Performance management and accountability

Measuring and reporting on corporate performance enables the World Food Programme (WFP) to be more accountable towards the people it serves and those who provide funds. Each year, WFP plans, monitors and reports on its operations, so that it can provide the best possible service to the people it assists, using available resources in the most efficient and effective way possible. This means WFP not only focuses on what results it achieves but also how it achieves them.

WFP’s Corporate Results Framework, which guides this ‘accountability cycle’, sets out a clear structure to measure and report on the organization’s achievements. This is articulated in three phases: planning, monitoring and reporting.

At the planning stage, each country office designs a multi-year Country Strategic Plan, which outlines WFP’s initiatives to support the Government in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 at the national level. Each Country Strategic Plan is based on a logical framework, which links activities at country level with related outputs, outcomes and WFP strategic results and goals. In addition, country offices assess the forecast funds for their operations and prepare an implementation plan and an Annual Performance Plan, which describes how the annual programmatic objectives will be achieved.

At the corporate level, every year WFP prepares the Management Plan. This is a comprehensive annual plan of work, presenting our programme support and business operations budget – including the Programme Support and Administrative (PSA) budget. WFP also proposes the Indirect Support Cost rate, and the use of the PSA Equalization Account and General Fund. The document includes WFP's projected operational needs and forecasts resources to meet those needs.

Monitoring includes the tracking of outcomes, outputs and processes of WFP’s programmes. Monitoring & Evaluation officers collect qualitative and quantitative data using different methodologies depending on the context. Collecting data on all WFP activities and results is a huge task. Therefore, WFP carries out household surveys and directly monitors activities. But it also relies on secondary data, collected by its partners in the field, authorities or other entities. The beneficiary data is disaggregated by gender, age, beneficiary category and, if appropriate, other socioeconomic characteristics. Among the variables that are measured are beneficiary satisfaction and WFP’s accountability to affected populations.

Monitoring output data is key to tracking the progress of the programme against WFP’s targets, and making adjustments where necessary. The Key Performance Indicators selected in the Annual Performance Plan are monitored and assessed throughout the year.

Reporting is a key component of the cycle, as it’s where WFP demonstrates its accountability for the work done and learns what to improve in the future. Each country office produces an Annual Country Report, which links resources to results and assesses the progress against the country strategic outcomes.

At the corporate level, the organization reports on its performance through the Annual Performance Report, which provides details on WFP’s achievements against its two main goals – zero hunger and partnering to achieve the SDGs – as well as management performance. The Annual Performance Report is approved by WFP’s Executive Board and guides senior management decision making.