Core Humanitarian Standard

The Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS) is a voluntary code that describes the essential elements of principled, accountable and quality humanitarian action.

Developed in 2014 though a consultative process, it sets out nine Commitments to which humanitarian actors can adhere to improve the quality of the assistance they provide.Sphere is among the founding members of the Standard, together with partner organisations CHS Alliance and Groupe URD.

The CHS replaced the former Sphere Core Standards as one of the Sphere Handbook’s foundation chapters. The Standard does not replace Sphere Humanitarian Charter, Protection Principles, or the other minimum standards included in the Handbook technical chapters, but is part of an integrated approach to quality and accountability.

The CHS draws on the Core Standards among other sources, so the two share a fundamentally similar approach to quality and accountability.

Download a short overview of the Core Humanitarian Standard in the 2018 Sphere Handbook.

Learn more about the CHS

Download the guidance note