A Tale of Two Charities in the News: Measuring Success and Shortcomings Through the Lens of 'Winning by Being Good

Introduction

To analyse the two contrasting charities that have been featured in the press over the past month, I have focused on two of the foundational elements of success outlined in my book, *Leadership and Financial Success*. While the other elements are also essential, these two particularly stood out to me.

Leadership

In 'Winning by being Good,' I identify three essential facets of leadership:

• Behaviour driven by shared values: How do you behave, i.e., are there values that everyone shares and that translate into the way people act across the organisation? Is the organisation consistent about what makes people a hero or a villain? A good indicator is if everyone feels empowered and shows initiative, as it means they understand what will be appropriate behaviour, even if something unexpected happens.
• Clear vision: Is there a compelling and well-communicated vision for the organisation? If so, is it supported by a concrete plan and transparent steps towards achieving it? To achieve a high score for having a clear vision, everyone needs to articulate that vision in a way that truly captures its essence. Staff and volunteers who are able to recite it from memory do not necessarily mean a score of a perfect ten on the ROC©. It’s essential that they understand how the vision translates into the business's operations and how it affects their individual behaviour.
• Action-focused: Is the company going places, or is it stuck? Is there a sense of urgency, a focus on action? Are there systems that encourage and reward useful actions, not an activity for its own sake?

These are the fundamentals for any organisation in terms of its journey: a definite destination, a shared agreement on how to get there, what is acceptable in terms of behaviour, and actual movement towards the goal, rather than stagnation.

Financial Success

“Winning by being good” does not provide an objective definition of financial success; it depends on the vision for the organisation, the scale it wants to achieve, and how much money/resources that will take. No organisation, even a charity, can thrive without resources, but they don’t have to be financial; for example volunteer time has a value. Financial success in “Winning by being Good” is about being sustainable in the long term. Consequently, it is built on three core elements:

• Having an identifiable market niche: You are known for what you do, and people actively seek you out because of it. Having a niche increases your potential margins and reduces your vulnerability to the competition. The first test for a niche is whether your staff, customers,/users, and the broader market recognise what is unique about you and refer others to you because of it. If they do, then you have a clear niche and can give yourself a high score. If you don’t know, then you should immediately reduce your score, and to get an accurate rating, you should ask them. It’s not enough to think you have a niche; others need to understand it and be aware of it.
• Innovative growth: Innovation is crucial to financial success because, in a rapidly changing world, if an organisation doesn’t innovate, it can’t maintain sustainable profits. Innovation can be in what you do or offer, or how you do it or promote it. Growing is not necessarily about getting larger, but rather about acquiring expertise or methods that achieve more. Innovation is encouraged, so failures are accepted as a natural part of the learning process.
• Achieving a sustainable profit: It will only be sustainable if you can retain your staff, provide a consistent service, establish a niche, grow and innovate, and have a clear direction. Therefore, merely looking at the numbers is insufficient. Considering everything, is it sustainable, or will you lose all your best staff if they get a better offer? If you have low scores elsewhere on the ROC©, you might be making a profit and scoring on that, but the ‘sustainable’ bit is likely to be suspect. If everything else is excellent, but you aren’t making a profit, then maybe you need to consider your other scores, particularly on niche and reliable consistency, as both drive new customers and customer retention.

The analysis below is prompted by two newspaper articles on how a couple of charities are performing based on the ROC© principles. I have added details gathered from the Charity Commission website regarding their objects as charities, and I have also reviewed their latest annual reports. If you want to, you can just read the conclusions I draw at the end for each, but particularly for the Donkey Trust I have included quite a lot from the annual report because I think it is very informative and a great example of good and clear communication.

Winning by being Good in practice - A charity in trouble?

When I saw the headline below in the Sunday Times, I had to read more.

“It’s a rubbish job after canal charity dumped bins”

In the 12th October edition of The Sunday Times, Charlotte Ivers described how volunteers unaffiliated to the Canal and River Trust started collecting litter after the Trust had locked every bin along the canals, causing rubbish to pile up beside sealed lids or be abandoned. This action surprised me, as I thought the Trust was responsible for canal care. This prompted me to consider whether this is good leadership or even legal by the Canal and River Trust.Charity leaders must weigh both the ethical and legal sides of decisions. Their choices should reflect the organisation's values and purpose, while adhering to legal requirements and governance standards.

