FIA Endorses e-Philanthropy Code of Ethics
28 July 2005 at 1:07 pm
Sue-Anne Wallace, Chief Executive of Fundraising Institute Australia says a key project for the FIA in 2005 and 2006 is to develop a suite of codes for fundraising practice, including key standards for fundraising.
Wallace says this is the newest code for Australian fundraisers, which the FIA is pleased to adopt as The ePhilanthropy Foundation’s Code of Ethics enshrines all the basic principles, which fundraisers should adhere to.
She says that in developing the tremendous potential of the Internet it is important that charity fundraisers act in ways which respect the privacy and wishes of the people they interact with.
Section B of the Code of Ethics specifically address issues of new technology.
Section B: Privacy and Security
1. Seek to inspire trust in every online transaction;
2. Prominently display the opportunity for supporters to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to, or exchanged with other organisations;
3. Conduct online transactions through a system that employs high-level security technology to protect the donor’s personal information for both internal and external authorised use;
4. Provide either an ‘opt in’ and ‘opt out’ mechanism to prevent unsolicited communications or solicitations by organisations that obtain email addresses directly from the donor. Should lists be rented or exchanged, only those verified as having been obtained through donors or prospects ‘opting in’ will be used by a charity;
5. Protect the interests and privacy of individuals interacting with their website;
6. Provide a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on its website telling visitors, at a minimum, what information is being collected, how this information will be used and who has access to the data.
Some 40 organisations from the US, UK and Canada have endorsed the Code of Ethics. The FIA is the first Australian organisation to join the list of signatories.
If you would like a copy of the ePhilanthropy Code of Ethics please email us at probono@probonoaustralia.com.au or go to www.ephilanthropy.org
