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NGOs

NGOs. Agenda. What is an NGO and what is Civil Society? Why do NGOs exist? What do NGOs do? How does an NGO operate? What trends and issues do NGOs face? NGOs internationally. What is an NGO and what is Civil Society?. Think-tanks Institutes and research organisations Charities

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NGOs

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  1. NGOs

  2. Agenda • What is an NGO and what is Civil Society? • Why do NGOs exist? • What do NGOs do? • How does an NGO operate? • What trends and issues do NGOs face? • NGOs internationally

  3. What is an NGO and what is Civil Society? • Think-tanks • Institutes and research organisations • Charities • Foundations • Religious organisations • Non-profit organisations • Local community groups • ……

  4. And in China… GONGOs

  5. What do typical NGOs do? • Campaign for/against issues or companies • Influence markets and individuals • Provide for people who cannot get • Independent assurance/investigation • Non-profit Service providers

  6. How does an NGO operate? • Some NGOs have 1000s of people, are very well known and are very influential globally • Some are dependent on funds for specific programmes, some sell services, some get donations and some get block grants • Some partner with companies, some fight! • Most are relatively inefficient, poorly run, short-term orientated and dependent on their founder NGO sector is now worth over $1,000,000,000,000 annually Employing more than 19 million fully paid employees

  7. Discussion • Why do NGOs exist?

  8. Why do NGOs exist? • The third sector • To fill in the gaps between the private sector and the public sector • More local, more responsive, more efficient • An outlet for people to do something that they want to do, but cannot do any other way • A collection of people who care about something

  9. Why do NGOs exist? -history • Originally some rich people donated money or wanted to help poor people…or some poor people grouped together to help each other • These groups become more formal and then gain more respect; legal frameworks established • Diversify sources of funding and become recognised by society • Capacity Building and NGO support networks/specialised services as NGOs now become a sector to actively ask for advice • Develop people and knowledge that is needed in society and becomes transferable • Along with globalization, NGOs become powerful, global, partners in society

  10. What issues do NGOs face? • Professionalism, managerial skills and transparency/accountability/governance • Recruitment, managing volunteers, utilising society’s goodwill -branding • Infrastructure and Safety • Money • Independence, ethics, ‘selling out’ • % allocated to cause, bureaucracy • Sources of..! • Sustainability, poor decision-making, opportunism • Having an impact …Scaling

  11. What issues do NGOs face? • Partnership rules • The company must be serious in its intent to change its behaviour or take action. • The NGO must be able to maintain clear accountability to its own key stakeholders. • The company must be well placed to drive change in its own sector and across the business community more generally. • The NGO must be able to maintain its independence from the business partner

  12. Trends affecting NGOs • Communications revolution empowering and informing individuals and groups globally • Changing role of government • Falling trust in traditional institutions (government, church, business) • Ongoing (worsening?) social inequality and environmental degradation

  13. NGOs internationally • Developed countries • Strict regulations, auditing etc • The gap between the 1st and 3rd sector is smaller; the issues less obvious • Service providers for governments • Developing countries • Small, often serving specific disadvantaged groups; possibly rural • Supported by local community or corporate donations

  14. Trends in International NGOs • First, international NGOs powerfully shape and drive the corporate responsibility and sustainability agendas. • Second, as a result, NGOs represent lead indicators of where political and business agendas are likely to go in future. • Third, given the scale of the changes needed in the world to ensure sustainable development, their role is likely to grow in importance. • But, fourth, they face growing competition for public, political and business ‘mindshare’, as other actors adopt their perspectives, language, campaigning style and tactics and work at how to deliver change. • Fifth, as some NGOs build major brands and move into the mainstream, they face growing calls for greater transparency and accountability. • And, sixth, as the landscape tilts around them, some of the more thoughtful NGOs are recognizing an increasingly urgent need to revisit and refine their roles, responsibilities and business models.

  15. NGOs in China (1) • Desperate need for NGOs to help provide feedback to society, because of lack of democracy and censored media • Massive problems in China and NGOs can be the tool for the ‘East’ to help the ‘West’ • Huge numbers of tiny spontaneously set-up NGOs • Many government organised NGOs and similar (academic) organisations doing research, providing funding • Unsupportive political environment (e.g. local politicians). Especially no trust between NGOs and Government • Unsupportive public; low awareness, low donations etc

  16. NGOs in China (2) • No real legal framework • No accountability • Low professionalism (IT, staff [few qualified staff, low salaries, small pool of potential staff], transport, publications  advocacy) • Often dependent on foreign income • Needs cooperation between business, NGOs, media, academics and government • Independence vs government influence problem

  17. NGOs in China (3) • The future: • Play more of a governmental role (e.g. NGOs running migrant schools, orphanages etc) • Improve accountability of government • Smooth out and balance the problems in society • Actively participate in national and international discussion • Priorities: • Poverty alleviation and environmental protection • Vulnerable groups in society and gender issues • Research, advocacy and international voice

  18. What is an NGO? –final thoughts • Can offer fantastic jobs, responsibilities and learning opportunities • Can be well paid and lead to a successful career • Can be very fulfilling • Can get respect from other people • Many companies rely on NGOs as part of their strategy (and as knowledge providers) • But NGOs can be in competition with each other and face other ‘market’ pressures! • What is the future of the NGO?

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