University of Edinburgh DCC case study

Organisation: University of Edinburgh 

Name: Alumni Supporters and Friends Code of Conduct 

Type of code: Code of conduct 

Introduced: Spring 2026 

How communicated: Link to code on website will be added to staff email signatures; possibly included in gift agreement terms and conditions 

Action asked of supporters: None. 

Times the code has had to be put into action: NA (not yet in operation) 

We will share a link to the code when it is published 

Cara McKeown was “very aware” of being a young woman in fundraising when she joined the development department at Edinburgh University. She’d studied anthropology and gender studies at the same university (as well as working in the student telethon team there), so, as she says, she was “already quite switched on to thinking about how my own gender and age would impact my work as a fundraiser, especially in major gifts.” 

“There’s an added dynamic when you're meeting with typically an older man who’s from a different class background, a different wealth background,” Cara explains. “There’s a kind of pre-existing power dynamic there when going into meetings.” 

She wondered what would happen if something were to occur that threw that dynamic out of balance, such as a comment or action by the donor that made her feel uncomfortable (or worse). So she raised this with her managers (both men). 

“They were very supportive, telling me they would back me 100 per cent, which was absolutely fantastic to hear from them and made a big difference. 

“But it got me thinking more about what else might make me uncomfortable. And I started having conversations with others in the office, especially other women, about whether there’s any policies or guidance, but there wasn’t anything they were aware of.” 

In early 2024, while organising a panel session on gender issues in higher education fundraising for that year’s CASE conference, Cara came across Rogare’s Blueprint for Dismantling Patriarchal Structures in the Fundraising, and its recommendation for a donor code of conduct.  

A working group of 12 female fundraisers and alumni engagement colleagues at Edinburgh University began working on the Alumni Supporters and Friends Code of Conduct – based on a similar code operated by Oxford University – in autumn 2024. Now in its second version, it is hoped to have this operational by spring 2026. 

The code starts by discussing values – for example that the university is committed to providing an environment free from harassment for staff, alumni supporters, friends, etc. It then becomes more prescriptive about the types of behaviours that would be considered unacceptable, such as unwanted physical contact, unwanted advances, inappropriate body language, explicit remarks, insulting or abusive behaviour etc. 

There is a flowchart and toolkit, both designed to complement the code. 

The flowchart sets out the process in the event that the code is breached, for example, which manager to report this issue to, and that the donor will be informed that they’ve transgressed the code and this will be on their donor record.  

The toolkit provides advice not just about keeping safe, but also getting out of an unsafe environment – how to set boundaries, appropriate language to use in conversation with donors on different mediums and platforms, how to change the subject or safely make your discomfort known if you think someone is saying something inappropriate. 

When the code is introduced, it will be published on the university website, and Cara hopes this will be linked to staff email signatures. She also hopes to see the code included in gift agreements, either as an appendix or in the terms and conditions – “Most donors wouldn't think twice about signing that because they're not the issue.” 

Edinburgh University’s Alumni Supporters and Friends Code of Conduct has not been created to respond to a huge existing problem of inappropriate behaviour by its supporters, but as a precautionary measure in the event that something serious does crop up. 

But – because creating the code forced people to discuss their experiences, people soon realised there were a lot of “everyday things…that would probably just pass under the radar.” 

Cara says: “Sometimes we can minimise until you start speaking with other people who have experienced the same thing and realise this is not okay, and this is something that we push under the rug just purely because, as fundraisers, we are trained to be professional people-pleasers. 

“Having worked on this code and toolkit, I certainly feel more comfortable and confident.” 

When the code is introduced in 2026 as part of the training and induction process, the hope is that all staff will feel equally more comfortable and confident.