International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
"Without Business Objects, International Federation would not have had the information required to manage the large scale Tsunami operation which extends across several continents."
Michael Davis
Head of Finance
International Federation of Red Cross
Challenge
Founded in 1919, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation) is the world's largest humanitarian organization, providing assistance without discriminating as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class, or political opinions. The International Federation is composed of 185 Red Cross and Red Crescent member societies, a Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, and more than 70 delegations, which are strategically located to support activities around the world.
Organizations across the not-for-profit sector face increasing demands for information transparency from donors, driving up pressure for excellent financial accountability and control. With continually escalating demands for humanitarian aid globally, International Federation strives to maximize effectiveness and efficiency.
Key to that strategy is the delivery of excellent financial and operational information, not only centrally at the Secretariat but also to local delegations and project managers working on over 1,000 projects. “By decentralizing both the collection of information and reporting, we can empower delegations and field-based project managers to effectively manage local demands, while minimizing central overhead and maximizing the value of donations,” explains Michael Davis, head of finance at International Federation.
Approach
At the heart of International Federation’s reporting infrastructure is a Microsoft SQL Server data warehouse with multiple source systems, including Coda Financials, logistics, human resources (HR), and project management. International Federation has used Business Objects reporting tools since 2000, primarily for financial reporting. Using BusinessObjects™, it produces international statutory reports and tracks the cost of implementing humanitarian projects. In 2006, the organization migrated to BusinessObjects™ XI to leverage the enhanced web-based technology and improved graphical reporting.
The web-based capabilities opened up access to reports for geographically dispersed personnel. “While delivering excellent financial reporting, BusinessObjects had not gained widespread acceptance outside of our finance team, and it demanded a high degree of centralized reporting,” Davis says. “BusinessObjects XI’s web portal enables decentralization of reporting to empower local delegations and project managers.”
Results
For International Federation, decentralization is a key benefit of adopting BusinessObjects XI. In the past, financial management of projects was centralized in Geneva due to the lack of information available in the field. Now, each of the organization’s 400 end users can operate in the field for the majority of the time, leveraging online reporting from BusinessObjects XI to manage resources.
The ease of use and improved graphical facilities of BusinessObjects XI prompted rapid adoption of the technology outside of the finance department, as logistics and HR departments increasingly recognize the value of real-time reporting. Today, International Federation has over 400 users of BusinessObjects XI across the world, from Africa to Asia Pacific, ranging from financial analysts to logistics and HR users.
“The migration to BusinessObjects XI has increased the adoption of reporting across International Federation,” says Davis. “Using the web portal, our global staff are finding it far easier to create and access reports online in each country, rather than relying on the Secretariat in Geneva. The localized reporting is far more efficient.”
Benefits of the organization’s migration to BusinessObjects XI include:
- Improved Project Management. Project managers are not only empowered but are also more accountable for field-based spending, with full responsibility for the management of resources and project completion. As a result, International Federation now has far better project management—and a measurable reduction in project deficits. “Improved visibility and accountability are essential to improve financial control across International Federation,” Davis says. “By devolving responsibility to project managers in the field and providing real-time reporting, International Federation gives project managers far more authority, responsibility, and accountability, which results in better project management.”
- Delegation Reporting. Each of the International Federation’s 70 delegations is responsible for managing its own local finances, reporting on a monthly basis to the Secretariat. In the past, this required an entire department in Geneva working 20 days a month to process the financial requests of the delegations. Using BusinessObjects XI, International Federation has been able to streamline the monthly reporting process, reducing the central administrative burden.
- Tsunami Appeal. The tsunami was, and remains, International Federation’s largest-ever project, with the organization delivering humanitarian aid in three affected regions—Indonesia, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. BusinessObjects XI enables International Federation to consolidate data on expenditure and commitment from multiple delegations and project managers, and match that data against the single source of income received in Geneva. “Without Business Objects, International Federation would not have had the information required to manage the large-scale tsunami operation that extends across several continents,” says Davis.
- Transparency. International Federation also publishes donor information on its website, including the largest donors and contributions to specific appeals. The organization has been able to use BusinessObjects XI to automate financial reporting for donors, delivering the information transparency now required within the not-for-profit sector.
Quick Facts
- Industry:
Not-for-profit/
Humanitarian aid - Business Pain:
To improve local reporting globally and reduce reliance on the Secretariat in Geneva - Why Business Objects?
BusinessObjects XI delivers the web portal and ease of use to provide financial and operational reporting anywhere across the world - Business Objects Software and Services
BusinessObjects XI