Commitment 8.1:
We source our resources ethically.

Compliance Indicators

Compliance with the Commitments will be assessed against the following Compliance Indicators. All of the applicable Compliance Indicators must be met by every ACFID Member to be considered compliant with the Code. Each of the Compliance Indicators has one or more compliance Verifiers. Verifiers are the description of evidence that is required to substantiate compliance with each Compliance Indicator. Guidance is also provided.

8.1.1 Members have organisational standards for the acceptance of donations.

Policy, statement, guidance document or governing body decision outlining the conditions that must be satisfied in order to accept or reject a donation.

Guidance

The purpose of a policy, statement, guidance document or governing body decision is to assist your organisation to make clear and consistent decisions regarding the acceptance or refusal of donations. Developing a position on what donations your organisation will and will not accept ensures that your organisation is able to maintain its independence from donor influences. It protects the interests and reputation of your organisation and minimises the risk of any adverse publicity that may result from the acceptance of a particular type of donation.

The relevant document would normally state that the organisation may accept a donation for a specific activity conducted by the organisation provided that the activity is directly related to the organisation’s objects; and is practically achievable by the organisation. It would also list possible reasons for refusing a donation such as incompatibility between a donor’s activities or policies and those of the organisation. Further guidance in this area is provided by the Fundraising Institute of Australia, which has a Code of Acceptance and Refusal of Donations and can be found in the Resources section.

8.1.2 Members report their compliance with the ACFID Fundraising Charter annually to their own governing body.

The ACFID Fundraising Charter

The ACFID Fundraising Charter requires that Members will have processes and procedures in place to ensure that:

  • Decisions to accept or reject donations support the purpose of the organisation.
  • Legislative requirements for fundraising are met.
  • The privacy of Donors, consistent with the Privacy Act, are met.
  • Free, prior and informed consent is obtained for all images and stories.

All fundraising materials will be truthful and:

  • Include the organisation’s identity including name, address, ABN and purpose.
  • Accurately represent the context, situation, proposed solutions and intended meaning of information provided by affected people.
  • Clearly state if there is a specific purpose of each donation.
  • Avoid material omissions, exaggerations, misleading visual portrayals and overstating the need or what the donor’s response may achieve.

If outsourcing fundraising activities, Members will ensure that:

  • Contracts are in place which meet all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements.
  • Specific expectations, responsibilities and obligations of each party are clear and in writing.
  • Members are identified as the beneficiaries of the funds.
  • Contractors are clearly identified.

Images and messages used for fundraising will not:

  • Be untruthful, exaggerated or misleading (e.g. not doctored, created as fiction or misrepresenting the country, etc.).
  • Be used if they may endanger the people they are portraying.
  • Be used without the free, prior and informed consent of the person/s portrayed, including children, their parents or guardians.
  • Present people in a dehumanised manner.
  • Infringe child protection policies and in particular show children in a naked and/or sexualised manner.
  • Feature dead bodies or dying people.

Members have a clear ethical decision-making framework in place which aligns with the values of their organisation and the Code and includes:

  • A commitment to portraying affected people in a way that respects their dignity, values, history, religion, language and culture.
  • A process that integrates a range of key staff in the organisation (e.g. communications, planning, child protection and CEO) in decision-making where appropriate.
  • Clear responsibilities for approval for public use of images and messages.
  • A process which recognises and balances both donors and affected people but which gives primacy to the primary stakeholders.

8.1.3 Members have organisational standards for the procurement of goods and services.

Policy, procedure or guidance document that commits the Member to ethical procurement procedures.

Guidance

Guidance for Members to develop ethical procurement procedures can be downloaded from the Resources Section below. 

Good Practice Indicators

The following Good Practice Indicators describe a higher standard of practice than that set out in the Compliance Indicators. While Members do not need to meet the Good Practice Indicators to be considered compliant with the Code, they will self-assess against these indicators once every three years. This provides a clear pathway for Members to strengthen and improve practice over time.

  • Qualified and experienced staff for raising funds/resource mobilisation are in place. 
  • Training is provided for key personnel on the ACFID Fundraising Charter and the Fundraising Institute of Australia’s Principles & Standards of Fundraising Practice and Professional Development.
  • Commitment to the ACFID Fundraising Charter is promoted to the public and external stakeholders. 

Good Practice Guidance

Here are some practical suggestions for your organisation to further deepen and improve practice over time.

