Charities Working Internationally: Making Wise Decisions

The Charity Commission has recently published a new blog for charities working with international partner organisations, particularly those international partners who operate in high-risk areas. It includes updated guidance on undertaking due diligence to 'help charities to help themselves'.

The guidance focusses on how to identify suspicious situations and assess risks and the Commission provides a checklist for trustees to use. This less prescriptive approach will give greater flexibility and supports a position that each case needs to be treated on its own facts.

Where there is a high risk and/or the work with the international partner is substantial, the trustees are expected to carry out more extensive due diligence, including taking steps to identify and verify the partner's identity and make an appropriate potential risk assessment, before the partnership commences.