Leadership in action

The Trust claims litter levels have stayed the same since closing the bins, but the article paints a different picture. Not only do many locals and canal users disagree, but independent volunteers have rolled up their sleeves to clean up, even without any official connection to the charity. On the River Tees, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has stepped in to provide bins, despite grumbles from residents who believed the Trust should handle the matter. Unsurprisingly, the bins have made a difference, and litter has decreased.I wanted to check my understanding of what the Canal and River Trust is about.

The charity’s objects

The objects of the charity, as per their governing document on the Charity Commission website, include:

TO PRESERVE, PROTECT, OPERATE AND MANAGE INLAND WATERWAYS FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT:

2.1.1 FOR NAVIGATION; AND 2.1.2 FOR WALKING ON TOWPATHS; AND 2.1.2 FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE-TIME PURSUITS OF THE PUBLIC IN THE INTEREST OF THEIR HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE; 2.3 TO FURTHER FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT THE CONSERVATION PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND LANDSCAPE OF INLAND WATERWAYS; 2.4 TO PROMOTE, FACILITATE, UNDERTAKE AND ASSIST IN, FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT, THE RESTORATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF INLAND WATERWAYS; 2.5 TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE FOR PUBLIC BENEFIT AWARENESS, LEARNING AND EDUCATION ABOUT INLAND WATERWAYS, THEIR HISTORY, DEVELOPMENT, USE, OPERATION AND CULTURAL HERITAGE BY ALL APPROPRIATE MEANS INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF MUSEUMS; 2.6 TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE VICINITY OF ANY INLAND WATERWAY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, IN PARTICULAR BY: 2.6.1 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE IN SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN SUCH VICINITY; AND 2.6.2 THE PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE MEANS OF ACHIEVING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REGENERATION AND THE PRUDENT USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES;

I am unsure whether the trust is fulfilling its public benefit, although it claims there has been no increase in litter, seemingly to justify its position.

Its vision and values

Charitable objects are designed to satisfy the Charity Commission's requirements, not necessarily to inspire or explain the future goals and strategies of a charity. So, I checked the charity's vision and values for clearer guidance. The vision, as outlined on the Green Careers hub, is:

“Living waterways that transform places and enrich lives, for today and for generations to come”

Its values, which I don’t know if they are ranked in order of importance, are:

Caring for heritage and nature: Protecting the 250-year-old canal infrastructure and its ecosystems from threats like climate change.

Promoting wellbeing: Creating spaces where people can feel happier and healthier through access to nature and water.

Community and collaboration: Working with volunteers, local communities, and partners to maintain and improve waterways.

Sustainability and innovation: Embracing modern engineering and sustainable practices to ensure long-term viability

Closing bins and increasing litter are difficult to understand in terms of being behaviour driven by the values as stated above. I reviewed the latest annual report of the Trust to see if it provided any information about the bins, but it did not. It did include lots of work and information, but the priorities in the report were not inspirational nor clearly linked to the vision, unlike those for The Donkey Trust (see below) Listed in order as follows were the priorities:

• Grow our commercial and charitable income
• Deliver the basics well
• Improve infrastructure resilience
• Grow public support
• Develop and publish our first Climate Adaptation Report

Financial success!?

The Sunday Times article also highlights that the Canal and River Trust receives £52 million in public funding each year and has a statutory duty to maintain the cleanliness of canals and rivers. ?closing bins? The charity has operated at a loss since 2020. For the year ending 31 March 2024, it reported £237 million in income and £252 million in expenses. According to the article, fundraising costs increased from £2.5 million to £6.7 million, a 268% rise. Donations increased by £400,000, which was sufficient to break even with the fundraising expenses at £6.7 million, but fell short of the £8.5 million target, resulting in only a 6% increase despite significantly higher fundraising costs. Surely a key target market for fundraising will be people who like canals and rivers, who will be less likely to give when they see closed-up bins and litter.

Their donation page states, “We rely on charity donations to help protect canals and rivers.”

They promote the message: “We urgently need your donations to help us restore and maintain 2,000 miles of historic canals and rivers. As a charity, your support is vital to keep our network protected and alive with nature.” This message contrasts with the impression created by closed bins, creating a challenge for effective fundraising.

