The Regulator for Charities in England and Wales

SORP Research Programme

At the November 2007 SORP Committee meeting it was agreed to begin a SORP research programme to learn from stakeholders as to how the next SORP could better reflect their needs in reporting and accounting. The Accounting Standards Board (ASB), which oversees the development of SORPs, considers that the defining class of user for charity reports and accounts to be funders and financial supporters and that by meeting their needs, the needs of all other stakeholders are met. The SORP research programme seeks to take account of the views of funders and financial supporters and also to learn from other stakeholders including: charities preparing reports and accounts, analysts and media, auditors and accounting professionals, the public and charity beneficiaries.

In their letter to the ASB of 8 January 2008 the  SORP Committee Chair, Andrew Hind, and Deputy Chair, Kirsty Gray, said: "The Committee's view is that in laying the foundations for the development of the next Charities SORP, important research work is needed to gauge the views of key stakeholders on charity accounts and reporting and to identify the key accounting and reporting issues which need to be addressed if the high level of public confidence in charities is to be maintained".

The SORP Committee held a Stakeholders' Forum on 25 April to begin its research programme as preparation for developing the next SORP.  The forum was an opportunity to set out key issues for debate and hear initial sector news.

The presentations for the forum were:

  1. Setting the scene (67KB PDF)
  2. Transparency and accountability (77KB PDF)
  3. The Donor challenge (53KB PDF)
  4. Life needs to be simpler (62KB PDF)
  5. The key issues as we see them (68KB PDF)

SORP stakeholder roundtables series

The initial Stakeholders’ Forum event was held on 25 April 2008 to share with an invited audience the SORP Committee’s thinking and the main challenges facing charity reporting and accounting. Delegates were asked for initial feedback and some 153 suggestions were made. The second stage of the research phase involves holding a series of stakeholder roundtables between September 2008 and June 2009 to deepen the debate.

Delegates to the roundtables are asked to prepare in advance to get the most out of the event and look at the stakeholder roundtable delegate pack .

For further information for the relevant roundtable event please refer to the contact details set out below:

  • Scotland – for all stakeholder groups in Scotland the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator has details on its website of events and contact details. Please view the OSCR web site: http://www.oscr.org.uk/ or contact Laura Anderson at laura.anderson@oscr.org.uk
  • Wales. For preparers (large and small charities) the Wales Council for Voluntary Action are hosting two events: Cardiff 20 February and Rhyl 10 March (for auditors and examiners in Wales see ACCA/ ICAEW events below). To reserve a place email: barbara.deuring@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk
  • Northern Ireland. For all stakeholder groups the Department of Social Development and Queens University Belfast held an event on 15 September.
  • Events for charities preparing reports and accounts:
  • Preparers (small - under the statutory charity audit threshold) A roundtable event hosted by the Directory of Social Change was held in London on 20 October.
  • Preparers (of all income levels, large and small) in England. The Charity Finance Directors’ Group is hosting a series of events:
    • Bristol 20 November
    • Plymouth 21 November
    • London – 2009
    • Birmingham 22 January
    • Leeds 17 February
  • Contact for more information e-mail: info@cfdg.org.uk
  • Preparers (large – over the statutory charity audit threshold). The Charities Consortia hosted an event in London on 10 September.
  • Preparers which are grant making trusts or foundations. The Association of Charitable Foundations is hosting an event specifically for foundations and grant making trusts on 17 February 2009 to consider their issues in preparing accounts. Contact Carol Mack e-mail: carol@acf.org.uk
  • Auditors and accounting firms. The ACCA and ICAEW are in the process of arranging a series of events for the accountancy profession. Proposed venues are:
    • Cardiff 18 November 2008
    • Manchester 26 November 2008
    • London 28 November 2008
    • London 2 February 2009
    • Liverpool 5 February 2009
    • Newcastle 12 February 2009
    • Birmingham early 2009
  • To reserve a place or for further details contact either ACCA at Sorpresearch@accaglobal.com or ICAEW at Sorpresearch@icaew.com . Events are open to practitioners, members and member firms.
  • Independent Examiners (England and Wales) - the Association of Independent Examiners and the Commission are developing plans for a workshop event.
  • Government funders Details of specific event plans for Central and Local Government Funders to be advised with an event planned in January.
  • A roundtable aimed solely at the NHS healthcare sector is being hosted by the Healthcare and Financial Management Association on 25 February 2009 to seek the views of commissioning bodies in the NHS. Contact Carole Sales for more information e-mail: carole.sales@hfma.org.uk
  • Organisations representing donors and financial supporters
  • A roundtable event specifically for philanthropists and organisations working with private philanthropy, chaired by Tris Lumley, New Philanthropy Capital (NPC), is being held in London on 13 February. For more information email: nigel.daviesg@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk
  • A roundtable event specifically for grant making foundations and trusts is being hosted on 12 March 2009 by the Association of Charitable Foundations. Contact Carol Mack for more information e-mail: carol@acf.org.uk
  • A symposium of leading academics in the field of charity accounting, chaired by professor Noel Hyndman, Queen's University Belfast, is being held in London on 16 April 2008. For more information email: nigel.davies@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk

    SORP Suggestions

  • Places are limited and for interested stakeholders who were unable to attend a roundtable event please refer to delegate briefing pack and take advantage of the e-mail suggestions box so that your comments can be considered. Please note the e-mail comments box closes on 31 March 2009. To make your comments go to the SORP mailbox