Members' charter

On joining, LBG members agree to abide by the following charter.

LBG Members’ Charter

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, twice-yearly 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 plenary meetings 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 twice-yearly Plenaries.

2. To help guide issues for discussion, a Steering Group meets regularly (at least every six months), between the two Plenaries. 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 Plenaries. 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.