Reputation Management for Charities

Dr Mark Collins, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation

Charities must recognise that a good reputation does not arrive by chance or accident and it is something that cannot be changed or taken for granted, said Dr Mark Collins, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation.

Dr Collins was addressing the opening of a Commonwealth Foundation/Prince's Trust seminar on 'Managing Reputation in the Charities Sector', held on 1 November 2005 at Marlborough House, London, UK.

The seminar brought together key stakeholders from charity organisations to discuss how not-for-profit organisations can measure, manage and track their reputational risk profile.

According to the Foundation's Director, learning more about reputation risk and managing situations when things do not go the way they are planned is something to which charity organisations should give greater attention.

A damaged reputation is often the most difficult problem to correct, he said, and learning about reputation risk and how to handle it, is of great importance.

Using the Commonwealth as a case in point, Dr Collins said that the association had done some excellent work over the last 40 years, building strong reputations with stakeholders. But still, its work is not as well understood as it should be.

He stated that the perception of some people is that the Commonwealth is linked to the behaviours and values of the colonial era and, where this incorrect perception occurs, the association must recognise the issue and take the necessary steps to build a fresh reputation.

Rosie Chapman, Director of Policy and Effectiveness at the Charity Commission, UK, said that loss of reputation is seen as a significant risk. She noted that a survey conducted a year ago by the Charity Finance Directors Group showed that the impact of reputation damage affects charities' ability to attract resources from individuals and funders, and lessens their influence with government, policy-makers and the media.

"The Charity Commission is working at the heart of society to enable charities to maximise their impact, ensuring their compliance with legal obligations and encouraging innovation and effectiveness among charity organisations," she said.

The seminar was supported by Glenfern Consulting, the Charity Commission, the Institute of Charted Secretaries and Administrators, and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 259, 2 November 2005

Related Websites:

• Commonwealth Foundation