Improving the Accessibility of CHS Verification Scheme for National Actors: CHS Alliance Management Response Plan to the Verification Review

The Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) is a set of commitments organisations have made to people affected by crises. It is recognised by a wide variety of organisations – including national and international non-governmental organisations, UN agencies, governments and donors – and is seen as a central reference in global humanitarian policy and guidance documents. To support organisations meet these commitments and put people’s rights and dignity at the centre of their work, CHS Alliance manages the CHS Verification Scheme which currently offers three options: Self-Assessment, Independent Verification and Certification. To date, more than 200 organisations have engaged with the scheme to measure how they are meeting the Commitments. However, to achieve the improvements needed in the sector, this needs to be taken to scale, meaning a greater number and diversity of organisations verifying their efforts, especially those at the frontline of delivery. This requires ensuring the scheme is accessible to the many national and local organisations working in and for their communities. To chart the way forward for this scale up, CHS Alliance commissioned an external review in 2022. The Terms of Reference (TOR) called for an analysis of what it will take for the CHS Verification Scheme to meet its ambition of as many organisations as possible measuring how they are meeting the commitments to people in crisis and making the needed improvements.