A new study, “Due Diligence Harmonisation in Ukraine,” shows how humanitarian actors in Ukraine can simplify, align, and strengthen due diligence processes to build fairer partnerships between international and national organizations.
Why Due Diligence Matters
Due diligence is essential for transparency and accountability in humanitarian partnerships — but when requirements differ across donors and organizations, local actors face an overwhelming administrative burden.
The study highlights that Ukrainian NGOs often spend valuable time adapting to overlapping compliance frameworks rather than focusing on their core mission: delivering aid where it’s needed most.
What the Study Found
The report, jointly commissioned by the Humanitarian NGO Platform in Ukraine and ActionAid International, maps the current landscape of due diligence practices and highlights key gaps.
Specifically, it found that:
- Fragmented requirements create duplication and confusion, especially for smaller organizations.
- Trust-based collaboration between international and local partners remains limited because compliance often outweighs capacity building.
- Existing tools and frameworks—such as donor checklists and risk assessments—can be streamlined without losing accountability.
- Local actors want to shape due diligence systems, not only comply with them.
Toward a Shared Approach
The study outlines several practical steps to make due diligence both efficient and inclusive.
In particular, it calls to:
- Develop a common due diligence framework tailored to Ukraine’s humanitarian context.
- Promote mutual recognition of existing assessments to cut down duplication.
- Strengthen capacity-sharing initiatives so local organizations can meet and influence standards.
- Encourage donors and INGOs to simplify reporting and invest in long-term, trust-based partnerships.
Together, these actions could turn compliance into collaboration.
Looking Ahead
The next phase will focus on piloting a harmonised approach and gathering feedback from NGOs, donors, and coordination bodies to ensure it reflects real operational needs.
By promoting transparency, trust, and collaboration, this effort aims to make due diligence a bridge — not a barrier — to localisation.
