REPORT REVEALS BARRIERS TO PUBLIC TRUST IN NGOs
SCHOOL : Esade Business School COUNTRY : Spain
A new report produced by the Esade Institute for Social Innovation and the PwC Foundation demonstrates the public’s lack of trust in NGOs. The report found that people outside the sector rate their trust in NGOs at an average of 6.5 out of 10. While this level is higher than those relating to media or government institutions, it is still deemed far from the levels necessary to underpin the legitimacy of NGOs. Furthermore, while 32 per cent say they trust NGOs more than they did 10 years ago, 23 per cent say the opposite. It also found that women and older people tend to trust NGOs more, while young people and men are more critical. So, what are the barriers to trust? In a survey of NGO directors, 61 per cent seemed to think the problem was a lack of funding. They also thought that there was a lack of understanding about their activities. This last point is supported by the report’s public survey, as 68 per cent of those outside the sector said that they didn’t know what NGOs do. Another issue that was raised concerns the rise of social movements, consisting of citizens working illegitimately on issues that NGOs are already involved in. In addition, NGOs were found to be more vulnerable to reputational risks, with only 19 per cent of NGO directors reporting that their organisations have risk management plans in place. According to Esade-PwC Social Leadership Programme director Ignasi Carreras, “bolstering the legitimacy of and trust in NGOs requires participatory management models, more transparent accountability and a genuine connection with the expectations of today’s society”. The report suggests that NGOs build trust using its ‘5C’ working model, namely: competition, connection, credibility, communication and community. The approach is said to facilitate improvement in terms of measuring NGOs’ impact, involving the community in decision-making processes, creating better financial transparency and creating a more authentic, two-way relationship with their audiences. EB
This year’s Vincent HoSang UWI Venture Competition attracted more than 100 student innovators from across all faculties, who unveiled ground- breaking entrepreneurial solutions, poised to revolutionise the Caribbean. Faculty of Social Sciences students Tracy-Ann Hyman and Maurice Mason claimed the top spot with an innovative disaster management system. The platform integrates flood impact analysis, evacuation protocols and early warning systems to create a defence against natural disasters. It earned them the grand prize of $400,000, plus a fully funded trip to New York, complete with exclusive mentorship from business leaders in Jamaica and a personal tour of Caribbean Food Delights, founded by Vincent HoSang, for whom the competition is named. Second place was captured by a pioneering approach to agricultural distribution. The Fresh JA team’s e-commerce platform features a patentable food-grade freshness testing tool, revolutionising the connection between local farmers and consumers. Their innovation secured them both the Best Undergraduate Team award and the prestigious JMMB Joan Duncan Corporate Social Responsibility Award. Chad Campbell from the Faculty of Social Sciences clinched third place with CNC Hydroponics, offering a transformative solution for sustainable, year-round agricultural production in Jamaica. Gold sponsor the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation continues to champion entrepreneurial excellence at UWI. “We are not only practising what we preach, but also inspiring our current entrants to weave CSR into the fabric of their business development,” commented CEO Kim Mair. Mona School of Business and Management lecturer and Vincent HoSang Entrepreneurship Board member Ramon McLaren added: “The seed that was sowed two decades ago flourished into what we have here today, where participants have now become mentors as they believe in giving back to the programme.” CD UWI STUDENT CONTEST REDEFINES CARIBBEAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHOOL : Mona School of Business and Management University of the West Indies (UWI) COUNTRY : Jamaica
10 Ambition • ISSUE 1 • 2025
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