Planning to not exist

This may well be obvious to veteran charity workers and environmentalists, but this is something that I have picked up recently from various people, including the Head of Fundraising for Article 25 and a Communications Officer from the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC).

This is particularly relevant for the SDC whose funding ceased during the summer of 2010 and who are consequently taking steps to hand over auditing and monitoring of sustainability issues within all 21 government departments to the departments themselves and some external parties.

What I have learnt is, that in general terms, the overall and eventual aim of such organisations is to terminate their existence, i.e. to have done enough positive work in that sector that the issue is solved or there are sufficient management systems in place and their service is no longer needed. It seems an odd thing to work towards but it is important in planning for their future.