A new Charity Governance Code has been launched with significant updates to the Diversity and Integrity principles in the Code.
Although the Charity Governance Code is not legally binding, it aims to demonstrate best practice core principles and governance goals for charity trustee boards. It has been widely adopted across the sector.
How has the Charity Governance Code changed?
The Diversity Principle has been replaced by a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Principle which sets out a framework for a potential journey a trustee board could make to meet its diversity challenges and embed the Code’s EDI principle within their governance structures. Recommendations include recruiting diverse trustees and encouraging inclusive and accessible participation.
The Integrity Principle has been updated to emphasise the importance of a charity’s values, ethics and culture with a reference to NCVO’s Charity Ethical Principles.
The updates reflect the recent focus on safeguarding in the sector as new recommendations ask trustees to:
- Understand their safeguarding responsibilities;
- Establish and review appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures; and
- Ensure that anyone working with the charity knows how to speak up and feel comfortable raising concerns.
The Code is recognised by the Charity Commission as an effective standard for charity governance.
If your board is looking to carry out a governance review, our Charities team can analyse your current arrangements and help you work towards best practice and effective governance.