Conclusion about Canal and River Trust through the lens of Winning by being Good

Reading this article made one thing crystal clear: the Trust’s decision to close the bins was a glaring misstep—one that undermined public confidence and organisational credibility. But rather than just rely on gut feelings or media outrage, there’s a smarter way to cut through the confusion. That’s why my book, “Winning by Being Good,” and its Responsible Organisation Charter© (ROC) are game-changers. The ROC© is not just another management tool—it empowers you to pinpoint exactly where things go wrong, and how to fix them. Instead of endless debates and finger-pointing, you get a rigorous, objective framework to identify failure, spotlight what works, and chart a path to real improvement. If you want to avoid costly mistakes and lead with confidence, this is your roadmap.In “Winning by Being Good,” I show how values must be more than words—they need to drive every decision and action. Staff, supporters, and donors deserve absolute clarity about what the organisation stands for, and what makes someone a hero or a villain in its story. My book gives you the practical tools to make values visible in your culture and operations, and demonstrates why a clear, distinctive niche isn’t optional—it’s the bedrock of financial success.

Applying the ROC© scoring system from my book, the Trust’s leadership falls short—its choices expose a disconnect between stated vision and everyday actions. In “Winning by Being Good,” I make it clear: vision and values are only as strong as the actions that back them up. Inaction—like closing bins without rallying volunteers—undermines mission, values, and public trust. If you want to lead with integrity and keep your organisation’s purpose alive in practice, my book gives you the tools and real-world examples to make it happen.

Financially, the Trust stumbles too. On the ROC©, it earns a low score for failing to achieve not just profit, but true sustainability. “Winning by Being Good” gives you the complete playbook for building an organisation that survives and thrives. Whether you’re running a charity, nonprofit, or business, this framework will help you diagnose weak spots, highlight strengths, and turn vision into reliable results. Don’t let your niche become your downfall—use my tools to secure your organisation’s future. If you want your organisation to achieve lasting financial success, you have to deliver on your mission in a way that inspires confidence and proves real impact. “Winning by Being Good” is your step-by-step guide to making this happen—don’t leave your reputation or your future to chance.

Winning by being Good in practice, why this charity does better than others

Again, in The Sunday Times, I came across a story this time by Leaf Arbuthnot , and when I saw the headline and subheads below, I had to read more.

Donkey work as it should be: kicking back and enjoying their inheritance....

Leaf finds

the cute animals are big business earning their sanctuary £40m a year from bequests ....

Last year, people left more money to the Donkey Sanctuary in Devon than to the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes combined.

The article was positive, not questioning anything the charity was doing, but rather quizzical about the public giving more to donkeys than to veterans, while acknowledging that the charity also impacts humans, as its values illustrate (see below).

Its vision and values

Again, I started by reviewing its leadership looking at the Donkey Sanctuary’s vision:

“A world where every donkey has a good quality of life.”

In its annual report, it can clearly state how that is working in practice with some impressive statistics:

“We improved the lives of over 4.6 million donkeys worldwide – from those in our direct care to animals reached through outreach, partnerships and Guardian homes – and more than doubled the number of donkeys impacted by our international programmes to 745,000.”

In fact, during the year they closed a number of regional Donkey Assisted Activities centres but this wasn’t even mentioned by the Sunday Times, which described the 220 rescue donkeys at their sanctuary in Devon with lots of space, sand provided to reconnect them with their African roots, thick beds of straw, and classical music played in their barns.

In their annual report they explain the closures:

“These changes were proposed in order to make best use of donors’ money and focus on our core mission to improve the lives of donkeys here in the UK and around the world.”

Its values found in its annual report are explained this way:

“Following the completion of 2023’s Big Bray – a project that gave our workforce the opportunity to have open and honest conversations about what the charity stands for – we introduced a new set of values in 2024:

We put donkeys first

We are inquisitive

We are compassionate

We do the right thing

We work together as one

These values have quickly and readily been embedded in all that we do, by exploring the attitudes, behaviours and actions that, team by team, will make a difference to how we work together and inform better decision making that supports our strategy.”

Charitable objects

And again I looked at its Objects on the Charity Commission website.

1)TO RELIEVE THE SUFFERING OF DONKEYS, MULES AND OTHER SUCH ANIMALS IN NEED OF CARE AND ATTENTION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN RESCUE HOMES OR OTHER FACILITIES FOR THE RECEPTION, CARE, TREATMENT AND SECURITY OF SUCH ANIMALS.

