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References
As the world of conflict resolution becomes
professionalized, more and more organizations are
establishing codes of ethics. Centre for Peace
Studies is among those organizations.
The Code reflects CPS's work and collaborations, as
well as a reevaluation of its values, mission,
projects and resources. Elements of the Code are
also drawn from research into various relevant
fields, such as fundraising and socially responsible
investing.
A list of references is provided in the Code. The
resulting eight categories of ethical consideration
are values, governance, accountability, human
resources management, financial management,
fundraising, donation acceptance and partnerships
Values
As diverse as CPS's activities are, they are
propelled by common values. Based on the desire to
advance and improve people's lives and to manage
conflict, CPS is committed to the following
fundamental values:
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Being responsive to the needs and welfare of the
people CPS serves
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Accountability and transparency
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People-centered development
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Respecting the rights, culture and dignity of
all people
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Ensuring the organization remains true to its
mission and objectives
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Mutual cooperation, collaboration and networking
with other agencies around issues of mutual
concern
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Striving for excellence, including efficient and
effective service provision at all levels
Programs
CPS works to help transform conflict in Sri Lanka.
CPS recognizes that the people it is trying to help
are not helpless. In any situation, people possess
capabilities as well as vulnerabilities. As such, in
all areas of work, CPS will endeavor to:
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Plan coherent programs with realistic
objectives, budgets and timeframes
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Build on local capacities by engaging local
organizations, consultants or experts in
planning and implementation. It will also
cooperate with local government structures where
appropriate
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Involve program beneficiaries in design,
management and implementation where appropriate
and possible
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Minimize any negative impacts of its programs
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Perform comprehensive need assessments before
embarking on a project, as well as periodically
reviewing the project to ensure it addresses
changing circumstances. Assessments should
include consultation outside of the program and
relevant partnership to broaden perspectives and
avoid problems. They should also demonstrate an
understanding of the risks and limitations
associated with a program.
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Act fairly in dealing with partners and
beneficiaries
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Ensure all stakeholders understand their roles
and the associated costs of a particular program
Governance
The effectiveness of CPS's work depends on the
organization's governance structures. CPS
recognizes the importance of establishing and
maintaining bodies that will govern internal
functioning. Committed, experienced and responsible
individuals are critical ingredients. To this end,
CPS will:
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Ensure the organization has and adheres to a
clear vision, mission, objectives and policies
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Specify the frequency of meetings, quorums, and
the role and powers of the governance structure
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Develop a policy prohibiting direct or indirect
conflict of interest by members of the
governance structure, members, employees, and
volunteers. Ensure that members of the
governance structure and staff excuse themselves
from decisions where they have, or are perceived
to have, a vested interest
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In the case of an independent board, adopt a
policy that discourages members from submitting
tenders to the organization or applying for
staffing positions within the organization.
This policy must stipulate that board members
must resign from the governance structure if
they desire to do either
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Ensure the governance structure understands and
is responsible for overall policy-making and
accepts ultimate responsibility for governance
of all aspects of the organization
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Within financial constraints, ensure the
governance structure reflects racial and gender
diversity.
Accountability
Transparency is the key in all the work
CPS does. To this end, CPS will:
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Hold itself accountable to program
beneficiaries, donors, and partners
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Develop mechanisms to enable all of CPS’s
stakeholders to be involved when possible and
appropriate in planning programs that directly
affect them
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Provide opportunities for regular program
evaluations and updating that include
stakeholder and community input
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Conduct regular strategic planning to which
relevant stakeholders are invited to contribute
Human Resources
Management
Human capacity and skilled leadership
are critical for effective work. CPS shall endeavor
to follow the best management practices appropriate
to the organization’s mission, operations and
governance structure. To this end, CPS will:
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Periodically reassess its mission, objectives,
and operations to reflect changing contexts and
constituents’ needs in terms of staffing
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Critically analyze its practices and
organizational culture, and implement necessary
changes in order to encourage creativity,
diversity, responsibility, and respect within
the organization
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Develop clear, well-defined written policies and
procedures, which relate to all employees,
members and volunteers. Such policies must
adhere to applicable labor laws and other
relevant legislation, and must protect the
rights of employer, employees, members and
volunteers
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Establish and maintain disciplinary and
grievance procedures with clear lines of
authority and accountability
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Have clear and transparent procedures for
employing new staff and disengaging existing
staff
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Have clear staff development policies that seek
to empower all staff and volunteers to increase
their skills in order to enable them to move to
greater levels of responsibility
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Develop adequate and acceptable systems of
assessing skills, qualification, experience,
levels of responsibility and performance, and
remunerate on this basis
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Encourage management to adopt interactive
leadership styles to facilitate good
communication between staff and itself
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Ensure it is an equal opportunity organization
and reflects gender and racial diversity as much
as financially possible
Financial
Management
NGOs need to keep the development and maintenance of
proper financial management strategies a priority.
