Good governance for safeguarding: A guide for UK NGO boards
This practical guide explores six ways that trustees of UK-based NGOs should take the lead on safeguarding.
The sector has committed to driving up safeguarding standards following last year’s media revelations. Trustees have a key role to play in this through setting the culture, behaviour and priorities of their organisations.
This guide is for boards of all UK-based international NGOs, regardless of size or whether or not they are directly involved in programme delivery.
The six sections cover:
- Setting a culture that makes staff feel comfortable and supported to raise concerns
- Reducing risk and ensuring that the organisation has assessed its safeguarding risk profile
- Making sure the right policies are in place for raising issues and encouraging speaking up
- Ensuring that when issues are raised they are investigated correctly and thoroughly
- How to articulate the organisation’s policies for supporting survivors
- Recommendations to ensure openness and accountability in relation to safeguarding.
The guide was produced by the cross-sector safeguarding working group, with special thanks to Rose Caldwell from Concern Worldwide UK, Emma Dowden-Teale from Bates Wells Braithwaite and Alexandra Angulo from Mercy Corps. Find out more about Bond groups. The report was funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Bond offers a number of safeguarding training courses, including bespoke workshops for boards of trustees. Find out more about Bond’s safeguarding support, including policy templates.
