DMA letter urges extension to ‘soft opt-in’ for charity emails
Melanie May | 25 November 2024 | News
The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) has today (25 November) called on the government to extend the ‘soft opt-in’ for email marketing to the third sector in a letter to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle, sent on behalf of its charity members.
19 UK charities have backed the letter, which urges the government to address a key amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Bill to support charity fundraising. Extending soft opt-in for the sector could see an increase in annual donations in the UK by £290 million, according to analysis conducted by DMA member Wood for Trees.
The letter, signed by DMA CEO Chris Combemale, states that the DMA remains ‘highly supportive of the Data (Use and Access) Bill and the opportunities it creates for growth, and is working closely with the government on improvements to the text, which will form a central pillar of the UK’s data protection framework.’
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However, it says, current proposals include removing the ‘soft opt-in’ for email marketing for charities and other non-commercial organisations (clause 115 of the previous DPDI Bill). This, the DMA states, ‘will prevent charities from being able to communicate to donors in the same way as businesses can.’ It adds: ‘As representatives of both corporate entities and charitable organisations, it is unclear to the DMA why charities should be at a disadvantage in this regard.’
The letter highlights the increasing strain charities are under with the cost of living crisis and now the cost of meeting the recently announced increase in national insurance employer contributions.
It adds: ‘While not a silver bullet, including the soft opt-in for email marketing for charities will help facilitate greater fundraising and go some way to mitigating the additional burden while demonstrating that the government understands the important work they do for society.’
The letter includes supporting statements from charities including Oxfam, British Heart Foundation, RNIB Macmillan, Diabetes UK, and Save the Children UK.
Seeking ‘a level playing field’
In his statement, Craig Walker, Information Governance & Risk Manager, Diabetes UK, says:
“The commercial sector has benefited from the soft opt in since the introduction of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations in 2003. The extension of this benefit to the UK charity sector would at last provide a level playing field allowing charities to increase levels of engagement with the public and generate income. We strongly urge the government to reconsider its decision to omit this from the planned legislation.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.