Taken from the Institute of Fundraising email newsletter…
A summary of recent updates to the Code of Fundraising Practice
We have updated the Code of Fundraising Practice, and you are receiving this email as you are a member of the IoF and have committed to following the Code.
Following recent changes, our Code now reads:
Code number 1.2 (e):
iii) “If a fundraiser knows or has reasonable grounds for believing that an individual lacks capacity to make a decision to donate, a donation MUST NOT be taken.”
iv) “A donation given by someone who lacked capacity at the time of donating MUST* be returned.”
Code number 4.2:
c) Organisations MUST require that any agency or third party that they work with complies with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 as set out in the Code, including the requirements of the Telephone Preference Service, regardless of the country or legal jurisdiction in which the agency is based or operating. In some circumstances this is a legal requirement for charities, but in other circumstances it may not be. Please see the guidance at L14.9 for further details.
Changes to the presentation of the Code of Fundraising Practice
Last month, IoF Standards Committee decided to take action to make it clear that fundraising organisations across the UK must comply with the Code in its entirety by changing the presentation of the Code to make all OUGHT requirements MUST.
This change has now gone live, to coincide with the launch of our brand new mobile-optimised website. This change does not change the nature of the Code in terms of standards that should be expected and adhered to, but instead changes the presentation of those standards to ensure they are not viewed as optional or flexible.
We have used “MUST*” where there is a legal requirement and “MUST” where there is no legal requirement but the Institute of Fundraising is treating the issue as a professional standard to be met by members of the Institute. Legal requirements are made clear by use of an asterisk*.
Change to the Code of Fundraising Practice on door to door fundraising
The Institute of Fundraising has decided to introduce a new rule to its Code of Fundraising Practice which makes it clear that door to door fundraisers must not knock on doors with a ‘no cold calling’ sticker.
Responding to an FRSB adjudication which recommended that the IoF review its Code of Practice in relation to door to door fundraising and provide clarity on ‘no cold calling’ stickers, IoF’s Standards Committee undertook a thorough review to consider how to balance the need of fundraisers to ask the public for donations while respecting the wishes and preferences of individuals.
The wording of the new rule in the IoF’s Code of Practice will state:
“Fundraisers must not knock on any door of a property that displays a sticker or sign which includes the words ‘No Cold Calling’.”
The change to the Code will take effect from 1 September 2015 and will be accompanied by guidance which will be published over the summer.
Institute of Fundraising