Legislative and regulatory obligations

  • Be aware of and understand your organisation’s legislative and regulatory obligations in relation to fundraising.
  • At the federal level, these are established through the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC). Check the ACNC website regularly for reference and to keep abreast of any new developments. 
  • At the state level, these are established through different government bodies in each state and territory. Check the ACNC website or the Fundraising Institute Australia website for up-to-date contact details of the relevant government bodies in each state and territory. 
  • The Not for Profit Law Information Hub also provides an overview on fundraising regimes operating within Australia and associated legal requirements.
  • Establish a register within your organisation to keep track of all federal and state registrations and obligations for fundraising purposes.
  • Assign responsibility within your organisation to regularly check your obligations and to ensure you have the required certificates or permissions for different types of fundraising in different states.

Ethical and Good Practice

  • Create and document your organisation’s policy, approved by your governing body, on accepting donations, as consistent with your organisation’s ethics, mission, goals and existing programs.
  • Be aware of and comply with the Fundraising Institute Australia’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (see References and Resources). FIA is the national peak body representing professional fundraising in Australia.
  • Ensure your fundraising programs are consistent with the FIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (see References and Resources below). FIA is the national peak body representing professional fundraising in Australia
  • Make sure your fundraising practices and activities are consistent with each of the aspects of practice as outlined by the FIA.
  • Ensure each method of fundraising used by your organisation is consistent with the relevant FIA Standards of Fundraising Practice
  • Utilise the FIA website to access training opportunities and resources on ethical fundraising.
  • Ensure face to face fundraising is consistent with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority Standard.

ACFID Resources

ACFID Fundraising Charter

Fundraising and the Code of Conduct

As part of our Spotlight series on ACFID's Code of Conduct, we speak to Rebecca MacFarling on ACFID's Fundraising ...

Spotlight on the Code – Australian Doctors International talks Quality Principle 8 In Practice

Klara Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of Australian Doctors International (ADI) shares with us her perspectives ...

Spotlight on the Code – Resource Management

This blog details how ACFID’s Code of Conduct speaks to resource management and details how our members approach ...

Sustainable Public Procurement in relation to SDG’s

The Sustainable Public Procurement Programme aims at building the case for SPP by improving the knowledge on SPP ...

Other Resources

Acceptance and Refusal of Donations – FIA Practice Note

The purpose of the Code of Acceptance and Refusal of Donations is to give a member of FIA who is a Fundraiser or a ...

ACNC

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) is the independent national regulator of charities.

Building the Business Case for Sustainable Procurement in Australia

The Business Case Guide is a guidance document that helps sustainable procurement champions create impactful ...

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

The following Ethical Principles have guided development of FIA’s Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice.

Example Ethical Procurement Policy (Oaktree Foundation)

The Oaktree Foundation is committed to taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the organisation engages in ...

Guide to the ACL for charities, not-for-profits & fundraisers

A guide for charities in meeting the requirements of Australian Consumer Law in relation to their fundraising work.

Not-for-profit law

Legal advice, information, and training for not-for-profits

Procurement Policy of Fairtrade Australia New Zealand

Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority Standard

The Australian PFRA Standard is a set of rules that define how a face to face fundraiser should behave. All face ...

Sustainable Procurement Webinar

This webinar on sustainable procurement is hosted by Tanya Harris, a self-confessed procurement and sustainability ...

Sustainable procurement: ISO 20400 – an overview

This overview highlights the importance of sustainable procurement to organisation, the economy, the environment ...

Tools and guidance provided by the ISO20400 – sustainable procurement

WWW.ISO20400.org is an interactive online platform created for organisations around the world to share knowledge ...

About

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Annual Report 2022-23

Reporting on ACFID’s activities to ensure transparency and accountability

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Federal Budget 23-24 Analysis

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Code of Conduct

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2022-23 ACFID Code of Conduct Review

The ACFID Code of Conduct is periodically reviewed to ensure it continues to reflect good practice and the needs of ACFID and its members.

Code of Conduct

The Code is a voluntary, self-regulatory industry code of good practice.

About the Code

Find out more about the Code of Conduct and how it operates.

Good Practice Toolkit

Overview and practical resources, and examples to support the implementation of the Code.

Spotlight on the Code

Provides a thematic ‘deep dive’ into each of the nine Quality Principles in the Code

Compliance

This section outlines the responsibility to be taken by each Member to ensure compliance with the Code.

Complaints Handling

How to make a complaint and information on the Code’s independent mechanism to address concerns relating to an ACFID Members’ conduct.

Other Standards

Mapping the Code with other professional standards and principles in the humanitarian and aid sector in Australia and internationally

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