NPO Self-discipline

NPO's Self-discipline and Its Development
By Mr. HE Dao-feng
China Poverty Relief Foundation

    Well-developed self-discipline, as well as a sufficient management system, is most important to NPO's growth.
    To probe NPO's self discipline and mutual discipline, there are two main perspectives to be taken into consideration: one is NPOs growth and development, and the other is NPOs' competence in the market.
    Self-discipline derives from the competing market. It is well known that market is nothing a system to organize all sorts of resources. NPOs in China are lacking of competing method in fundraising activities due to several factors. Self-discipline cannot only reduce policy-making mistakes but also build up NPOs' culture recognition.
    Mutual restrain is to enhance individual NPO's competence through mutual cooperation and supervision, which helps to enhance NPO's awareness of self-discipline and its social accountability. NPO Forum is just the right beginning that indicates the cooperation among NPOs in China.

Self-discipline ------- First Step for NPOs in China__Ten practical aspects in NPO's self-discipline
BY Mr. XU Yong-Guang
Vice standing director of board of CYDF

    Self-discipline exists among government, business and NPOs as well.
    Self-discipline, which can help NPOs to promote efficiency and social accountability, is critical to each NPO's development. Self-discipline is the first step to make if NPOs in China could be considered as a kid learning to walk.
    The following is ten practical aspects regarding self-discipline.
    1. Leader's self-discipline plays a key role in any NPO.
    2. Well-defined Regulations guarantee the execution of self-discipline.
    3. Keeping bearing NPO's mission in mind, which will turn into creativity and responsibility in performance.
    4. Reinforcement of self- management through which to build up firm relations with society and to establish independent board of directors.
    5. Self-discipline also assures sufficient living conditions for staff talents.
    6. Evaluation not only within program performance but also from the third party.
    7. Information exposure to let public informed by means of media, library and Internet.
    8. Outside Supervision helps self-discipline in a healthier growth.
    9. Laws and regulations ensure justice for NPOs.
    10. NPOs in China need to establish self-discipline regulations to build up public awareness and public supervision.

Self-discipline of International NPOs and Its Circumstances
By Mr. ZHU Chuan- yi
Researcher of Institute of U.S. Study of CASS

    Understanding of international NPOs will help local NPOs to build up self-discipline system.
    Non-political and non-religious principals are basic rules for any NPO to follow before discussing NPO's self-discipline.
    Voluntarism and NPO's internal capacity building are also important to cooperation between or among government, business and the third sector.
    There are five external conditions regarding NPO's self-discipline.
    One is that NPO' s self-discipline needs a suitable legal environment. Second is NPO's self-discipline will only succeed providing its regular fund resources and legal fund channel. The third is that efficient cooperation and competition can stimulate supervision and long-term development. The forth is self-discipline needs to cater to local cultural background and ethnic standards. The last and not the least is that self-discipline has a long way to go since it needs government, business and the whole society to participate.
    As China has not ready to establish NPOs regulations and management system, self-discipline is yet lacking standard rules to follow. And that is why self-discipline is badly needed.

Moral Hazard, Self-discipline and Professionalism; Survival and Development of NPOs in China
By Dr. Xiong Yue-gen
Sociology Dept. Of Peking University

    NPO encounters complicated difficulties in moral practice and systematical altruism in which moral hazard plays very important role in regulating and stimulating NPOs development. Moral risk can not only derive from external restrictions (NPO's decision making under the force of political, administrative or policy limitations), but also from internal shortcomings, which include moral crisis of public reliability due to moral mistakes made by staff and loopholes of regulations and management. Therefore, self-discipline should change into a kind of professional autonomy and can invite large recognition from the public.
     Self-discipline is not merely a kind of self-supervision but self -guardian built on the base of democratic, transparent and legal society.

NPO: Freedom and Self-discipline
By Mr. Zhu Wei-guo
Legal Office of The State Council

    Any kind of self-discipline has a prerequisite that is freedom. Confucius says that there is two factors that influence human being's behavior: one is profit and the other is responsibility. The latter is the mission for NPOs, which carry out public-good careers.
    Freedom can be defined in the following aspects:
    1. Sound legal framework can guarantee peace and social progress. And Government's policy should give more room for NPOs in public -good activities.
    2.Enhancement of NPOs rights and favorable policy to ensure NPOs legal rights after registration.
    3.Supportive policy in taxation and registration.

Government's Administration and NPOs Self-discipline
By Mr. WU Ming
Legal Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs

    Self-discipline is not only self-restriction but also self-education.
    One important task for Chinese government is to help NPOs to conduct self-discipline. In the government's point of view, self-discipline of NPOs can be concluded as followings:
     1) to establish a completed chapter to ensure the clarity of the organization's aim.
     2) To classify responsibilities of each position within the organization,
     3) to build up detailed operating regulations in each aspects, especially electing process of board.

Rules of Self-discipline
By Mr. SHANG Yu-sheng of NPO Network

    Mr. Shang puts forward nine items of self-discipline to share with NPOs:
    1) To uphold public-good mission to promote progress and justice of the society;
    2) To insist on NPO's non-political and non-religious nature.
    3) To stick to organization's not- for-profit principle, not to pursue interest for any individual or family.
    4) To insist on financial transparency and to expose annual report to public;
    5) To insist on information exchange, resources sharing and mutual cooperation.
    6) To respect copyrights of NPO colleagues
    7) To insist on self -autonomy and self independence and to build regular board of directors
    8) To follow fair and reasonable sponsorship and evaluation, not to abuse written rules and process with any excuse.
    9) To insist on NPO's moral standard in performance and to work whole heartedly for pub.