A former trustee of the Charity Commission has said the voluntary Charity Governance Code is “too managerial in tone” and lacks sufficient guidance on strategy reviews.
In a LinkedIn post, Andrew Purkis argued that the code’s assertion that charity trustees’ core role is strategy, performance and assurance was “too dry and boring”.
“Every charity is based on a shared enthusiasm and love for a cause, and a quite crucial responsibility of the trustees is to be keepers of the flame,” he wrote.
“They must ensure that a sense of shared enthusiasm for the cause animates and binds together the whole charity, overriding any causes of tension and disagreement. This should not be presented as a dry managerial matter.”
Meanwhile, the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGI) urged charities to respond to the consultation by the 11 August deadline.
‘Too little about strategy’
Purkis argued that there is “too little about strategy” in the current code, including how to create, revise and review the strategy, what should be included in it, and how then to use it as a basis for monitoring performance.
“The strategy review is also an opportunity for the board to consider a key missing element in the code: what is the distinctive USP of the charity, what can it do that genuinely adds value to society and isn’t just duplicating what others are doing or carrying on activities without reviewing regularly whether they are still relevant,” he wrote.
“And it’s the opportunity to consider from time to time whether the balance between service delivery, advocacy and campaigning is the best one.”
He also echoed calls for the code to remain free to use.
‘Deadline fast approaching’
Emily Ford, policy adviser at the CGI, said: “This is your chance to make the Charity Governance Code work for you.
“Whether you use the code or not, and whatever size or type of charity you represent, we want to hear from you.
“The code was last updated in 2020, and we all know just how much the world has changed since then. With the consultation deadline fast approaching, make sure your views are included in this vital work to support governance outcomes across the sector.
“The UK has a world-class charity sector, and the Charity Governance Code has a key role in maintaining the high standards we expect from UK charities.”
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