CARE International
Accountability Framework
Policy statement and guidance note
Draft version, January 2011
1 - Policy statement
2 - Statement of CARE’s commitments
3 - Guidance note
Using our power responsibly
Accountability is both a means for CARE to improve the relevance, quality and impact of our
work, and an end in itself, as our stakeholders – especially the communities and impact
populations with whom we work – have a right to hold CARE to account.
Accountability is an appropriate shift of the balance of power back towards poor, vulnerable
and disaster affected people.
Policy Statement
CARE International’s Vision, Mission and Humanitarian Mandate statements establish the
core mandate of CARE’s work to fight poverty and social injustice. We work in partnership
with others to address the underlying causes of people’s poverty and vulnerability in the
poorest communities around the world. And we respond to humanitarian emergencies as
an essential part of CARE’s work to fight poverty and injustice. To make all this possible we
mobilise resources and supporters, and seek to influence public opinion and decisionmakers.
This Accountability Framework is a statement of CARE’s commitment to accountability in all
the work that we do. It is fundamental to putting CARE’s mandate into practice.
We define accountability as the means by which we fulfil our responsibilities to our
stakeholders and the ways in which they may hold us to account for our decisions, actions
and impacts. It is about accepting responsibility for the intended and unintended
consequences of our work.
We strive to be accountable to all our stakeholders, but first and foremost we hold
ourselves accountable to the poor, vulnerable and disaster affected people and
communities with whom we work, especially women and girls.
CARE’s key stakeholders include:
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People, especially women and girls, on whose lives CARE seeks to have an impact
Communities affected by our programmes
Our partners, allies and organisations we support
Our staff and one another
Our donors and supporters
The governments that host us
Those we seek to influence through our advocacy
We strive to be accountable both for our contribution to achieving lasting change in
people’s lives and for the way that we work, including how we:
• Uphold our values, principles and standards
• Fulfil our agreed goals and commitments
• Wisely use the funds entrusted to us
• Ensure the welfare and support of our staff
• Manage and reduce our environmental footprint
• Respect the statutory requirements in the countries where we work.
See the table of CARE’s key principles and commitments below.
For CARE, putting our accountability into practice is about building two way relationships
based on trust. This means involving our stakeholders in our decisions and activities, being
open and transparent about our work and achievements, systematically listening to
people’s opinions and concerns, learning with others from our collective experiences, and
putting right what may have gone wrong. It requires respectful and responsible attitudes,
appropriate systems and strong leadership.
Through this Accountability Framework, we commit to:
1. Apply the following EIGHT Accountability Benchmarks in our work.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Give stakeholders a voice in our decision making
Communicate in an open and honest way
Actively seek feedback and complaint from others
Demonstrate the impact, quality and effectiveness of our work
Learn with and from others
Demonstrate attitudes and behaviours that reflect our principles and values
Develop appropriate systems to support accountability
Encourage leadership at all levels.
In applying these benchmarks we strive to balance the different needs of our different
stakeholders. However our primary accountability to communities means that we give
priority to their needs, priorities and perspectives.
Each benchmark has key indicators which are drawn from good practice and the standards
and codes that CARE has committed to. Each part of CARE undertakes to develop the way
these benchmarks are applied as appropriate to the context. We adopt a ‘good enough’
approach, which means we recognise that simple, practical measures to accountability are
necessary in the first instance, which should be continuously improved over time.
2. Demonstrate our compliance with them by regularly reviewing how well we are meeting
the Benchmarks and identifying targets for improvements.
We do this through monitoring, review and evaluation. Our approach to reviewing
compliance is based on learning, supportive relationships, local voices and is context
specific.
All staff are responsible for implementing our work in accordance with this accountability
framework , and CARE managers have a specific responsibility to support them in doing so.
We do all this because CARE has a responsibility to be accountable and people have a right
to expect this of CARE. CARE’s work will keep getting better and better if we strive to open
ourselves up to influences that make us constantly strive to excellence.