(2)TO PROMOTE HUMANE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS SUCH ANIMALS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH APPROPRIATE CARE, PROTECTION, TREATMENT, AND SECURITY AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC IN THE WELFARE OF AND THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY AND SUFFERING AMONGST SUCH ANIMALS.

(3)TO BENEFIT THOSE PERSONS WHOSE LIVES ARE ENHANCED BY WORKING WITH DONKEYS AND MULES BY IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF SUCH ANIMALS

(4)TO BRING ENJOYMENT AND PLEASURE TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL NEEDS, SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS, DISABILITIES OR ILLNESSES IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THEIR EDUCATION AND MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER THROUGH APPROPRIATE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RIDING, HANDLING OR COMING INTO CONTACT WITH SUCH ANIMALS.

Financial success

The donkey sanctuary is significantly smaller than the Canals and River Trust, although it still generates an income of just under £60 million. Its 2024 Annual report outlines its financial strategy and the detail:

“To fulfil the ambitious targets outlined in our strategy, we are committed to raising £65 million annually by the end of 2027 – a goal we can only achieve with the steadfast support of our dedicated donors.

Their unwavering generosity allows us to continue transforming the lives of donkeys and mules in greatest need. Our supporters play a vital role in enabling us to assist communities both in the UK and around the world. By sharing our knowledge with donkey owners and valuing their insights, we ensure our efforts have a lasting and meaningful impact.

We raise funds through a variety of channels, including direct appeals, raffle and lottery programmes, and our much-loved donkey adoption scheme. We keep our supporters connected through regular newsletters, offering inspiring stories and tangible examples of how their contributions are making a difference, in the UK and globally. We also engage with the public through our sanctuaries, while promoting our work and events via digital platforms and television campaigns.

Our supporters are the driving force behind our mission, standing alongside us as we strive to improve the welfare and wellbeing of donkeys and mules across the globe.

LEGACIES AND IN MEMORY

Two-thirds of our work is only made possible by the kindness of our supporters who leave gifts in their will. In 2024, our legacy income stream accounted for £37.8m.

DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISING INCOME

We are profoundly grateful to our dedicated supporters who contribute so generously to our efforts through fundraising appeals, newsletters, regular gifts, raffles and lotteries. This led to a donation income of £15.3m and fundraising income of £1.9m in 2024.

PHILANTHROPY

In 2024, we raised £0.8m through major donors and grants, and we are very grateful for their support. Thanks to them, we can continue to change the lives of donkeys in need through a wide variety of projects. Funding from major donors and grants is dedicated to targeted areas of work. This financial support is made possible by the substantial generosity of philanthropists and grant-making trusts who share our vision and mission.

TRADING Our popular gift shop and award-winning restaurant, The Kitchen, at our Sidmouth sanctuary in Devon, celebrated a fantastic year in 2024. More than 400,000 visitors to the site delighted in a range of donkey-themed gifts and enjoyed meals made with local ingredients. Our trading activities, including onsite sales, online purchases and mail orders, generated a revenue of £3.1m”

They spend less than they get, adding £4.4m to their funds before capital expenditure of £2.4m.

Conclusion about the Donkey Trust through the lens of Winning by being Good

In terms of the Responsible Organisation Charter (ROC)© from my book, The Donkey Trust exemplifies top-tier leadership—with a vision and values that are not just words, but are consistently put into action. Financially, their innovative strategies and proactive cost management highlight exactly what the ROC© recognises as best practice: adapting to market challenges, reinforcing a strong niche, and driving sustainable success. This is a real-world example of what high ROC© scores look like in practice—and a benchmark any ambitious charity should aspire to.

Donkeys v Rivers - was the ROC useful?

I was inspired to write this blog because the contrast between these two charities was so striking. It raised important questions—what truly drives success in the charity sector, and how can it be objectively measured? “Winning by Being Good” gives you the answers.

With the principles in my book, you can confidently compare even the most different organisations and discover why some truly stand out.

If you buy the book, you’ll unlock exclusive access to powerful tools and support materials to analyse your own organisation—or any you care about—as a leader, supporter, or potential employee. Explore all 15 proven characteristics of the Responsible Organisation Charter (ROC)©, and gain the practical guidance you need to build lasting, ethical success.

Don’t just observe what sets successful organisations apart—use “Winning by Being Good” to take action and make a real difference. Get your copy and start your journey to winning the right way.

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