I am proud to launch today the civil society covenant, a new chapter in the relationship between this Government and the remarkable civil society organisations that form the backbone of our communities, paving the way for a future where we can truly achieve our national ambitions together.
Through the covenant, I want to build a new trusted partnership between Government and civil society that harnesses the strengths of each to tackle shared challenges, deliver our plan for change and drive long-term economic growth across the United Kingdom. This Government believe that civil society has a powerful voice that must be heard in the rooms where decisions are made and that it is only by working together that this Government will build a self-confident nation where everybody’s contribution is seen and valued, and all people have the chance to live the richer, larger and dignified lives that they deserve.
In the spirit of partnership, the covenant has been co-produced through extensive engagement with civil society and Government to develop a guiding set of principles that form a framework for this future relationship:
Recognition and value that builds solid relationships of mutual respect and value;
Partnership and collaboration to inform decision-making and service design to deliver better solutions for all;
Participation and inclusion in greater opportunities for people to be involved in decisions and activities affecting their lives; and
Transparency and data championing more open sharing of information and data and evidence-based solutions.
This framework of principles is intended to be relevant to and guide relationships between the full diversity of civil society organisations and public bodies and Government at every level. A copy of the civil society covenant will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Making the covenant’s principles a lived reality will require sustained action and commitment across both sectors and the Prime Minister, and I expect every Government Department to publicly support and drive implementation of the covenant in order to become a better partner for civil society. To drive momentum and provide leadership, I am establishing a new co-chaired “joint civil society covenant council”, which will bring Government and civil society together to spearhead implementation of the covenant.
My Department will also be developing a local covenant partnerships programme to support civil society organisations to work collaboratively and in innovative ways with local authorities and public service providers. This will deliver services that tackle local policy priorities more effectively and better meet the needs of local communities.
As a sign of this Government’s commitment to a new relationship with civil society, the covenant is today being launched as part of a major summit, bringing together key representatives from Government, civil society and the impact economy, to celebrate and explore how we can deliver better together, collaborating for a better future for our country.
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