over 250 individuals and organisations.
Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum brings together individuals and organisations with knowledge and expertise in governance issues. We are a small group of people with a big ambition to improve governance in the third sector. We have worked with people from all types of third sector organisations in Scotland to produce this Code. It reflects and celebrates the wealth of good practice that exists in our sector and provides a standard for all to aspire to. Thank you to everyone who contributed – we could not have done it without you.
Good governance matters because it underpins successful organisations. It matters in all sectors, but especially in ours where the purpose is to serve our beneficiaries as best we can. A good reputation takes years to build and seconds to destroy. Good governance underpins our effectiveness, and is also the best way to protect and enhance the reputation of our individual organisations and our sector as a whole.
Over 250,000 trustees in Scotland are volunteers and give their time and skills on a voluntary basis to steer the work of third sector organisations. Individually as trustees and collectively as boards, they are the bastions of good governance. This Code is for them. For you.
Please use it. Please share it. Please help promote good governance