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Good Practice Toolkit

Commitment 6.1:
We are truthful in our communications.

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.

To demonstrate compliance, members will have all of the Verifiers in place, commensurate with their size and the nature of their work. Members will also ensure that their policies, processes and guidelines are implemented and subject to regular review.  

6.1.1 Members’ public materials accurately describe the organisation and its work.

Public materials:  

  • Are obtained and used according to ethical principles. 
  • Are consistent with their stated purpose and values. 
  • Accurately describe the nature and scope of their work. 
  • Acknowledge the role of partners.  
  • Are consistent with ACFID’s Fundraising Charter (8.1.2) where the public materials relate to fundraising. 
  • Reflect the perspectives of primary stakeholders. 

Guidance

Public materials might include an organisation’s website, social media pages, newsletters, appeals, television advertisements, brochures. The ACFID Fundraising Charter can be downloaded in the Resources Section below.

6.1.2 Members have clear processes and responsibilities for the approval of public materials.

Policy, statement, guidance document or checklist outlining  processes and responsibilities for the approval of public materials. 

Guidance

Protocols for the approval of public material will differ for every Member but should be comprehensive enough to ensure that images, messages, and stories used in public materials are obtained and used according to ethical principles, are consistent with the Member’s stated purpose and values, accurately describe the nature and scope of their work,  context of situation and environment where collected, acknowledge the role of partners, and are consistent with ACFID’s Fundraising Charter where they relate to fundraising. ACFID’s Fundraising Charter can be found in 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.

  • A communications focal person is in place. 
  • Training is provided for communications personnel on organisational protocols, Fundraising Institute of Australia guidelines and ACFID’s Fundraising Charter. 
  • Communication materials are reviewed periodically to ensure they comply with organisational policies, ethical decision making frameworks and the ACFID Code of Conduct. 
  • Commitment to the ACFID Fundraising Charter is published on the organisation website. 

Good Practice Guidance

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

Organisation and policy

  • Create and document a policy or guidelines, approved by your governing body, for all public campaigns and fundraising activities. The document should include reference to:
    • The requirement for accurate and truthful depictions of your organisation and its work.
    • Guidance to ensure respect and dignity of the individuals portrayed as active and positive agents in the aid and development process.
    • Accurate disclosure of the types, amounts and/or ratios of fundraising expenses.
  • Develop a manual or implementation guide to accompany the policy or guidelines. This would include plans and approaches for fundraising, detailed implementation guidance, and a checklist to ensure that all images and text have been considered for compliance with the obligations outlined in this Standard.
  • Establish a monitoring system that tracks designated contributions
  • Establish staff responsibilities and a clear process for reviewing images and text for compliance with this Standard prior to their use.
  • Establish governance principles for Executive/Board to ensure approval of the use of images and text.
  • Prepare examples of images and text that directly and unequivocally demonstrate the correct and approved fundraising approaches by your organisation or any representative of the organisation.
  • Provide regular training for staff, volunteers and contractors in the correct and approved use of images and messages, for example using the examples from the preceding bullet point.
  • Involve program staff in decisions regarding images and messages for fundraising appeals.
  • Inform donors of the percentages of their contributions that will go to overseas programs, to administrative costs, and to offset fundraising expenses.

Images and text

  • Images and text used in public campaigns and materials should:
    • Be accurate
    • Portray beneficiaries as active agents in the aid and development process where this is the case
    • Portray all people with respect, honesty and dignity
    • Put a human face on or give a personal and truthful story about the impact of a disaster, or the difficulties stemming from injustice
    • Present a message of potential change
    • Appeal for support on the basis of justice and common humanity rather than guilt
    • Emphasise respectful and truthful accounts of the issue, story, purpose of the appeal and the experience of people affected, and the environment and the context of the situation – neither embellishing or underselling.
    • Portray a balanced picture of the needs and accomplishments of local communities
    • Contribute to a positive understanding of development
  • Images and text should not:
    • Portray beneficiaries as objects of charity or as victims
    • Portray beneficiaries as disempowered or inferior
    • Fuel prejudice
    • Foster a sense of superiority
    • Present donors as ‘going to the rescue’
    • Use language that is not inclusive
    • Be edited, manipulated, doctored or altered after being obtained to change context, facts, appearance, etc.
  • Fundraising solicitations should include accurate wording describing the intended use of funds, and realistic expectations of what will be achieved with them
  • Images and text of children must comply with your organisation’s child protection policies (see Code commitment 1.4: We advance safeguarding children).
  • Relevant partners, overseas staff and, if possible, the people being depicted should be invited to provide comment and approval on the images used.

