The urgent case for an International (ISO) Standard in the charity and foundation sector

We are in the process of developing a Code of Practice for the international charity and foundation sectors. At its core, this code will enshrine good governance, transparency, and the better measurement of impact, and will also put beneficiaries themselves and their actual requirements - so rarely heard and understood - at the very heart of the initiative. This work is being undertaken with British Standards (BSI), a member of the International Standards Organisation (ISO). The code will be complete and published by Summer 2019. Although scoped and sponsored by Philanthropy Age and Insaan Group, the code is ultimately independent and transparent to ensure its credibility. Overseen and chaired by BSI it is driven by an independent Strategy Committee and technical author, which invite global collaboration and sector feedback. It will be published as a BSI 'Publicly Available Standard' (PAS) and will be available and accredited internationally. In conjunction with BSI and ISO we then hope to help fast track this voluntary international Code of Practice into a more rigorous global ISO for the sector at the earliest opportunity. By encouraging professionalism and ensuring that organisations deliver real impact, we expect to help bridge the gap in trust that has developed between the public and charities. An independent international standard will also be of major assistance to funders and private donors seeking best in class projects that make a real difference in society.