New Delhi, Sep 22: Smile Foundation has received the GuideStar India Platinum Certification for the ninth time, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to transparency, public accountability and good governance.
The latest Platinum Certification – Champion Level recognises Smile Foundation’s continued adherence to rigorous standards of transparency and accountability. The certification is particularly significant as it represents the organisation’s ninth Platinum-level recognition, since FY 2013-14.
GuideStar India’s Platinum certification is positioned at the Champion Level of its certification framework. Under its upgraded programme, organisations undergo a comprehensive application and capacity-building process followed by an assessment against seven key pillars for exemplary transparency and public accountability. The certification is therefore served as an independent indicator of an organisation’s systems and practices for building trust with stakeholders.
For Smile Foundation, the latest recognition builds on a longstanding institutional focus on credibility, accountability and good governance. The organisation maintains a four-tier audit and evaluation mechanism covering statutory audits, governance compliance, and programme and internal audits to strengthen transparency and accountability in the utilisation of funds. Smile Foundation also publicly discloses its income, expenditure and fund utilisation information as part of these practices.
Commenting on the recognition, Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder, Smile Foundation, said:
“Transparency and accountability are fundamental to the trust that enables social impact. Receiving the GuideStar India Platinum Certification for the ninth time is an affirmation of the systems and practices we have consistently strengthened over the years. It also reinforces our responsibility to uphold high standards of governance, disclosure, and responsible as well as impactful utilisation of resources. We are grateful to our partners, supporters and team-members for their continued trust and shared commitment.”
“Smile Foundation remains committed to strengthening its governance systems alongside its development programmes, ensuring that the resources entrusted to it translate into measurable, meaningful and sustainable outcomes for thousands of communities across India,” reaffirms Pratap Ray, Vice President, Finance & Governance, Smile Foundation.
Smile Foundation’s certification with GuideStar India dates back several years. In 2018, the organisation received the GuideStar India – NGO Transparency Award for adopting comprehensive transparency, accountability and good governance procedures with an exemplary level of public disclosure. Smile Foundation continues to be listed as a GuideStar India Platinum-validated charity among its accreditations.
The ninth Platinum certification represents continuity in an institutional approach to responsible governance, while reinforcing the importance of transparency as a foundation for sustainable social impact. For an organisation working with communities and partners across India, the recognition strengthens the confidence of stakeholders who support and participate in its development programmes across India.