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UK charity accounting: An exercise in widening stakeholder engagement

Author

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  • Connolly, Ciaran
  • Hyndman, Noel
  • McConville, Danielle

Abstract

Given the economic and social impact of the charity sector in the United Kingdom (UK), the importance of good governance has been recognised as a basis for underpinning effective and efficient performance, and for ensuring that charities meet the legitimate aspirations of key stakeholders. A major aspect of this is high-quality accounting and reporting. Over the past 25 years attempts have been made to improve this through the medium of successive, evolving versions of a Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) for charities. As a foundation for the future review of the SORP (expected to be published in 2015), the SORP Committee undertook its largest ever consultation on an accounting pronouncement. This paper presents the findings of that consultation and, analysing them using stakeholder theory, concludes that this ambitious exercise facilitated much wider stakeholder engagement than had been experienced before and has the potential to legitimise further the SORP.

Suggested Citation

  • Connolly, Ciaran & Hyndman, Noel & McConville, Danielle, 2013. "UK charity accounting: An exercise in widening stakeholder engagement," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 58-69.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:bracre:v:45:y:2013:i:1:p:58-69
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bar.2012.12.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Vien Chu & Belinda Luke, 2021. "Understanding success in micro‐enterprise development: Dimensions and misconceptions," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(2), pages 63-78, May.
    3. Ramesh Nair & Roshayani Arshad & Ruhaini Muda & Siti Aeisha Joharry, 2023. "Web-disclosure practices for transparency and the sustainability of non-profit organisations," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 20(1), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Elka Johansson & Peter Carey & George Tanewski & Iliyas Yusoff, 2022. "The effect of members on charities’ annual reporting: evidence from companies limited by guarantee in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1851-1886, April.
    5. Yasmin, Sofia & Ghafran, Chaudhry & Haslam, Jim, 2021. "Centre-staging beneficiaries in charity accountability: Insights from an Islamic post-secular perspective," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    6. Alexander, Anna & Pilonato, Silvia & Redigolo, Giulia, 2023. "Do institutional donors value social media activity and engagement? Empirical evidence on Italian non-profit grantees," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(5).
    7. Kingston, Kylie L. & Luke, Belinda & Furneaux, Craig & Alderman, Lyn, 2023. "Examining the re-territorialisation of beneficiary accountability: Digitising nonprofit services in response to COVID-19," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(5).
    8. Janet Mack & Gareth G. Morgan & Oonagh B. Breen & Carolyn J. Cordery, 2017. "Financial reporting by charities: a matched case study analysis from four countries," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(3), pages 165-172, April.
    9. Henderson, Elisa & Lambert, Vicky, 2018. "Negotiating for survival: Balancing mission and money," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 185-198.
    10. Sheila Ellwood & Javier Garcia-Lacalle, 2015. "The Influence of Presence and Position of Women on the Boards of Directors: The Case of NHS Foundation Trusts," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 69-84, August.

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