The Chief Executive of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), Sir Stuart Etherington, is conducting a review into the self-regulation of charity fundraising, to consider whether further powers are required. The review will look at regulation in other sectors, the needs of vulnerable people, and the needs of the sector itself.
A Consultation process has been launched – with a very tight timetable – (see here for more details) and the panel is expected to report on its review by 21 September 2015, before the Bill has been finalised. It is possible that more additions could be made to the Bill if the review concludes these are necessary.
Changes to the Institute of Fundraising Code of Practice
Following the Fundraising Standards Board's adjudication and its summit on telephone fundraising, a number of new changes have been introduced to the Institute of Fundraising Code of Practice (the 'Code'). These are:
- tightening sections of the Code in relation to calling Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate TPS (CTPS) registered numbers. The amendments mean that fundraisers will not be allowed to make marketing calls to donors who are registered with the TPS or CTPS, unless they have been specifically notified that the donor is happy to receive calls; and
- door to door fundraisers will no longer be allowed to knock on doors of potential donors if donors have displayed a 'no cold calling' sticker. This change is due to come into effect from 1 September 2015 and will be accompanied by guidance.
Separately, the DMA's Contact Centres & Telemarketing Council has recently published guidelines for call centres on how to identify and manage calls with vulnerable consumers. The guidelines can be downloaded from here.
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