New Charity Commission online toolkit to help trustees manage risks to their charity

First chapter covers charities and terrorism

(Immediate Release -10 November 2009)

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is today launching an online toolkit for trustees on protecting their charity from potential harm and abuse.

Trustees are responsible for safeguarding their charity and its beneficiaries; in discussions with the Commission many have asked for more detailed advice to help them do so. This new resource, Protecting charities from harm, is a practical guide which aims to give trustees the tools they need to manage risks and protect their charity from harm and abuse.

The toolkit launches today with its first chapter, Charities and terrorism, which provides key information on the UK’s counter-terrorism legislation and how it affects charities’ work. Although proven instances of terrorist involvement in the charitable sector are rare, they are completely unacceptable. Charities and terrorism has been produced in response to demand from the sector and developed in consultation with a range of charities through the Commission’s outreach work. The approach set out in the new guidance arises from the commitments set out in the Commission’s counter-terrorism strategy.

The enormous diversity of the sector means that the risk of links to terrorism does not apply equally to all charities and the Commission does not take a ‘one size fits all’ approach to the issue. Nevertheless, all trustees must be vigilant about the potential risks associated with terrorism. The summary at the beginning of the chapter highlights key issues that all trustees should be aware of.

Charities and terrorism is particularly aimed at and will be helpful to those charities which, whether working at home or abroad, are likely to be exposed to greater risk of abuse. This chapter’s modules contain more detailed advice to help them assess and manage the risk of links to terrorist activity or of terrorist abuse.

Andrew Hind, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said:

“Charities make a vital contribution to society and building community cohesion. We fully recognise the importance of enabling charities to undertake valuable and essential humanitarian and other work in the UK and overseas. This guidance is designed to help them do just that whilst managing the risk of harm or abuse. I’m grateful to the charities which have helped us produce this first chapter - their ideas have been vital in helping us develop its scope, format and content.

Some of the problems highlighted in our new toolkit are rare, but there is no room for trustees to be complacent about managing any risks their charity may face. Whatever a charity‘s size, activities or area of operation, the implementation of strong governance arrangements, financial controls and risk management policies and procedures will ensure that it is better safeguarded against a range of potential harm.”

William Bingley, Chief Executive of the Abaseen Foundation UK, said:

“It is absolutely essential that charities effectively protect themselves from harm including terrorism. This toolkit provides invaluable support for trustees and, having been involved in the consultation, I strongly recommend it to charities: it can only improve our practice.”

Three further sections will be published over the coming year. Chapter Two will cover safeguarding charity funds and will define trustees' responsibilities for due diligence with donors, partners and beneficiaries, along with monitoring, verification and reporting on the end-use of funds. Chapter Three will cover safeguarding people, property and reputation. Both chapters will use case studies, good practice examples and checklists to show in a practical way how trustees should manage the risks to their charity’s beneficiaries, funds and reputation. The final section will be an illustrative case study archive.

End.

For further information please contact the Charity Commission press office

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. See www.charitycommission.gov.uk. For further information call our contact centre on 0845 300 0218.

2. When completed, Protecting charities from harm will comprise four chapters:

• Charities and terrorism;
• Safeguarding charity funds;
• Safeguarding charities – people, property, reputation; and
• Case study archive (good practice examples from the sector for all chapters) and other sources of help

3. The Charity Commission’s counter-terrorism strategy was published in July 2008. It can be found on the Commission’s website - http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/investigations/ctstrategy.asp

PR 46/09