Charities impact practice survey: Call for respondents
ICAS is seeking respondents to an ICAS-funded online survey on impact practice by charities in the UK
If you work within a charity finance team or are a charity trustee or are otherwise involved in performance or impact management at a charity, your views could help influence impact practice and reporting by charities. We are interested in the views of respondents from charities that currently undertake impact reporting and from those that don’t.
We are extending the deadline for completing the survey from 11 February to 14 February to give charities a bit more time to participate.
By explaining the difference a charity is making over a period of time, the charity can further enhance public trust in its own performance, which can only benefit the wider sector.
Engaging, effective and objective impact reporting in the trustees’ annual report is an indication that a charity is well governed with a clear strategy and operational plan. Impact reporting can also be a catalyst for change as it helps the charity understand what is working and where further improvements could be made.
The survey is part of a wider academic study funded by ICAS. The study is being undertaken by a team from Cardiff University and Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
The study aims to address the following research objectives:
1. To identify and explore current impact reporting practices by UK charities, within the trustees’ annual report, in order to understand why charities choose to develop impact reporting measures, how they approach the development of those measures and ultimately whether impact reporting appropriately communicates charities’ achievements to external stakeholders.
2. To assist the Charities SORP Committee by providing evidence and recommendations on how to develop impact reporting requirements and guidance for the Charities SORP.
The Charities SORP Committee, which prepares the Charities SORP, has identified impact reporting as a key topic for consideration by stakeholder groups involved in the on-going review process (the SORP development process) for the next edition of the SORP.
The Committee has published a series of stakeholder briefing papers including one on impact reporting for deliberation as part of the SORP development process. The briefing papers are available to view on the Charities SORP microsite.
Christine represents ICAS on one of the stakeholder groups involved in the Charities SORP Development Process – Professional and Technical Engagement Strand (B). She is also convenor of this Engagement Strand.