In public purpose organizations, good
governance is about more than getting the job done. Especially in non-profits,
values typically play an important role in determining both organizational
purpose and style of operation; process is as important as product. Good
governance becomes more than only a means to organizational effectiveness
and becomes an end in itself.
Good governance is about both achieving desired results and achieving
them in the right way.
For SIRC the key message for good governance is involvement and participation
by everyone connected with the centre. There is plenty of room for different
traditions and values to be accommodated in the definition of good governance.
At the same time, all is not relative. There are some universal norms
and values that apply across cultural boundaries. The United Nations published
a list of characteristics of good governance but for us it means
• Participation: providing all stakeholders a voice in decision-making
through team meetings, review process, seeking advice and opinions from
our partners, volunteers and patients
• Transparency for us is built on the free flow of information
• Responsiveness: to the feedback from staff to change processes.
We often face conflicts from frustrated staff and patients but we look
for consensus whereby differing interests are mediated to reach a broad
consensus
