Governance & Accountability

UCF is a signatory to the independent Code of Governance for non-profit organisations in South Africa. This Code is a set of values and principles intended to guide and inform the way organisations are managed and conduct their affairs.

The Code is also intended to serve as a standard and measure of performance to guide members of governing boards, and those who carry responsibility of governance.

Frequently, the principles, values and objectives of codes are embodied in Board Charter, to which each serving member is required to subscribe. The Independent Code envisages similarly that should be a written voluntary commitment and undertaking of compliance signed on behalf of the Board, the members and the employees of the organisation concerned.

Such a joint commitment and undertaking should be reviewed and regular intervals.

The Foundation remains fully committed to good governance, transparency in its operations, fairness in its grant-issuing process and public accountability.

The primary responsibility of members of the Board of Trustees, including the Chairperson, is to ensure that the Foundation, in its operations, continues to operate within its articulated strategic direction.

This is done by overseeing the work of management and ensuring the harmonious relations between the Board and management are promoted and developed at all times.

Non-profit organisations, one of them the UCF, are accountable to a number of constituencies and stakeholders. The stakeholders include but are not limited to:

• Donors – with respect to organisation’s integrity and effective use of funds
• Beneficiaries – with respect to the organisation’s awareness of needs, and deployment resources
• Members – with respect to democratic governance and fidelity to purpose
• Employees – with respect to fair remuneration, employment conditions, transformation and empathetic human relations
• Volunteers – with respect to their contributions of time, energy and skills
• Government – with respect to legal and fiscal compliance, and effectiveness in allocating resources and addressing needs
• Other non-profit organisations – with respect to possible synergies and opportunities for collaboration
• The general public – with respect to tax benefits and fiscal privileges.

The Board must ensure that there is effective and transparent financial reporting; and it must satisfy itself as to the existence of adequate financial systems and controls. However, the Board’s duty of accountability is not restricted to the financial situation of an organisation, but includes its duty to give an account of its programmes and activities including both failures and successes; and its plans and proposals for the future.

The Board should also be concerned with respect to the organisation’s environment impact, and its compliance with relevant laws and regulations. This duty requires open and honesty communication with stakeholders, including general public through the media.