The Donor Code of Conduct - Resources and Pledge

We think a code of conduct is one of the tools available to us to help make fundraisers feel safer when they interact with donors and will go a long way towards redressing problems of inappropriate donor behaviour. 

• It sends a clear message to fundraisers that the charity they work for is serious about protecting them from inappropriate behaviour (we also recommend a code should be backed up with a policy, though a code could serve as the policy). With a code in place, fundraisers don’t have to second-guess how the charity would respond if they made a complaint. 

• It obviates any notion that fundraisers might be told to endure bad behaviour and not rock the boat for fear of losing donations, which is the experience of many fundraisers. Not only is it a message to fundraisers that their charity will protect them; it’s a reminder to charities that they have a duty of care to protect their fundraisers.

• It takes the onus on interpreting what constitutes inappropriate behaviour and how to respond to it away from fundraisers. They don’t have to wrestle with ethical dilemmas or wonder how to respond to them, because the code sets out for them what is and what is not acceptable.

• It highlights expected standards of behaviour to donors. It may only be a minority that behave inappropriately to fundraisers, but a code will not only tell that minority that such behaviour will not be tolerated, it also raises awareness among the majority donor community that this is a problem perpetrated by some of their peers. 

• Fundraisers have said they want to see the implementation of donor codes of conduct. 

• As more charities adopt donor codes of conduct, it helps to build the social norm that this is best practice. 

We don’t have the evidence that a donor code of conduct will reduce instances of bad behaviour towards fundraisers as nonprofits are only just starting to implement such codes. In the six months since introducing its Donor Code of Principles, Scottish Ballet has not had to invoke any of its principles; however they have said that simply having them in place has made Scottish Ballet’s fundraisers feel more confident in dealing with any problems that might arise. 

In professions, sectors and trades where customer behaviour codes have been introduced, there isn’t much academic evidence that codes reduce instances or customer abuse and/or make employees feel safer, not because they don’t lead to these things, but simply because it seems that no-one has done the research (but we’ll keep looking). 

However, one study found that customer aggression is more likely when staff expectations of how customers ought to behave are weak or ambiguous, so a donor code of conduct could raise expectations about donor behaviour among fundraisers and charity management. 

Another study found that high staff resilience and psychological wellbeing help to moderate bad customer behaviour, and so a donor code of conduct could mitigate bad behaviour by donors by helping fundraisers to feel stronger. 

This study – and many others – established a link between customer aggression and burnout, stress and exhaustion, lower job satisfaction, and intention to leave. 

The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to take reasonable steps to keep their employees safe. People Management magazine says that one such measure is a “clear statement to customers and third parties that abusive or violent behaviour towards their employees will not be tolerated and potentially banning customers who breach the guidance”. 

No, this is a template code that was put together by Rogare’s project team exploring how to dismantle patriarchal structures in the fundraising profession. We are saying that we think charities ought to adopt some form of code of conduct for donors that at a minimum focuses on keeping fundraisers safe from inappropriate behaviour by donors. Charities can write their own code, adapt the Rogare one, or use it in its entirety. They can choose to go beyond safety to cover things such as mission creep and unentitled benefits if they think it’s relevant and useful. But what we are focusing on is fundraiser safety. 

It’s been said – too many times, in our view – that fundraisers ought not fall back on a code but ought to use their own initiatives and interpersonal skills to negotiate resolutions to any inappropriate donor behaviour. While some people will be strong enough to stand up to even the worst kinds of inappropriate behaviour, many – perhaps most – will not. 

If the charity you work for has a donor code of conduct, you already know what will happen if you need to report a donor. Part of the angst of not knowing what to do is removed because the code (and any policy that accompanies and reinforces it) gives you the confidence about what course of action to take.  

Yes, some have claimed that a donor code of conduct is an infringement on donors’ rights. It is our assumption that this is referring to the sections in the Rogare template code about not putting conditions on a donation for personal benefit or diverting a non-profit from its mission – rather than the parts that state a donor should not sexually harass a fundraiser. If it is the latter, however, that is precisely the point of the code of conduct. 

We’ve also heard arguments that a code takes away donors’ autonomy. This probably does refer to the bits about how donors support charities – mission creep, personal benefit, and the like. We’re not convinced by these arguments, but it is a moot point, and arguable that a donor code of conduct should stick to fundraiser safety and steer clear of telling donors how they ought to support. It’s arguable that this should be left to each organisation and its fundraisers to negotiate on a case-by-case basis. But it’s equally arguable that a donor code of conduct should include these things. That’s why Rogare put them into the template code – however, we are not saying these stipulations must be included in any code you implement. 

And, as we have already mentioned, many people have argued that a code is unnecessary because fundraisers ought to sort out inappropriate behaviour themselves. However, we totally reject this argument. 

All in all, we don’t think the arguments against a code of conduct for donors have much in their favour. But we we’ll keep an open mind on this and keep dialogue going, so if anyone has an argument against a code they want to share with us, please do get in touch and we can consider it.  

It depends on what the content of the code is that any charity decides to use. No-one should make fundraisers feel unsafe, discriminate against a protected characteristic or act inappropriately toward them. What behaviour makes fundraisers feel unsafe is for fundraisers themselves to decide and is not in any way contingent on what the perpetrators of such behaviour think about it. So, from that perspective, no, we do not believe that donors need to be consulted. 

However, charities may think it prudent to have a consultation exercise with donors if their code is to include things such as mission creep and unentitled benefit. Doing so might give charities insight into how donors think about such matters and whether the charity really needs its code to go that far, as well as building engagement touchpoints with donors. 

We don’t think so. In any walk of life, there will be people who behave badly, and many professions, trades and services have charters and codes that spell out expected standards of behaviour from their customers. Museums, councils, galleries, the NHS, transport networks, shops and others all have prominently displayed notices setting out the kinds of behaviour towards staff that will not be tolerated. In fact, having a code of standards for donors brings fundraising into line with many other professions. 

This will be up to each charity to decide. We know of one organisation that introduces their code of conduct to potential donors at the very start of a relationship. Others might bring it in further down the line, or not at all. Some might decide it is only necessary to use it as a backstop when there is the potential for bad behaviour. Some charities might put it on their website; others might keep it in the background. 

It all depends on context and what each charity feels is right for them, their donors and their current situation. 

As more and more charities implement donor codes of conduct and they become the norm, we’re sure best practices will emerge, and we’ll aim to collect and share this best practice widely. 

If you think your organisation would benefit from developing and implementing a code of conduct for donors, please start a conversation within your organisation and encourage them to sign our Pledge.