News & Views
Quality mark’ launched to reflect changing sector
Charities Evaluation Services launched the third edition of the PQASSO quality system on 25 June, comprehensively revising the second edition which, after eight years, needed updating to reflect major changes in the sector...
This includes the increase in public services commissioning, the sharpened focus on performance and accountability, environmental sustainability issues and the trend towards partnership working.
Preparation for the new edition included research over a 12-month period into PQASSO usage. Nearly 500 responses were collected about how the standard should be updated from users, government agencies, regulators and funders.
According to CES, the value of third sector organisations is being defined increasingly by their ability to demonstrate it. To respond to this climate, they have also made available a new ‘PQASSO Quality Mark’ to coincide with the third edition launch. PQASSO users will now be able to begin applying for this externally assessed ‘kitemark’. Its purpose is to provide external verification of organisations’ achievement.
Colin Nee, CEO of Charities Evaluation Services, told Caritas: ‘PQASSO’s big impact is that it has enabled thousands of third sector organisations across the UK to achieve their missions more effectively. But to maintain this success, we have to adapt it to keep ahead of the extraordinary pace of change within the sector, hence the new third edition and PQASSO Quality Mark.’ www.ces-vol.org.uk
See also Clarissa Dann editorial on Total Quality Management.
