Transparency and open information
Transparency lies at the core of Practical Action’s accountability towards our staff, our members and supporters, our development partners and the people we work with in our projects. Practical Action now publishes data via the International Aid Transparency initiative (IATI), where information on aid and activity spending is accessible to the public.
We are also prepared to respond to any reasonable request for information about our work, as detailed in our Open Information Policy
International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI)
Practical Action is committed to being an open and transparent organisation, accountable to all of its stakeholders. Practical Action now publishes data via the International Aid Transparency initiative (IATI), where information on aid and activity spending is publicly accessible.
Conduct and Safeguarding
Practical Action exists to help people in poor places to realise their potential. In doing so we aspire to the highest standards of professional behaviour and do not tolerate actions that fall short of our expected norms or are contrary to our values.
All Practical Action staff members are expected to sign our Code of Conduct, which clearly outlines what we expect from them and what they should do if they become aware of anything that does not meet expected standards.
Practical Action believes that it is unacceptable for anyone to experience exploitation or abuse – in any form, anywhere. All staff members are expected to sign our Safeguarding Policy.
We have provided an external, independent whistleblowing and complaints service and all staff members are expected to sign our Complaints Framework, making them aware of their obligations to report concerns and how they should act when complaints are made.
We are committed to making this a continuing journey of improvement, recognising a constant need to continually train staff and reinforce these values and practices all around the world.
Practical Action is a member of BOND, the UK network for organisations working in international development. As such we are also committed to a range of measure aimed at ensuring that we all work together to improve safeguarding and build trust, to improve reporting of incidents and to work on a system of registration and accreditation of humanitarian and development practitioners. You can read the full commitment here.
Practical Action are committed to promoting equality of opportunity and avoiding discrimination on the grounds of political or religious views or any personal characteristic such as gender, race, religion, ethnicity, class, caste, tribe, sexual orientation. We are committed to creating a work environment free of harassment and bullying, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Data protection
We are committed to protecting the privacy of our supporters and stakeholders. We act in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This is reflected in our website terms and conditions, and Privacy Policy, which together explain how we collect, manage, use and protect personal information.
Corporate engagement
The Company Engagement Policy sets out Practical Action’s rational for engagement with the larger-scale private sector as a means to achieve its strategic objectives. It recognizes that companies can be important actors in the development context and that engagement with them presents Practical Action with a particular set of opportunities. It also notes that engagement with such organisations can create risks for Practical Action and the people it works for and that a due diligence process is required to assess the balance between risks and opportunities in each case.
Gender
Practical Action is committed to ensuring equitable opportunities for all women and men. We aim to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment through all of our work including programmes, knowledge sharing, advocacy and external communications, and through our own organisational development. Read our Gender Policy here.