CPS’s finances shall be managed to ensure
appropriate use of funds and accountability to
members and donors. To this end, CPS will:
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Comply with business accountability and auditing
practices generally accepted within the
financial community
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Set up appropriate financial systems and employ
qualified persons to administer and manage these
systems
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Conduct annual audits
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Have clear policies on loans and staff advances
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Develop a policy regarding the receipt of
outside honoraria and/or remuneration in order
to avoid inappropriate payment
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Set up mechanisms to ensure procedures for
purchasing goods and services are free from
vested interests of individuals in our
organization and that they are cost effective
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Prepare, monitor, and adhere to realistic
project and organizational budgets. Appropriate
consultation should occur and any amendments be
recorded whenever it is necessary to make
budgetary changes
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Formally and publicly charge members for any
attempt at fraud, theft, or misappropriation
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Ensure wherever possible that the funding base
of the organization is diversified
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Minimize fund-raising and administration costs
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Develop and implement mechanisms to monitor the
use of staff time
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Ensure that fund provided are used for intended
purpose only
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Conduct periodic cost-benefit analyses of
project and review resources allocations in the
light of these analyses
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Provide clear and transparent accounting to the
broader membership and/or constituency of the
organization
Fundraising
CPS must adopt fundraising criteria as a
part of good stewardship and a means of maintaining
its mission and vision in focus. Further,
charitable giving is a voluntary action for the
public benefit. Therefore, the seeking or
acceptance of charitable gifts should not provide
personal benefit to anyone. The following criteria
are adapted from codes of ethic of the Association
of Fundraising Professionals and the National
Committee on Planned Giving. CPS will:
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Not compensate fundraisers based on a percentage
of charitable funds raised. Charitable funds
are those defined by and subject to government
regulations, or as reported on government
reporting forms as contributions, gifts, grants,
or similar amounts received
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Not pay finder’s fees to anyone brining in a
donor or charitable contribution
Donation
Acceptances
Being a not-for-profit organization
means CPS depends on the charity of others to do its
work. However, gifts, donations and grants could
sometimes conflict with CPS’s mission and values.
Further, corporations and private individuals often
do not understand their role as a giver. Even small
diversions of funds from public to private benefit
jeopardize tax-exempt status. CPS must remember
that not all donation, gifts and grants need to be
accepted. To this end, CPS must ask itself:
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Does the gift fit with CPS’s policies, values,
and mission?
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On whose terms will the gift be spent? Will CPS
have full control of the gift and maintain its
independence? That is, is the donor expecting
to be involved in the management of the
project? If not, what does the donor want in
return?
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Who will benefit from the donation? What are
the long- and short-term benefits for all the
stakeholders?
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Is the donor using the gift or grant as a
marketing tool?
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Who pays in the long run? Can the program or
organizational change resulting from the
donation be sustained after the gift is
expended?
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What can go wrong in a worst-case scenario, and
how much would it cost CPS?
Partnerships
Many of CPS’s programs are joint
ventures, meaning that healthy working relationship
directly contribute to the success of CPS’s work.
As a result, CPS will do its best to:
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Ensure its partners understand their roles,
objectives, responsibilities, and rights in
terms of the project and the working
relationship. These must be mutually agreed upon
and firmly grounded in the partners’ mandates
and capacities. They may be expressed in a
formal agreement
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Periodically review partnerships to ensure they
reflect program needs and dynamics
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Include partners in program planning so as to
foster shared ownership
CPS must carefully consider any partnership it
forms, particularly with the private sector. The
private and not-for-profit sectors sometimes operate
on difference value systems, which may create
conflict of interest. CPS’s criteria for partnership
are indicated in the following categories
International
Operations and Human Rights
CPS expects partner Organizations to be
responsible corporate citizens abroad and at home.
In contemplating a partnership, CPS will pay
particularly close attention to the activities of
corporations in countries that have records of
political repression and/or basic human rights
violations. Organizations should:
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Have adopted specific human rights standards to
govern international operations and practices
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Have credible, enforceable systems for
monitoring their own codes of conduct
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Strive to remedy the threat of child and prison
labor in their supply chains
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Respect workers’ rights to organize
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Directly combat human rights abuses and
environmental degradation
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Use more stringent environmental and workplace
standards where those standards fall below the
international norm
Protecting
Communities
Organizations play an important role in
building thriving communities. In considering
partnerships, CPS will favor Organizations that:
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Go beyond job creation to get involved in the
communities where they do business through
charitable giving, volunteering and other
innovative programs
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Serve all members of their community with
products and services
Workplace Issues
Organizations should provide safe and
healthy work environments and promote the healthy
development of all employees. In considering
partnerships, CPS will favor Organizations that:
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Fairly compensate their workers
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Enjoy good labor-management relations
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Provide programs and benefits that support
workers and their families
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Provide a safe and healthy workplace
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Foster diversity in levels of the company
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Guarantee equal opportunities in hiring,
promotion and purchasing in terms of gender,
race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age,
ability, HIV statues, religion and other matters
that do not effect a person’s ability to carry
out a job
The Environment
Organizations should strive to surpass the average
environmental record of their respective
industries. In considering partnerships, CPS will
favor Organizations that:
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Have developed products or processes that will
reduce or minimize negative environmental impact
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Have adopted technologies or redesigned products
to conserve the use of energy, water, material
and/or land
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Have implemented innovative pollution prevention
programs
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Have management practices, including audits,
which address their environmental performance
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Disclose environmental policies and practices to
shareholders, employees and communities in which
the company operates
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