The Regulation of International NGOS: Assessing the Effectiveness of the INGO Accountability Charter

Abstract

The INGO Accountability Charter is the only global, cross-sectoral regulatory initiative for international NGOs. This is the first independent study of perceptions of its effectiveness, based upon 26 in-depth semi-structured interviews with key individuals from 11 leading international NGOs. Firstly, it analyzes interviewees' beliefs about the motivations of NGOs in joining the Charter. The findings contribute to the scholarly debate about the key drivers for voluntary regulation between 'club theorists' and 'constructivists' by demonstrating that NGO behavior in this regard is both self-interested and norm-guided. Secondly, it investigates the extent to which the interviewees believe that the Charter has been effective in enhancing the accountability of its members. Their responses further underline the applicability of club theory and constructivist explanations of NGO behavior, and lead to several policy recommendations about the future direction of Charter.Résumé La Charte des responsabilités des organisations non gouvernementales internationales (ONGI) est la seule initiative réglementaire intersectorielle mondiale en vigueur pour les ONG internationales. La présente étude des perceptions de son rendement est la première évaluation indépendante du genre. Elle se fonde sur 26 interviews détaillées semi-structurées menées auprès de membres clés de 11 ONG internationales d'importance. Elle analyse en premier lieu les raisons qui, selon les membres interrogés, incitent les ONG à s'inscrire à la Charte. Les résultats contribuent au débat qu'ont les chercheurs, à la fois «théoriciens de club» et «tenants du constructivisme», sur les éléments clés de la réglementation bénévole en démontrant que le comportement des ONG à cet égard est principalement influencé Resumen La Carta de Responsabilidad de las INGO es la única iniciativa global transectorial reguladora para las Organizaciones No Gubernamentales (NGO, por sus siglas en inglés) internacionales. É ste es el primer estudio independiente de percepciones sobre su efectividad, basado en 26 entrevistas semiestructuradas en profundidad con individuos claves de 11 NGO internacionales destacadas. En primer lugar, analiza las creencias de los entrevistados sobre las motivaciones de las NGO para incorporarse a la Carta. Los hallazgos contribuyen al debate erudito sobre los impulsores claves de la regulación voluntaria entre 'teóricos de club' y 'constructivistas' demostrando que el comportamiento de las NGO en este sentido se guía fundamentalmente por las normas. En segundo lugar, investiga en qué medida creen los entrevistados que la Carta ha sido efectiva para mejorar la responsabilidad de sus miembros. Sus respuestas subrayan también la aplicabilidad de las explicaciones constructivistas del comportamiento de las NGO, y llevan a varias recomendaciones políticas sobre la futura dirección de la Carta. Estas recomendaciones incluyen elevar el perfil de la Carta entre las partes interesadas y ampliar las oportunidades para el aprendizaje entre iguales.

GRI Sustainability Reporting by INGOs: A Way Forward for Improving Accountability?

“…Twenty-six in-depth interviews showed that Charter membership provides a defense against actual or anticipated criticism of poor accountability from powerful external stakeholders and also an opportunity for organizational learning. Some members stressed that complying with the Charter's accountability demands is a resource intensive bureaucratic exercise, and expressed their frustration with the low profile of the Charter for donors and staff (Crack 2017). Therefore, the contribution of reducing the accountability gap has not been as effective as wanted.…”

“…SR addresses information asymmetries regarding the organization's impacts on sustainable development and its triple bottom line performance (Hahn and Kühnen 2013). This line of thought is also taken up by club theorists, who discuss the role of voluntary accountability programs as one attempt to mitigate the information problem (Crack 2017;Gugerty 2009). Voluntary information disclosure increases the information basis for the users of SR and allows them to screen the reported content for forming judgment about the triple bottom line performance.…”

“…While there is an extensive body of research on the functionality and dysfunctionality of accountability obligations in NGO government relations , the body of research on sector-specific voluntary accountability initiatives, also called accountability clubs, is much smaller (Crack 2017;Gugerty 2009;Prakash and Gugerty 2010;Tremblay-Boire and Prakash 2015). In voluntary accountability clubs NGOs jointly design accountability standards which regulate the entrance requirements, what is account for and whether and how non-compliance is monitored and sanctioned.…”

“…In voluntary accountability clubs NGOs jointly design accountability standards which regulate the entrance requirements, what is account for and whether and how non-compliance is monitored and sanctioned. The main reference theory for analyzing voluntary accountability standards of NGOs is club theory-in combination with signaling and principal-agency theory (Gugerty 2009;Tremblay-Boire et al 2016;Crack 2017). A central question in this vein of research is what the characteristics of weak and strong accountability clubs are.…”

“…A central question in this vein of research is what the characteristics of weak and strong accountability clubs are. By joining an accountability club, NGOs aim at increasing their reputation in order to increase their funding and for preempting threats of NGO accountability obligations (Crack 2017;Gugerty 2009;Prakash and Gugerty 2010).…”