ACFID Resources

ACFID Fundraising Charter

This document outlines the ACFID Fundraising Charter - a set of ACFID principles and standards for promoting ethical fundraising practices among member organisations. It outlines the rights and responsibilities of both donors and organisations and sets out guidelines for ethical conduct in fundraising campaigns and appeals.

Caritas: COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY POLICY

This resource is Caritas Australia's Communication and Transparency policy. This is suitable for all organisations as an example of an organisational commitment to transparent and ethical communication practices, both internally and externally. This is relevant to the Code as a checklist outlining processes and responsibilities for the approval of public materials.

Dollars and sense – thinking ethically about communications

This resource is an ACFID article exploring ethical considerations in communications with a member organisation, Transform Aid International. It is relevant to the Code because it discusses various ethical dilemmas that can arise in communications, and encourages practitioners to think critically and ethically about their communications practices to ensure they align with principles of integrity and respect.

Ethical Decision-Making Framework for Communications

This ACFID resource presents an Ethical Decision-Making Framework for Communications. This is suitable for all organisations in guiding ethical decisions in their communication practices. This is relevant to the Code in developing a framework and policy for navigating ethical dilemmas in this Commitment.

MAF Ethical Storytelling Statement

This resource is Mission Aviation Fellowship's (MAF)'s Ethical Storytelling Statement. It outlines principles for ethical storytelling practices within the organisation. It is suitable for all organisations as an example of implementing of truthfulness, dignity, and respect in storytelling practices. It is relevant to the Code in outlining a process for the approval of public materials, with an emphasis on informed consent, avoiding harm, and promote authentic representation.

Spotlight on the Code – Participation, Empowerment and Local Ownership

This resource is an ACFID article discussing the importance of truthful and ethical communications. It highlights the significance of transparency, accuracy, and integrity in communications to maintain trust with stakeholders and uphold ethical standards. This is suitable for all organisations as a prompt to provide accurate and balanced information, obtain informed consent, and respect the dignity and privacy of individuals portrayed in communications.
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Other Resources

Ethical Storytelling: Introduction to Ethical Storytelling 101

This resource is a podcast that provides an introduction to ethical storytelling. It explores how storytelling can influence perceptions, shape narratives, and impact communities, highlighting the ethical considerations involved in representing individuals and communities authentically and respectfully. This is relevant to the Code by centring the voices and agency of those being represented, avoiding harmful stereotypes, and prioritising informed consent and privacy.

Ethical storytelling: power, principles and conversation

This resource is a Bond article highlighting the power of storytelling as a tool for creating change and shaping narratives. The article discusses key principles of ethical storytelling, such as authenticity, representation, and accountability, engaging with diverse communities, and amplifying marginalised voices. It is suitable for all organisations developing diverse approaches to communications.

Photovoice: Collecting Local Stories

This resource provides an overview of the photovoice (PV) method - a participatory monitoring, evaluation and research approach that uses photography to empower communities to share their perspectives and experiences. This is relevant to the Code by enabling marginalised groups to express themselves, acknowledging local partners, and includes tips for facilitating discussions and ensuring ethical considerations.

Principles and Standards of Fundraising Practice

This website directs you to the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) Code, which outlines ethical standards and guidelines for fundraising practices in Australia. The FIA Code covers various aspects of fundraising, including donor relations, financial management, privacy, and compliance with relevant Australian laws and regulations. It is suitable for all organisations as prompt for ethical fundraising practices and upholding the reputation and credibility of the fundraising sector in Australia.

Transformational Ethical Story Telling (TEST)

This resource is about T.E.S.T. (Transparency, Ethical fundraising, Social responsibility, and Trust) - a racial justice communications framework provided by OurRace. It is suitable for all organisations that aspire to using anti-oppressive approaches to all aspects of their development and humanitarian work.
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