Code of Conduct for Trustee, Staff and Beneficiaries Formally Engaging with the Trust

Code of Conduct as a Team

As a team, collectively and individually, we will:

• Act legally and properly, by acting with integrity, honesty, within the law and our governing document, and in the charity’s best interests at all times.
• Create a safe space in which everyone is encouraged, and feels able, to speak.
• Positively challenge each other, but avoid being confrontational or saying ‘no’, ‘that won’t work’. Instead, we will ask open questions that will help us work together to explore/test an idea, or suggestion and develop solutions together.
• Think, then speak. Ask ourselves “what can I say succinctly that will most help the forum in which I am participating?”
• Feel able to ask the questions that need to be asked. There will be no elephant in the room or, if there is, we will all work together to get it out.
• Focus on solutions by talking about the past, only to learn from it, avoid talking about what we can’t do and, instead, focus on what we could do.
• Welcome differing viewpoints. Respect each other’s right to hold a different opinion and recognise our own right to do so too.
• Not make assumptions about who someone is, but rather respond based on the facts/content of what he/she/they said.
• All contribute and recognise that everyone's contribution can make a difference and no- one’s contribution is less valuable.
• Acknowledge that everyone has something to give and something to learn and ensure that no one person is allowed to dominate the conversation to the exclusion of others.
• Be slow to take offence and quick to apologise, always.
• Accept our responsibility for ensuring that everyone is treated fairly, with respect and kept safe from harm.
• Give permission to everyone else to remind us when we inadvertently stray from the commitments above.

Specific Trustee Responsibilities

Charity Trustees are ultimately responsible for the charity. In addition to committing to the Trust’s Code of Conduct, they have a number of additional responsibilities that will ensure they comply with the Charity Governance Code for larger charities (www.charitygovernancecode.org) and reflect best practice.

All Trustees should:

• Ensure they are familiar with:
  • the Trust’s Articles of Association, the Trustee Agreement and the Avoiding Conflict of Interest Policy which they received at the time of their appointment and induction.
  • the Charity Commission guidance note CC3 “The Essential Trustee”  – also provided during their induction period.
  • the Charity Code of Ethics, published by the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) which highlights the overarching principles of integrity, openness, right to be safe and ‘Beneficiaries First’
  • The Trust’s Whistleblowing policy and Safeguarding policy and associated guidance.
• Be committed to their charity’s cause – its Vision and Strategic Goals - and have joined its Board because they want to help the charity deliver its purposes most effectively for public benefit.
• Be committed to good governance and want to contribute to their charity’s continued improvement.
• Act strategically, by thinking externally and longer term.
• Understand that operational delivery is the remit of the Executive Director and the staff team - by recognising that it’s not the role of Trustees to manage operations or make operational decisions, but to ensure these are led and managed well.
• Come prepared to meetings and participating fully in meetings:
  • Balancing challenge with support and raising issues and questions constructively and respectfully.
  • Raising questions or concerns about Board papers in advance with the Chair or relevant member of staff.
  • Participating in collective decision making and accepting majority decisions even if an individual holds an opposing view.
  • Maintaining confidentiality of discussions.
  • Declaring and managing conflicts of interest in accordance with the Trust’s Avoiding Conflict of Interest Policy.
• Only making public statements which are in line with agreed policy or briefings provided by the media team, and with the express approval of the Executive Director or Chair.
• Ensure they understand the scale and nature of the Charity’s operations and activities, and where possible, make time to visit the Office and attend beneficiary events.
• Participate in appropriate learning and development and be prepared to engage with matters other than Board or committee meetings (for example, internal meetings with the staff team and external meetings with other stakeholders such as Diageo or the Department of Health & Social Care).
• Participate actively in performance appraisal activity.
• Act as ambassadors for the Trust and should do nothing to bring the charity into disrepute.
• Operate within agreed policies, including the expenses policy.
• Give timely apologies if they cannot attend meetings or events.
• Consider resigning if other commitments mean that they cannot regularly fulfil their commitments as a Trustee and/or identify alternative ways in which they can assist the Trust.
• Resign in writing and give a minimum of three months’ notice, where circumstances permit.

Specific Staff Responsibilities

Staff report through their line manager and ultimately to the Executive Director of the Trust. Many expected behaviours are outlined in the Trust’s Contract of Employment but all members of the staff team are required to adhere to the following principles:

• Honour your work commitments, agreements and arrangements, be reliable, dependable, punctual and trustworthy.
• Consistently observe all Trust policies and procedures including, but not limited to, our data protection policy, safeguarding policy, staff whistleblowing policy, equality diversity & inclusion policy, confidentiality policy anti-bullying and harassment policy, avoiding conflicts of interest policy, IT & resources policy, social media policy, sickness absence policy, health & safety policy and personal safety & lone working policy.
• Establish and maintain clear and appropriate professional boundaries in your relationships with our beneficiaries, their representatives and colleagues at all times.
• Promote and uphold the privacy, dignity, rights and health & wellbeing of our beneficiaries, their families and carers.
• Meet agreed standards of ‘customer service’ when dealing with beneficiaries in person, by phone, letter or in their own homes.
• Be polite, positive and considerate to members of the public and colleagues, always treat people with respect and compassion.
• Respect confidentiality at all times, comply with GDPR legislation and ensure that no unauthorised person gains access to equipment or data under your control.
• Do not abuse your position to take advantage of people or use for personal gain, knowledge gained about individuals during work related activities.
• Communicate in an open, honest and effective way to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues and beneficiaries.
• Work collaboratively with your colleagues, recognise and respect the roles and expertise of colleagues both in the organisation and further afield.
• Represent Trust decisions and actions in a positive manner at all times.
• Raise personal concerns and opinions constructively with your line manager or another member of the Management Team.
• Do nothing which would damage public confidence or bring the organisation into disrepute.
• Do not work privately, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, for any beneficiary.
• Do not accept any offers of loans, gifts or benefits from any beneficiary, their family or their carers and record any small ‘token’ gifts accepted on the Trust’s hospitality register.
• Ensure up to date compliance with all mandatory training.

Failure to comply with any of the provisions included within this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action being taken in line with the Trust’s Disciplinary Policy.