There’s a concept I want to socialize. It’s called Non-profit Social Responsibility. It isn’t a term I coined, nor is it widely used or accepted. But It’s a concept non-profit leaders must strive to create shared vision around.

I’d venture to say most people believe non-profit organizations are socially responsible by default (because of their mission), but they’d be mistaken.

Yes, most non-profit organizations are missioned for social good, however, there’s room for improving internal practices, processes and operations that focus on employee wellness, diversity and inclusion and sustainability.

Beyond establishing policy, generating external support or providing direct service to these organizations, I’m a firm believer that more can always be done. I also believe that non-profit organizations have an obligation to leave things better than the way they found them.

What I’m talking about is the fundamental change in how non-profit organizations operate. It’s not lost on me that this will take a societal culture shift. Whether this involves non-profit executives, members of the board of directors, or non-profit generalists, it’ll require the actions of many over generations.

Indifferent from their for-profit and government counterparts, however, non-profits also have problems centered around talent gaps, diversity and inclusion, employee turnover rates, unequal compensation and unethical labor practices. Let me be clear, serving society at large is not a valid reason to continue practices that aren’t sustainable. Those very practices often undermine the work they’re aiming to achieve.

It’s time bad-practiced non-profits be held accountable, to clean house before they continue to demand the same from society. After all, they’re a part of that same society. Think about making these adjustments:

  • When what’s planned doesn’t pan out, seek reasons not excuses.
  • Stop being a martyr.
  • Take a moral inventory.

Read the full article about nonprofit practices by Jerome Tennille at Medium.