After months of delay, the Fundraising Standards Board finally went public on 12 February.

The FSB was originally set for public launch in October of 2006, but a slower than expected take up of the scheme by charities meant the launch had been repeatedly postponed. The scheme now has some 250 organisations signed up to it, and through a major national advertising campaign members of the public will be encouraged to look for its signature 'tick' mark.

Commenting at the launch, FSB chief executive Jon Scourse said: “Today’s launch represents an important commitment by charities to ensure that the public can continue to give with confidence to a sector that last year raised £8.9 billion for its good work.”

The Public Fundraising Regulatory Association’s (PFRA) chief executive Mick Aldridge added: “Over the last six years the PFRA has proved that self-regulation of face-to-face fundraising works. My hope for the Fundraising Standards Board is that it will see every form of fundraising achieving the same high standards and that the public can feel confident that whichever way the choose to support a charity displaying the ‘tick’ logo, it is accountable to a higher authority if it fails to meet the obligations of the ‘fundraising promise’”.