Oxfam’s board of trustees has come under intense scrutiny, with a former trustee demanding their immediate resignation over failures in staff vetting processes that have reignited concerns about governance at the aid organisation. Dr Balwant Singh, who stepped down from the board last week in protest at the removal of chief executive Halima Begum, told Times UK that the Charity Commission should intervene and appoint a caretaker board to restore public trust.
The charity disclosed serious errors in its vetting procedures for staff between 2023 and 2025, a revelation that comes more than eight years after Times UK first exposed Oxfam’s cover-up of sexual abuse by aid workers in earthquake-hit Haiti in 2010. Singh described the recent failings as “the latest governance failure to be exposed and, sadly, there may be more.” He said the board bore full responsibility for eroding the confidence that the British public places in the charity, warning that any trustee with integrity should step down voluntarily, and otherwise face removal by the regulator.
Singh confirmed that he had met with Charity Commission officials to voice his concerns and had written formally to the regulator, highlighting what he described as systemic failures in Oxfam’s governance. He criticised the board’s decision to remove Begum as chief executive after less than two years in the role, asserting that her leadership and the work of safeguarding and HR teams were instrumental in uncovering and resolving the vetting issues. “The only reason that Oxfam is now vetting compliant is thanks to the work of Dr Begum and dedicated staff to resolve an entirely unacceptable governance failing that is the sole responsibility of the Oxfam board,” Singh told Times UK.
Oxfam defended its decision to remove Begum, citing a review that identified “serious issues in the CEO’s leadership behaviour,” including “inappropriate interference into safeguarding and integrity investigations.” The board maintained that there had been an “irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence” in Begum’s ability to lead the charity. A spokesperson described Singh’s public criticism as “bizarre and disappointing,” noting that he had supported the board’s unanimous decision at the time.
The charity has now commissioned an additional review of its board processes and says it has kept the regulator fully informed. The Charity Commission confirmed it had spoken with Oxfam trustees and other individuals and continues to gather information. Begum, who was poached from ActionAid where she had served briefly as chief executive, has instructed lawyers and is expected to lodge an employment tribunal claim, a move likely to prove costly for the organisation.
With an income of £339 million in 2024-25, including £106 million in donations and legacies, Oxfam faces heightened scrutiny as it confronts both governance and financial pressures. The unfolding dispute between the board and former CEO, combined with the revelation of vetting failures, risks further damaging the charity’s reputation and underscores the ongoing challenge of safeguarding in large international aid organisations, Times UK reports.
