On October 2nd, SRD held a workshop called “Consultation on the checklist for the implementation of transparency and accountability at SRD” with the support of the Research Centre for Management and Sustainable Development (MSD). MSD is an organization that supports Vietnamese CSOs and social enterprises towards development effectiveness, and SRD is one of eight CSOs that are part of MSD’s project to improve CSO accountability. The workshop was focused on the development of a transparency and accountability checklist, by gathering comments, opinions and feedback from staff.
Brainstorming during a breakout session
The transparency and accountability checklist that was discussed at the workshop was one that SRD had developed based on an Organizational Capacity Assessment Matrix from USAID (one of SRDs major donors). USAID has a high reputation in holding their partners accountable and they were very impressed with SRD’s level of transparency and accountability, but encouraged more thorough development of a transparency and accountability procedure.
Transparency and accountability has become a more serious topic for SRD in the past year, as deputy director Nguyen Kim Ngan stated during the workshop, “transparency and accountability has never been thought about systematically in our organization until now”. SRD has begun to integrate accountability into all of its actions, from the bottom of the organization all the way to the top. By involving all staff in the development of a transparency and accountability checklist, SRD is creating a concrete output for their own transparency and accountability procedure.
Presenting breakout session findings
The workshop did demonstrate what a difficult topic transparency and accountability can be, seeing as there was discussion amongst staff regarding how SRD can create indicators to monitor and evaluate the implementation of accountability in different areas of its work. Ms Nguyen Phuong Linh, the MSD consultant who attended the workshop, encouraged SRD to consider the 4 major components of transparency and accountability: “internal transparent governance, availability of feedback and grievance system within the organization, participation of all stakeholders in decision-making process, monitoring and evolution of other 3 components”.
This workshop was only part of a multi-step process in helping SRD develop effective transparency and accountability. The checklist that was consulted at this workshop will be developed, reviewed and added to SRD’s management guidelines. A manual on transparency and accountability will also be developed in the future, to better communicate with our partners on SRD’s commitment to accountability and transparency. By acting seriously on issue of transparency and accountability, SRD hopes to become a model for other Vietnamese CSOs.
Nguyen Phuong Linh of MSD speaking at the workshop
-SRD-
Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD)
No.31, Alley 19 Kim Dong Street, Hoang Mai District, Ha Noi
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