Good Practice Toolkit
A key purpose of ACFID is to equip and encourage members to observe the highest ethical standards in all their activities, including strict observance of the Code of Conduct and to work towards improving practice over time. The Good Practice Toolkit is provided as a supplement to the Code of Conduct.
Overview
The Good Practice Toolkit provides practical advice and support for the
implementation of the Code of Conduct. It will provide you with guidance
and practical suggestions to support your organisation to meet its compliance requirements, to promote learning and development and to strengthen your organisation’s policies, practices and operations over time. It is a comprehensive guide, proposing a broad range of best practice suggestions relating to all areas of the Code.
Code Changes 2023
The ACFID Code of Conduct is a voluntary, self-regulatory sector code of good practice. It was developed in 1997 and comprehensively revised in 2010, 2016 and 2023. The Code aims to improve international development and humanitarian action outcomes and increase stakeholder trust by enhancing the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of ACFID’s members. In conjunction with other aspects of ACFID’s work, the effective delivery of the Code will contribute to the realisation of human rights and the delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The ACFID Code of Conduct is periodically reviewed to ensure it continues to reflect good practice and the needs of ACFID and its members. The purpose of the 2022-23 review was to make sure the Code and associated Quality Assurance Framework remains relevant, coherent, useful and credible to members and external stakeholders. This has been done through an extensive consultative process between August 2022 – June 2023 involving ACFID decision-making bodies, Communities of Practice, ACFID members and external stakeholders including DFAT and the ACNC.
ACFID’s members ratified both the revised 2023 Code of Conduct and the Quality Assurance Framework at ACFID’s Annual General Meeting on 18 October 2023. The ACFID Code of Conduct and the associated requirements of the Quality Assurance Framework will be in effect from 30 June 2024. Changes to the Quality Assurance Framework are as approved by the Code of Conduct Committee on advice from the Development Practice Committee, and with the Board retaining a right of veto.
To learn more about the Review, view the Frequently Asked Questions.
To learn more about the process and workshops, visit the 2022-2023 Code of Conduct Review page.
Quality Principal 1: Rights, Justice and Safeguarding
Development and humanitarian initiatives respect and protect human rights and advance justice.
This Quality Principle recognises the centrality of individual and collective human rights, inclusive participation, equity, protection and justice for those who are vulnerable and those who are affected by the intersecting drivers of marginalisation and exclusion.
Quality Principal 2: Locally-led Action and Inclusion
Development and humanitarian initiatives enable sustainable change by supporting local leadership and inclusive approaches.
This Quality Principle is focused on local ownership, participation, and recognises the importance of communities and individuals being fully empowered actors in their own development process. It is just and fair that local participants have a say in activities that affect their lives.
Quality Principal 3: Systemic Change, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action
Development and humanitarian initiatives contribute to systemic change, environmental sustainability and climate action.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of durable and lasting development change including climate action and environmental sustainability. This represents our sector’s own evolution in its approaches to achieving sustainable change and the climate crisis.
Quality Principal 4: Quality and Effectiveness
Development and humanitarian organisations and responses are informed by evidence, planning, assessment and learning.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of deep contextual analysis based on evidence and experience, continuously capturing evidence of change, critically analysing and reflecting on performance, sharing lessons and promoting a culture of adaptation because development responses take place in complex and dynamic contexts. It reflects the importance of the key associated processes of consultation, analysis, planning, design, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
Quality Principal 5: Collaboration
Development and humanitarian responses are optimised through effective coordination, collaboration and partnership.
This Quality Principle recognises that the complexity of creating development change demands multiple actors working together in different ways, and that quality collaborations are based on mutual respect, transparency and understanding. Accordingly, this Quality Principle places a strong emphasis on mutuality and accountability in partnership. Understanding of partnership principles and partnership practice has evolved considerably in recent years, and the Code’s Compliance Indicators have been crafted to emphasise the importance of joint negotiation, shared goals, and effectiveness in partnership approaches.
Quality Principal 6: Communication
Development and humanitarian organisations communicate truthfully and ethically.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of our communications in building and maintaining trust with all stakeholders. Integrity in all our communication is critical to building and sustaining confidence among donors and stakeholders. Ensuring that communications are developed with integrity provides organisations with credibility among key stakeholders, including the communities that it seeks to support and donors from whom it receives support.
Quality Principal 7: Governance
Development and humanitarian organisations are governed in an accountable, transparent and responsible way.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of building trust with all stakeholders through compliance with standards and through ethical and sound decision-making. It covers all aspects of good governance, extending beyond the establishment of a formal governing body and associated mechanisms, and including core organisational Commitments to governing responsibly, accountably and transparently. Quality Principle 7 incorporates obligations covering governing instruments, governing body policies, transparency, annual general meetings, conflicts of interest, legal requirements and complaints handling.
Quality Principal 8: Resource Management
Development and humanitarian organisations acquire, manage and report on resources ethically and responsibly.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of building trust with all stakeholders through the good management and use of resources. It includes member requirements regarding fundraising and financial management. The Compliance Indicators that relate to financial management and reporting have been developed in close consultation with the CCC to streamline current obligations wherever possible while also ensuring that requirements are clear and accommodate the diversity of ACFID Members.
Quality Principal 9: People and Culture
Development and humanitarian organisations manage and support their people fairly and effectively.
This Quality Principle recognises the importance of our people and their ability to work to enable good development outcomes. The working environments of our organisations should be places where the key human rights principles of fairness, equity, and respect for social and cultural diversity are deeply embedded in policies, practices and organisational culture. This means that there is agreement between these same principles that underlie your mission and goals for aid and development, and the way that staff and volunteers are treated.
Compliance
ACFID Members commit to being compliant with all aspects of the Code, and to continuously monitor their compliance. Compliance with the Code of Conduct enhances effective development practice. Non-compliance with the Quality Principles and Commitments set out in the Code of Conduct will reflect negatively on the individual organisation and the sector as a whole.
This section outlines the responsibility to be taken by each Member to ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct.
Definitions
This part of the Good Practice Toolkit provides general and financial definitions. The financial definitions provided are to be used by all signatory organisations in the preparation of their Financial reports.