ACO’s New Look and New Insight: What the 2026 Benchmarking Report Means for Charities

The Association of Charitable Organisations (ACO) has entered a new chapter.

With a recent rebrand designed to feel less corporate and more reflective of its community, ACO’s updated identity better captures the warmth, collaboration, and shared purpose at the heart of its network.

But alongside the new look comes something even more valuable for the sector – fresh insight.

A clearer picture of pay, benefits and working patterns

ACO’s Salary Benchmarking and Working Patterns Report 2026, sponsored by Merrifield Consultants, provides a detailed view of how charities are navigating one of their biggest challenges: attracting and retaining talent.

Salary benchmarking across roles and organisation sizes
Benefits provision and where gaps are emerging
Working patterns and how flexibility is evolving
The growing pressure smaller charities face when competing for talent

Why this matters now

For many charities, recruitment and retention are no longer isolated HR challenges – they are strategic risks.
With demand for services rising and financial pressures continuing across the sector, organisations need to make informed decisions about:
How competitive their offer really is

How competitive their offer really is
Where they can differentiate beyond salary
How to build sustainable teams for the long term

This is exactly where benchmarking becomes critical

Turning insight into action

What makes this report particularly valuable is its practical application.
It gives charities the data they need to:

Benchmark their own salaries and benefits against peers
Build stronger cases for investment with boards and trustees
Understand where they may be falling behind
Shape more competitive and realistic hiring strategies

In a market where expectations are shifting, having this level of clarity is essential.

Supporting the sector

At Merrifield Consultants, we’re proud to have sponsored this year’s report and to continue supporting charities with the insight and expertise they need to attract and retain talent.

The challenges facing the sector are complex – but with the right data, they become far more manageable.

You can access the full ACO Salary Benchmarking and Working Patterns Report 2026 here

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