Trustees see economic uncertainty as biggest challenge

Charity trustees believe the economic uncertainty facing the sector in over next year will be significant, with 35 % saying that navigating the current uncertain economic environment is the most significant challenge, closely followed by the risks of an unclear political situation in the UK (23%).

According to a survey conducted by OLIM Investment Managers, the fears surrounding the economic and political environment dwarfed operational concerns, such as the challenges of staff retention and recruitment (15%) and increased governance requirements (13%).

The survey also revealed that while governance is important to the charity sector, trustees believe good practice is driven from the top, citing strong leadership (25%) and a robust organisational structure (24%) as more important than diversity of experience (22%) and integrity (14%).

Andrew Impey, director and portfolio manager, OLIM Investment Managers, says: “It is evident the economy and geopolitics, including Brexit, are weighing heavily on the charity sector as we continue to face an unsettled outlook for the short to medium-term.”