ACNC Charity Sector Briefings

ACNC Charity Sector Briefings: Charities Involved Overseas – June & July 2015

Integritas360 was commissioned by The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) to design, co-ordinate and facilitate ACNC Charity Sector Briefings on the topic of the protection and control of funds

The briefings focussed on helping charities to better understand the obligations and risks associated with sending funds overseas.  Using a risk-based approach, it provided steps that charities and NFPs could take to ensure funds sent to programs outside of Australia  were not only protected, but used for the (charitable) purpose intended.

ACNC logo Integritas360 anti-corruptionThe briefings used an ‘all-of-government’ approach, with the ACNC and a number of other federal government departments (including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, AUSTRAC, and the Australian Federal Police) sharing information and tips, alongside the Australian Council for International DevelopmentIntegritas36o not only facilitated the briefings but provided a presentation on fraud and corruption risks within the international development sector.

Charity Sector Briefings Content 

The Charity Sector Briefing’s offered charities and their advisers the opportunity to:

  • gain new insights about Australian charities working or sending funds overseas, through analysis of ACNC data that has not been made public before
  • learn about good governance practice
  • understand more about ‘control’ and ‘protection’, and what these mean
  • get an overview of the risks of terrorism financing and corruption, and
  • have an opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A panel.

Held in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the briefing was attended by over 300 charities and their advisors.

Participant Feedback

Participant feedback showed a satisfaction rating of 95%, of which 81% of responses were marked as ‘completely’ or ‘very’ satisfied.  In addition, 95% of participants ‘agreed’ – of which almost half ‘strongly agreed’ – they were satisfied with the way the briefing was facilitated.

Comments made by participants on the Integritas360 fraud and corruption session included:

“All sessions were valuable.  However, I most enjoyed the presentation by Integritas360, as I think it had a good combination between the culture of the environment we are working in and our legal obligations”

“I thought that Jeremy Sandbrook’s [Integritas360] presentation was excellent in putting the problem of corruption in a global context.

“Fascinated by statistics on scale of corruption and realistic methods of preventing it”

“I just felt the whole presentation was very professional and not patronising.  This was the 2nd event organised by ACNC that I have attended and although the other one was good, this was a much slicker, relaxed event”

“Jeremy Sandbrook’s [Integritas360] presentation put the risks of sending funds overseas in perspective. Best presentation”.

“I found the whole conference is informative and useful”

“Jeremy Sandbrook’s [Integritas360] session and his emphasis on knowing your corruption risk profile and having a anti-corruption profile”

“Everything was very good and at the right pace”

“Talk from Integritas360”

“I think it was a very useful briefing and commend the organisers of the event for being able to consolidate a lot of useful information into such a short time”

“Jeremy Sandbrook’s session on Corruption Risks in International Development Sector”

“THANK YOU….some of the information really opened my eyes and will prompt action to ensure grater scrutiny of the funds sent overseas

The selection of panel experts”

 

Presenting organisations and agencies:

DEFAT LogoACNC - Integritas360 anti-corruptionAUSTRAC LogoAFP LogoACFID - Australian Council for International DevelopmentIntegritas360 Logo