At the Society for the Protection of Prespa we strive to be transparent and accountable in all our efforts, from our conservation projects to our financial management and strategic planning. We also believe in good governance and a clear organisational structure as the best way to ensure we are effective in our work and live up to the expectations of our funders, members and stakeholders alike.
Our highest administrative body is the annual General Assembly (GA), in which representatives of all our members participate. The GA decides our strategy and approves our annual accounts, programme and budget for the coming year, generally making decisions on the most important issues the organisation must deal with. Every two years the GA also elects our president and vice-president as well as the managing director, who represents the organisation and directs its activities.
In between GA meetings an Executive Committee, composed of 5 members who are elected by the GA, decides on significant matters and supports the managing director in their work. How the GA and Executive Committee should operate is set out in our statute, while we also have internal rules of operation that govern the way we work.
Principles of our work
The SPP bases its work on scientific principles and management actions to conserve biodiversity, in collaboration with a wide range of local, national and international organisations. In entering into partnerships we prioritise responsibility-sharing and participatory approaches, particularly at the local and transboundary level, as well as ensuring that all our collaborations serve our vision and objectives. Our team has a range of expertise in order to meet these needs, and most of us live in Prespa or are from the area.
Our work is organised five-year ‘strategic cycles’. Each five-year strategy analyses the current situation, sets goals and objectives, and plans out our activities for the coming year. In the middle of the five-year cycle a mid-term evaluation identifies weaknesses and problems and adapts the programme of activities accordingly, while at the end there is a process of internal and external evaluation of the results, which is taken into consideration when planning the next strategic cycle. Procedures are carried out according to an organogramme, which is also determined in the strategic framework.
We structure our work into projects, each of which is assigned to a project manager. The project manager manages the project team and is responsible for implementing the project according to its workplan, which is determined at the outset and adapted as necessary during the project period. The project manager reports to their head of department or the Managing Director, in accordance with the SPP organogramme, who are responsible for monitoring its progress, with activities ultimately reported to and monitored by the SPP Executive Committee and General Assembly.
Projects are implemented in accordance with the SPP’s internal procedures and operating principles, including the maintenance of all related documentation and correspondence, and consistent with the project objectives. Project evaluation is carried out annually, and sometimes semi-annually, in relation to the objectives through reports to the General Assembly and funders, and also at the end of each five-year strategic cycle. Project results are disseminated through the SPP’s communications channels, including its website.