First Meeting of Social Auditing Working Group

The first meeting of the Social Auditing Working Group set up by our Centre was held today. The discussion was quite insightful with perspectives from various nonprofit groups and academics and donors. Some of the key observations:

• Social auditing does not necessarily contribute to improved fundraising of a particular charity 'cos there are many different ways a nonprofit can solicit donation and a average donor might base on other factors to make their giving choice (e.g. event fundraising)
  
• However it is useful for assisting new nonprofits and small nonprofits without popular brand name to entre the fundraising marketplace
  
• Two perspectives - inability (capacity building) or unwillingness (politics); need to have incentives for charities to participate
  
• Conformance verses performance - social auditing not a quality seal in most circumstances, except for initiatives like the elderly residential services which could improve institutional trust
• Contribution to internal board governance? Recognition on administration or service? Social auditing or donor education (or both)?
• Best practice and voluntary participation likely the best way to move forward

Good discussion but difficult to move forward. Both funding bodies and nonprofits are simply not interested.