Interview: Obtaining CHS certification by a National NGO

International recognition that the organization is on the right track

What does receiving the CHS certification mean for a humanitarian organization?

For SARD, receiving the CHS certification is a major recognition of the hard work the organization has invested over the years to build strong systems for quality, accountability, and responsible humanitarian action. It is not just an internal milestone; it is an independent external confirmation that SARD is operating in line with the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability, and that the organization has demonstrated no major non-conformities in its application of that standard. HQAI therefore recommended certification and formally issued it.

“For SARD as a National NGO, this is especially important because it provides international recognition that the organization is on the right track and working in line with internationally recognized humanitarian standards. ”

The report itself notes that SARD is a National NGO rooted in the local context and that it demonstrates a strong organizational commitment to quality and accountability, with many CHS requirements already integrated into its systems and processes. This strengthens SARD’s position as a credible and trusted partner and can give donors and partners greater confidence in working with SARD.

What will change now that SARD has the CHS certification? Will it affect your daily work, policies, or the way you implement projects?

In practical terms, the CHS certification does not mean that SARD is starting from zero or suddenly changing its way of working. What it means is that an independent external process has now confirmed that many of the systems SARD already had in place are strong and aligned with the Core Humanitarian Standard. So, the certification mainly strengthens, formalizes, and validates the way SARD already works, rather than replacing it with something entirely new.

What will change is that the certification gives SARD an even stronger basis to keep improving in a more systematic way. The report is clear that SARD already demonstrates a strong organizational commitment to quality and accountability, while also identifying some areas that still need further strengthening, especially around environmental mainstreaming, referral of unmet needs, support to local capacities to anticipate crises, and sharing learning and feedback back with communities. So the main effect on daily work will be greater consistency, stronger documentation, and more systematic follow-up on those areas for improvement.

Can you briefly explain the process SARD went through to obtain the CHS certification? How long did it take, what were the main steps, etc.?

The audit covered the organization’s humanitarian, development, and advocacy work in Türkiye and Syria. SARD shared its organizational policies, procedures, and systems, and completed a detailed self-assessment covering areas such as internal control, compliance, HR, finance, and MEAL. HQAI then interviewed key staff across departments to verify whether these systems were not only in place on paper, but also applied in practice.

The process also included direct engagement with beneficiaries and external stakeholders. Focus group discussions were held with community members, and local authorities, partner organizations, and other stakeholders were interviewed to assess how SARD applies the nine Core Humanitarian Standard commitments in practice. The process ended with a final meeting where both strengths and areas for improvement were presented.

What advice would you give to other organizations that want to obtain CHS certification?

My first piece of advice would be to treat CHS certification as an organization-wide journey, not as a compliance exercise led by one department.

My second piece of advice would be to prepare for the audit as a process of evidence, verification, and demonstration. In SARD’s case, the audit involved project sampling, opening and closing meetings, interviews with staff and stakeholders, and direct consultations with communities.

My third piece of advice would be not to wait until everything is perfect. SARD was certified even though the report still identified six minor corrective action requests.

SARD has also been sharing news of the certification with a wide range of local NGOs, many of whom showed strong interest in learning more about the process, including how to apply and the expected cost. A number of these organizations noted that the main challenge for them is the financial cost, as many local NGOs are not in a position to bear it. For that reason, one recommendation to HQAI would be to continue its valuable efforts to subsidize or reduce the cost for local NGOs, as this can play an important role in making CHS certification more accessible to national and local actors. From SARD’s side, the organization has expressed its willingness to share its experience with interested NGOs and to connect them with the CHS/HQAI process if they would like to better understand SARD’s journey and learn from its experience.

Mr. Abdalraheem we thank you for this conversation.