Plan UK scoops top online accounting award

Plan UK scooped the top honour in the category of the ‘top 100 UK fundraising charities’ at the Charities Online Accounts Awards last week.

Alex Betti, Internet and Publications Manager at Plan UK said: “Plan UK is accountable to all its stakeholders, and we aim to report our financial information in a way that is accessible and easy to understand. We are extremely pleased to receive recognition for our work in this area.”

The award, sponsored by CAF and the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales, is given to charities showing commitment to transparency, aims to reward best practice in financial accounting, raises the standard of web-based annual reports and accounts, and encourages charities to provide effective financial information online.

Graham Ward, chair of the judges and partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, praised Plan UK for innovative online reporting combined with high quality financial reports.

The criteria used by the judges in selecting the winners were that the  online report and accounts: need to demonstrate the highest levels of accuracy and transparency; need to comply with the Charities’ SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) and the necessary Charity Commission guidelines; need to include the charity’s mission, a clear explanation of its objectives and achievements, and the use of a good balance of design, content and functionality in order to make the accounts easily accessible and web-friendly.

“Plan UK is not only a transparent and accountable charity to our supporters and donors, but to the beneficiaries of our work; the children and their families we work with. And this award proves it – it is a credit to the effort of our finance and communication and web teams in not only complying with accounting rules, but communicating effectively our work and valuing the trust placed on us by our supporters,” says John Pinchard, Plan UK Finance Director.