Summit called to review telephone fundraising practices
Howard Lake | 8 July 2015 | News
The Institute of Fundraising and the Fundraising Standards Board are to hold a summit with professional and regulatory bodies to review how charities and their agencies are conducting telephone fundraising.
The two organisations are responding to concerns raised over the past few weeks about telephone fundraising practices, and in line with the current review of the Institute of Fundraising’s Code of Fundraising Practice, by convening a summit within the next few weeks. It will review current practices and compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice, Telephone Preference Service requirements and Information Commissioner’s Office guidance.
The Information Commissioner’s Office, Direct Marketing Association and the Telephone Preference Service have all confirmed that they will attend.
Alistair McLean, Chief Executive of the Fundraising Standards Board said:
“The recent allegations about telephone fundraising practices are of grave concern to us. We will be working with the Institute of Fundraising, ICO and Telephone Preference Service to ensure that the charities and agencies are in no doubt about what is required of them with respect to TPS regulations.”
Peter Lewis, Chief Executive of the Institute of Fundraising, added:
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“Fundraisers are committed to ensuring that all of their work and contact with donors follows the requirements of the law and best practice. We welcome this opportunity to work with others to ensure that we get absolute clarity on telephone fundraising and the requirements of TPS to inform our review of the Code of Practice.”
In the FRSB’s interim investigation report into charity fundraising practices, which it published on 9 June, the self-regulatory body for fundraising called for the Institute of Fundraising’s Code of Fundraising Practice to be amended to clarify that charities cannot call people that are registered on the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), unless the individual has given clear permission to receive calls.
The Institute of Fundraising’s Standards Committee has agreed to strengthen compliance in this area and a review of telephone fundraising practices is currently ongoing.
Photo: mobile phone icons by Blablo101 on Shutterstock.com
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.