Purposes of the LBG
The LBG (London Benchmarking Group) exists to achieve four main
purposes:
1. Develop and refine the methodology for
benchmarking
Originally established as a group of like-minded practitioners
working collaboratively across industry sectors to define best
practice in corporate community involvement measurement and
reporting, this work continues in the present LBG as the model is
tested by new member companies, new industries and in new
situations.
2. Benchmark and share information
Companies work together to apply the model, sharing information
about data collection practices as well as the CCI information
generated, through workshops, plenary meetings and annual collation
(for internal use only) of members' CCI measurement data.
3. Disseminate and consolidate the LBG model as a
measurement standard
Originally focused on companies in the UK, today dissemination
extends to the voluntary sector and companies' other stakeholders,
and is broadening beyond the UK. As the fields of social reporting
and socially responsible investing have grown, links are being
established with corporate social performance measurement.
4. Improve the quality of implementation
Now that the model has been widely disseminated, the challenge
is to ensure that it is applied properly. Improving the quality of
implementation is an increasingly important purpose of the LBG.
Expectations of membership
In the drive to improve the quality of implementation, members
of the LBG agree to meet seven main expectations of membership:
1. to endorse the four purposes of the group and agree to
participate in group discussions;
2. to follow the broad principles underlying the LBG approach to
the evaluation of community contributions, as defined under rights
of membership paragraph 4, below;
3. to submit data each year on their overall group-wide
community contribution ('inputs'), to the extent practical, for
internal circulation among LBG members;
4. to share examples of output and impact assessment for case
study project(s), if available, within the group;
5. to have their valuation methodology checked and any necessary
qualifications added, before such input and output/impact data are
circulated within the group;
6. to respect the confidentiality of discussion and comments
made during all meetings of the LBG and of materials posted on the
LBG website;
7. not to claim either to be a member of the LBG or to have used
its model without adhering to this Charter.
Rights of membership
As a paid-up member of the LBG, companies are entitled:
1. to receive all the services promised in the annual work
plan;
2. to use internally to their own organisations the information
and insights gained through membership (and externally when
clearance has been obtained);
3. to put complex evaluation questions to the group and receive
a considered and thorough response;
4. to have access to the body of established practice,
comprising the 'Companies in Communities' publications and such
updates as are approved at the annual meeting and posted on the LBG
website;
5. to cite their membership of the LBG in internal and external
communications;
6. to use the registered LBG logo in communication
materials.
Governance
1. The LBG is owned by its members, who agree
significant matters of policy at the annual meeting.
2. To help guide issues for discussion, a Steering Group meets
quarterly. The Steering Group represents a cross-section of
members, who volunteer for a fixed term of office, normally three
years. Steering Group membership is open to all LBG members. New
members' appointments are agreed at the annual meeting. The
function of the Steering Group is to:
- Act on behalf of the whole membership to maintain and enhance
quality and consistency in applying the LBG model, for example data
to be requested for members' annual returns;
- Hold preparatory discussion of issues to be decided in
Plenary;
- Provide a steer on operational matters which do not need full
Plenary consideration.