Is it worth it to be transparent? This was the guiding question of GIFE’s first online hangout on 11 March, during which Andre Degenszajn, GIFE’s Secretary General, and Eduardo Szazi, a lawyer specialized in not-for-profit organizations and corporate social responsibility, discussed the issue of transparency in private social investment.

The conversation was based on the publication Abertura: Desmistificando a transparência de investidores sociais (Opening up: Demystifying Funder Transparency), done in partnership with the Foundation Center. This is part of a series of initiatives to be taken up by GIFE on transparency, a priority issue on the organization’s agenda.

Degenszajn presented the current scenario of transparency in private social investment, pointing out that although the topic has been part of discussions in the sector for a while, only in 2010 it became more prominent. This happened as GIFE identified three essential aspects of private social investment: relevance, diversity and scope. “Transparency is one of the pillars of relevance. That is because transparent practices are intrinsically linked to the relationship with society, to visibility, to the presentation of results, and to the dialogue about relevant issues. It is about ensuring the legitimacy of the field, within organizations and in the society as a whole.”

For more see “GIFE performs online debate on transparency in the sector” (Portuguese).