The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) was designed so that its application can be measured. Measuring your performance through the CHS verification scheme helps you learn the extent to which accountability standards have been incorporated into your work and highlights which areas you might consider improving.
The CHS Alliance Verification Scheme offers different approaches to verification, because we recognise there are many types of aid organisations at different stages of their journey to meet the CHS Nine Commitments.
All verification approaches allow organisations to capture useful data and identify areas of strength and weakness using the indicators outlined in the CHS Verification Framework.
An organisation completing a verification will automatically assess their performance on key cross-cutting issues mainstreamed across the CHS. CHS Alliance uses indicators from the Nine CHS Commitments to develop indexes that reflect how well the organisation performs across three areas:
- Protection against sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment (PSEAH) – revised in 2020
- Localisation
- Gender and diversity
Updates to CHS verification:
Organisations interested in working with the CHS can do so at any moment. Currently, this is the 2014 version. After publication of the updated CHS in 2024, there is a transition period allowing organisations to gradually change to the updated CHS.
CHS 2024 edition – timeline for updating CHS verification tools & processes:
- 21 March 2024 – The CHS 2024 edition was published
- June 2024 – The updated CHS verification framework was published.
- November 2024 – Updated CHS verification guide published.
- March 2025 – Updated Self-Assessment Process and Tools published.
- April 2025 – Self Assessment as well as Independent Verification and Certification audits switch to the updated CHS.
Self-Assessment
Self-assessment is a learning exercise. It helps organisations understand their capacity and performance against the CHS, and builds an improvement plan to make the services they deliver work better for the people affected by crisis.
Using a guidance document and online survey tools provided by the CHS Alliance, self-assessment allows organisations to collect information, document evidence and present results.
While the results of the Self-Assessments belong entirely to the organisations, CHS Alliance secretariat validates, only for the members, the fact that they completed the process. They are issued with a letter and a stamp they can use to demonstrate their commitment to the standard.
How does the CHS revision affect Self-Assessment?
While the structure of the updated CHS has changed, the core elements remain with a renewed emphasis on putting people at the centre of all we do. Conducting your verification against the current CHS provides an important learning and improvement tool.
By April 2025, the self-assessment survey and tools will have been transitioned to the CHS 2024 edition. Organisations currently in self-assessment or starting the process before then will continue using the current CHS until their next renewal.
Find out more about self-assessment
Start my Self-Assessment journey
If you are not a member of the CHS Alliance and haven’t done a CHS Self-Assessment before, please visit the CHS Commitment Tracker for further information. Alternatively, you can directly start your Self-Assessment by filling out the preliminary survey.
Start your self-assessment journey
If you are a member of the CHS Alliance or you have previously done a CHS Self-Assessment, please log into your CHS Commitment Tracker account or get in touch with ua at verification@chsalliance.org.
Independent Verification & Certification
Independent verification and certification against the CHS are conducted by an accredited, third-party auditor – currently this service is offered by Humanitarian Quality Assurance Initiative (HQAI).
These options provide a detailed picture of the degree to which organisations have successfully implemented the CHS, as well as providing a road map for making improvements.
How does the CHS revision affect Independently Verified and Certified organisations?
CHS Alliance has been working closely with HQAI to manage a smooth transition for the organisations they audit. To ensure enough time is given to all partners for adjusting to the updated standard, and to upgrade all HQAI processes, both initial and renewal audits undertaken before end of March 2025 will continue using the current CHS.
After April 2025, HQAI will be auditing against the CHS 2024 edition. If you have any questions on your situation, please contact us or reach out directly to HQAI.
Find out more about certification
The Verification Advisory Panel (VAP) ensures that the scheme remains fit-for-purpose.
Further questions are answered in our CHS verification Frequently Asked Questions.
We encourage organisations to choose the verification option that best suits their needs.
Please contact our Head of Quality Assurance, Jordi Capdevila if you have any questions about CHS verification.
CHS Alliance Members’ Community of Practice
We are currently piloting a Verification Community of Practice (CoP) for CHS Alliance members to connect with others in our global network on their verification journey, whether this is self-assessment, independent verification, or certification. As part of this CoP, you will gain access to a wealth of resources, including guidelines, toolkits, and real-world examples, and participate in dynamic discussions and collaborative projects. This community is designed to foster mutual learning, transparency, innovation, quality, and accountability. We hope to offer this Community of Practice to all our members soon as we refine the learning through the current pilot! If you are a member interested in joining to enhance your skills, overcome challenges, and contribute to the continuous improvement of verification methodologies, please use the below form to express your interest now!
