Standard 1: Values
Our Commitment:
We are committed to outworking
our core values through our staff, in
relationships with project
participants and all those with
whom we interact.
A set of organisational values, translated into
Indonesian for use in NGO staff induction in Aceh,
Indonesia
Standard 1: Values
The issues
In emergency situations there can be huge
differences in power between the people
providing assistance and the people receiving
it. People affected by disasters may be
traumatised and highly vulnerable and with
the imbalance in power there comes a high
risk that such power can be abused through
coercive and abusive behaviour. It has been
recognised in recent years that relationships
are at the core of humanitarian programmes
and in a survey in the UK amongst NGOs, it
was concluded that the quality of an NGO’s
programme is largely determined by the
quality of relationships with beneficiaries. It
is for this reason that Values is Tearfund’s
first Quality Standard, as it lays the
foundation for everything else.
Biblical foundations
Tearfund’s partners share the same basic Christian values as Tearfund. There will
be different sets of specific values, but Christian values generally emphasise the
following for project staff:
• Reflecting the centrality of God in their work, with a commitment to prayer
and living out their faith as part of their work, seeking God’s guidance in all
that they do.
• Compassion: showing compassion in the work they do, respectful, calm and
patient with others, taking the time to listen to others, showing courtesy and
understanding, showing respect for all, without distinction or favouritism.
• Humility: being servant hearted, acting with humility towards those they
assist in their projects, not to use any influence, prestige or power as staff
members in a negative way, but to serve beneficiaries with utmost dignity and
respect: to serve and not be served.
• Sensitivity: being sensitive to local cultural and religious norms, whilst
questioning any norms which contradict these other values.
• Love: striving for a quality of relationships with communities and beneficiaries
which expresses God’s love and affirms the God-given dignity of all.
• Grace and Forgiveness: showing grace, forgiveness and patience in our
service to one another, seeking to work well together.
• Truth: aspiring to truthfulness in our relationships, acknowledging the need
for transparency and humility in our communications with beneficiaries and
communities.
Standard 1: Values
Good Practice commitments
Values represent the first Quality Standard as they are central to the conduct
expected of staff. Throughout is a commitment to see restored relationships. It is
through staff that all of the Quality Standards are to be delivered and this can
only be effective if staff conduct themselves and display attitudes which are
consistent with the organisation’s values. Often in emergency programmes large
numbers of staff need to be recruited in a short timeframe, making good staff
induction all the more important.
Values should be reflected through the quality of relationships, through personal
conduct, attitudes and integrity, and through a commitment to prayer and the
centrality of God in our work. How closely do our day-to-day routines and
behaviours reflect these values? Being too busy to stop and spend time with
people, driving through a village without care and consideration for pedestrians,
being based out in a remote project area rather than making occasional visits – all
these daily decisions, attitudes and behaviours reflect our values to others, for
better or worse.
Certain types of behaviour are clearly incompatible with these values. This
includes:
• All forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse towards children or
adults. Tearfund is a signatory to the UN Statement of Commitment for the
Elimination of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (see Page 146) and is a member
of the Keeping Children Safe Coalition (see Page 155)
• All forms of corruption, fraud and theft
Where there are local churches present they will be able to identify with and
understand these values, given their biblical basis. When working with local
churches in emergency response, it is good to start with these shared values.
Churches can also help to support and hold staff to account for their conduct.
Close links to other Quality Standards
Our Values commitment underpins all the other Standards, but in particular there
is a close link with Impartiality, as this is a core value; Accountability, as we
need to make information on our values and standards of conduct publicly
available; Children, in our commitment to child development and protection,
Gender, as the fundamental worth and equality of men and women is core to our
values and in our commitment to combat gender-based violence; HIV, in our
commitment to combat stigma and Advocacy, with our commitment to justice.
Standard 1: Values
Where to look for more information:
• Micah Network Partnership Values:
http://www.micahnetwork.org/en/learning/partnership/guidelines-values
• UN Statement on Sexual Exploitation:
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/CDT/statement.pdf
• Keeping Children Safe Coalition:
http://www.keepingchildrensafe.org.uk/about.htm
Standard 1: Values
Practical Steps for carrying out our Values commitment
Identification and Design
Step 1: Ensure all staff
understand and live out the
values of the organisation
Implementation
Step 2: Ensure all staff know
what your organisation
identifies as unacceptable
conduct
Step 3: Have procedures in
place to investigate allegations
of unacceptable conduct
Standard 1: Values
Step 1: Ensure all staff
understand and live out the
values of the organisation
Staff need to understand not only what the values are but what living out the
values means in practical ways – in their interactions with each other, with
communities, with project participants, with the authorities etc. This needs to
be in place from the assessment stage and throughout the life of the project.
Options to help familiarise staff include:
• Producing a simple leaflet or poster outlining the values
• Outlining the values during staff recruitment
• Explaining the values and discussing their application during staff
briefing and induction
• Reviewing the values during staff meetings and retreats
Step 2: Ensure all staff know
what your organisation
identifies as unacceptable
conduct
In the same way that staff need to understand the values they also need to be
totally clear on what types of conduct are unacceptable. Again this can be
done in a range of ways:
• Producing a simple leaflet or poster outlining unacceptable conduct
• Ensuring candidates are clear on standards of conduct during recruitment
• Including clear explanations of unacceptable conduct in staff employment
contracts and staff handbooks
• Producing a ‘Code of Conduct’ for the organisation
• Reinforcing the understanding of unacceptable conduct during staff briefing
and induction
Standard 1: Values
Step 3: Have procedures in
place to investigate allegations
of unacceptable conduct
Linked to Standard 3: Accountability is the need for feedback mechanisms so
that project participants and members of the wider community can give
feedback, both positive and negative, to the organisation. This includes giving
feedback on the conduct of staff. When reports are received of possible
unacceptable conduct through this mechanism or through any other means,
procedures must be in place for senior staff to be notified immediately and for
investigations to be carried out by appropriately trained staff.
Project Examples
In Darfur an induction session was arranged for local staff, explaining the
organisation’s values in detail, ensuring that staff had a clear understanding
not only of what the values mean in practical terms but what they don’t
mean. This helped to ensure transparency of the organisation and to avoid
any misunderstanding. The feedback received by staff was very positive.
A partner working in a Hindu area of Sri Lanka produced a leaflet explaining
who they were and what some of their values were. There were a number of
motivations behind this: to ensure that beneficiaries knew something about
the organization, to address any potential misunderstandings about their
motivation, and ensuring that people could make complaints or suggestions
by including the contact details of field and head office staff on the leaflet.
In Sri Lanka a partner ran a special workshop to introduce all staff to the
values of the organization and relevant humanitarian standards. This was
then followed up by regular quizzes at quarterly meetings.