The need for transparency in the third sector

OSCR recently published its findings on trust and regulation in Scotland’s third sector. Perhaps not surprisingly, trust has declined in the last two years, a period that saw the media focus on negative stories, such as those surrounding Kids Company, chief executive pay, fundraising practices and ethical corporate support. The decline is not as high as some might have predicted, especially when you consider a press bent on shaming charity bad practice, with little care given to representing the other side of things – namely the great work that goes on across Scotland and beyond. And that great work has not been in short supply. The recent Scottish Charity Awards were testament to some of the excellent things that have been happening over the last year.

How do we increase public trust?

Transparency is key. Organisations need to work hard to show their commitment to being clear and open in what they’re doing, how they’re spending money and the impact they are having. Good HQ is powerful way for organisations to show their commitment to transparency. The new digital platform lets the public share their honest experiences of charities, both good and bad. It also gives charities valuable feedback on how they can improve to deliver better services and experiences for their supporters, service users, volunteers and staff. Not only that, Good HQ showcases positive stories from the third sector, written by people that know the work of the organisation best: its service users, fundraisers, supporters, campaigners, trustees etc. Take a look at the explore page on the platform, to see just some of the inspiring stories that have already been left.

Become an early adopter

As Good HQ Community Manager it’s been encouraging to see the platform take off over the last few weeks, with some great organisations signing up and using the site, including Ceartas, Guide Dogs Scotland and the Traditional Music and Song Association Scotland – to name just a few. Now it’s your turn to become an early adopter too! If you’re interested in signing up your organisation and demonstrating your organisation’s commitment to transparency and receiving feedback, head over to the sign up page and register now. For more information take a look at my previous blog on getting to know Good HQ or get in touch by emailing me. You can also keep up-to-date with everything we’re up to by following us on Twitter.