CARE’s Core Commitments Our accountability framework is fundamental to achieving CARE’s vision and mission. It supports CARE International’s
Values and Programming Principles which must be upheld in all of CARE’s programmes and in everything that we do, as well as the policies, standards and
codes, and goals that CARE has also committed to:
Our vision We seek a world of hope,
Our values CARE International lives by the
tolerance and social justice, where poverty
has been overcome and people live in dignity
and security.
following values:
CARE International will be a global force and
a partner of choice within a worldwide
movement dedicated to ending poverty. We
will be known everywhere for our
unshakable commitment to the dignity of
people.
Our mission CARE International’s mission
is to serve individuals and families in the
poorest communities in the world. Drawing
strength from our global diversity, resources
and experience, we promote innovative
solutions and are advocates for global
responsibility. We facilitate lasting change
by:
• Strengthening capacity for self-help;
• Providing economic opportunity;
• Delivering relief in emergencies;
• Influencing policy decisions at all levels;
and
• Addressing discrimination in all its forms.
Guided by the aspirations of local
communities, we pursue our mission with
both excellence and compassion because the
people whom we serve deserve nothing less.
International legal framework
Our programming principles CARE
International upholds the following
principles in our programmes and in
everything that we do:
• Promote empowerment
• Work in partnership with others
• Ensure accountability and promote
responsibility
• Address discrimination
• Promote the non-violent resolution of
conflicts
• Seek sustainable results
Our commitment to ethical
fundraising
(link - CI Fundraising Code of Ethics and
Standards of Good Practice)
(link – Due Diligence)
Our commitment to ethical
purchasing
(CI ethical purchasing policy)
Our humanitarian mandate In line with Our commitment to gender equality
our vision and mission, our humanitarian
and women’s rights We will put gender
mandate is to meet immediate needs of
disaster-affected populations in the poorest
communities in the world in a way that also
addresses the underlying causes of people’s
vulnerability. (link – CI Humanitarian
Mandate)
As part of our mandate, CARE has committed
to the following internationally recognised
standards for humanitarian response. (links)
• Red Cross and NGO Code of Conduct in
Disaster Relief
• People in Aid Code of Good Practice in the
Management and Support of Aid Personnel
• Sphere Humanitarian Charter and
Minimum Standards for Disaster Relief
• Humanitarian Accountability Partnership
Standard
CARE is guided by CARE’s Emergency
Protocols in the pursuit of high quality rapid
response.
Our commitment to the safety of
staff and communities...
(link - CI Safety and Security Principles
(link - CI Policy for the Prevention of Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse)
(link - CI Child Protection Policy)
(link – Do No Harm Policy)
equality and women’s rights at the heart of
everything we do.
We will hold ourselves accountable to the
commitments and standards contained
within our global gender policy.
(link - CI Gender Policy)
Our commitment to the
environment and people affected by
climate change We will develop and
report on challenging targets to manage and
reduce our environmental footprint by 2014.
We will become a climate smart organisation
– developing policies and practices that deal
responsibly with the challenges of climate
change.
(link – CI Climate Change Strategy 20102014)
Our commitment to accountability
We adopt the following policies as part of
our accountability
• CI Information Disclosure and Complaints
Policy
• CI Evaluation and Learning Policy
• CARE Operating Standards (PQ, HR, Finance
• CARE Policy on Conflicts of Interest
• CARE Fraud Policy
ACCOUNTABILITY
ENABLERS
ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES
OUR EXISTING WORK AND
FUTURE PLANS
What we are
accountable for and to
whom.
1. Give stakeholders a voice in our
decision making
2. Communicate in an open and honest
way
6. Demonstrate
attitudes and
behaviours that
reflect our
principles and
values
3. Actively seek feedback and
complaint from others
7. Develop
appropriate
systems to support
accountability
4. Measure and demonstrate the
quality and effectiveness of our
work
8. Encourage
leadership at all
levels
5. Learn with and from others







People, especially women and girls, on whose
lives CARE seeks to have an impact
Communities affected by our programmes
Our partners, allies and organisations we
support
Our staff and one another
Our donors and supporters
The governments that host us
Those we seek to influence through our
advocacy
ACCOUNTABILITY BENCHMARKS