Stakeholder consultations

Two years ago, I was involved in a three-day multi-stakeholder consultation that gathered veterinarians, slaughterhouse operators, meat processors, farm representatives, regulators, research scientists, and animal welfare activists. The goal was to develop a code for the humane handling of farm...

Governance Q&A: Should alcohol be served during internal events at a nonprofit?

Should alcohol be served during board meetings, retreats, staff parties and other internal events at a nonprofit? Is this normal practice? If so, who should pay for it? This simple-sounding question raises a set of thorny questions that each organization...

Governance Q&A: Who on a board of directors needs to know what the executive director earns?

I am a board member of a local charity with seven staff members. I have no idea what the Executive Director earns or how it is determined. The Chair says only the Executive Committee needs to know, and they are...

Governance Q&A: When being told to do something feels wrong

I am a program manager, delivering human service programs in my region. I have been told to do something that feels all wrong. I can't break confidentiality to tell you what it is. I went through our code of conduct...

Governance Q&A: Is it ethical to pay grant writers a percentage of grants received?

Is it ethical to pay grant writers a percentage of grants received? This question comes up all the time, as many charities would like to have a chance at new monies with no cost to them. They do not understand...

The tri-process model for trans-organizational system (TS) effectiveness

Many academics and government experts are exhorting community developers, practitioners, and private sector managers to partner and collaborate. Although some inter-organizational systems, such as industry councils, have been around for many years, few primers exist as to how to do...

Governance Q&A: Taking a second job while currently working for a charity

The amount I earn as a charity worker is not sufficient for a decent lifestyle for my kids. My children and I wear second-hand clothing, and one month when I had extra dental costs we ended up at a food...

Are you ready to be a board volunteer?

You're at a party, mixing and mingling with friends, and someone happens to mention that they volunteer with the board of a charity. You've heard that this is a good way to beef up your resume, perhaps acquire some new...

Governance Q&A: The ethics of personal relationships at work

I know that personal relationships at work can be career-limiting. But are there any ethical concerns? Yes, there are ethical issues because you are not the only stakeholder. You have to consider whether the other person's career is going to...