News

Feuary 8, 2012 – At a press conference today, the Face-to-Face Monthly Giving Alliance (hereafter named “the Alliance”), organised and established by 19 Hong Kong charitable organisations, launched a “Code of Practice on Face-to-Face Monthly Donors’ Recruitment” (hereafter named “the Code”). The Code provides practical guidelines and sets professional standards for conducting monthly donor recruitment on the streets of Hong Kong. It is made available to charitable organisations as well as members of the public as reference. At the press conference, the 19 charitable organisations affixed their agency logos onto a backdrop, signifying their adoption of and compliance to the standards laid down in the Code.

As a charity-led and self-regulatory membership body, the Alliance promotes accountable face-to-face (F2F) fundraising practices, especially monthly donor recruitment. It sets professional standards and practical guidelines for such practices, and enhances the public’s understanding on their rights to know before engaging into monthly giving to charitable organisations. The Code covers eight areas, namely the definition of F2F monthly donor recruitment, the basic beliefs of the member charitable organisations toward monthly donor recruitment, the requirements of charitable organisations that practice monthly donor recruitment, information disclosure, the professional requirements of donor recruiters, the training and supervision of donor recruiters, how to identify donor recruiter identity, and donor recruiter remunerative package.

At the press conference, Alliance Chair Ms Bonnie So pointed out that monthly donations allow charitable organisations to provide consistent support to their work and regular services for people in need. The Code provides accountable practices for charitable organisations and individuals’ rights to know before engaging in monthly giving to an organisation. Member organisations need to provide regular training to their donor recruiters. These donor recruiters need to have the proper identifications and permits with them on the working site, and approach members of the public with courtesy and honesty. They need to explain clearly the services of the charitable organisation they represent and the terms of monthly donations, including procedures for terminating the donation. They should not become a nuisance to the public or use coercion or mislead the public to making a donation. Charitable organisations have the responsibility to keep donor personal information confidential. Donor recruiters shall not be remunerated by a percentage of the amount of donation they have ought in for the organisation.

Vice Chair of the Alliance Mr. Timothy Ma said that the Alliance sees the importance of making the practices of donor recruitment in public places professional as well as safeguarding the rights of donors. The Alliance believes that by adopting and complying with this Code of Practice, organisations can improve the efficiency of their monthly donor recruitment, which will help more people in need, as well as ensure the rights of donors.