The problems with governance and accountability in French charities

Abstract

This paper identifies problems with governance and accountability in respect to French charities by assessing current reporting practices. To identify the most common practices, an exploratory study was conducted with accountants, auditors and academics with expertise in charity financial reporting. Compliance emerged as the major issue with charity reporting in France. In many cases, the accounting treatments adopted were decided by the charity involved. No standardization of accounting treatment can be presumed, with many charities producing reports that are opaque or lacking vital detail. A key finding is the need for an accountability discharge mechanism to support accountability discharge documents such as financial statements. This reflects the lack of centralized oversight on whether these statements are audited or conform to French codes.