Every actor operates on the basis of fundamental principles, whether plainly stated or implicitly understood. Further, an examination of organizations that are held in universal esteem reveals a great commonality in these principles. In other words, to a great extent, good NGOs from throughout the world tend to share the same fundamental assumptions or beliefs that make their successful operation possible. The following is an articulation of the more important of these shared fundamental principles.

A. Responsibility, Service, and Public Mindedness

Sustainable progress, peace, and justice require that all organizations contribute to the common good. Thus, an NGO should integrate selfdevelopment and service to others, balancing individual and public concerns, focusing on higher, broader, and more public levels of service.

• Responsibly maintaining itself, an NGO should conduct its activities for the sake of others, whether for the public at large or a particular segment of the public.

• Public money must not be misused for selfish purposes and all public assets are to be treated with utmost seriousness, as a sacred public trust.

• An NGO should recognize that its conduct and activities impact on the public’s perception of NGOs and that it shares responsibility for the public’s trust of NGOs.

• An NGO should exhibit a responsible and caring attitude toward the enviro nment
in all of its activities.

B. Cooperation Beyond Boundaries

Significant progress toward world peace and global well-being can be fostered through interreligious, inter-cultural, and interracial work, and across artificial barriers of politics and ethnicity that tend to separate people and their institutions. NGOs should maintain ethical,
cooperative relationships with other NGOs, and should partner where possible and appro priate for the sake of the greater public good.

• An NGO should be willing to work beyond borders of politics, religion, culture, race and ethnicity, within the limits of the organizing documents and with organizations and individuals that share common values and objectives.

C. Human Rights and Dignity

As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights, are endowed with reason and conscience, and should act towards
one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” (Universal Declaration, Art. 1) The family is the fundamental natural group unit of society promoting human rights and human dignity.
(Universal Declaration, Art. 16)

• An NGO should not violate any person’s fundamental human rights, with which each person is endowed.

• An NGO should recognize that all people are born free and equal in dignity.

• An NGO should be sensitive to the moral values, religion, custom, tradition, and
culture of the communities they serve.

• An NGO should respect the integrity of families and support family-based life.

D. Religious Freedom

“Everyone has the right of freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with
others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship
and observance.” (Universal Declaration, Art. 18)

• An NGO should respect religious freedom.

E. Transparency and Accountability

NGOs should strive for openness and honesty internally and toward donors and members of
the public. Periodic accountings should be made.

• An NGO should be accountable for its actions and decisions not only to its funding
agencies and the government, but also to the people it serves, its staff and members,
partner organizations, and the public at large.

• An NGO should be transparent in all of its dealings with the government, the public, donors, partners, and other interested parties, except for personnel matters and proprietary information. An NGO’s basic financial information, governance structure, activities, and listing of officers and partnerships should be open and accessible to public scrutiny and the NGO should make effort to inform the public about its work and the origin and use of its resources.

F. Independence and Autonomy

NGOs should not be controlled by any government or intergovernmental body, or by corporate interests. NGOs have a responsibility to not rigidly align themselves with, or stand in opposition to any particular government or political party, but should focus instead on principles and policies.

G. Truthfulness and Legality

An NGO should be honest and truthful in its dealings with its donors, project beneficiaries,
staff, membership, partner organizations, government, and the public in general, and should
respect the laws of any jurisdiction in which it is active.

• An NGO should give out accurate information, whether re g a rding itself and its projects, or regarding any individual, org anization, project, or legislation it opposes or is discussing.

• An NGO should not engage in any activities that are unlawful under the laws of the nation in which is organized or works, and should be strongly opposed to, and not be a willing partner to, corruption, bribery, and other financial improprieties or illegalities.

• An NGO should have a policy for staff and volunteers to confidentially bring evidence
to the governing body of misconduct of anyone associated with the organization.

• An NGO should meet all of the legal obligations in their country. Such obligations may include laws of incorporation, fundraising legislation, equal employment opportunity principles, health and safety standards, privacy rules, trademark and copyright legislation, and so forth. An NGO should take prompt corrective action whenever wrongdoing is discovered among its
staff, governing body, volunteers, contractors, and partners.