The Institute of Fundraising’s Standards Committee has moved swiftly to improve fundraising practices after publication of the Fundraising Standards Board’s investigation report earlier this week.

The Standards Committee has decided to change all requirements in the Code of Fundraising Practice specifying organisations ‘ought’ to undertake certain actions to stipulate that they ‘must’, in order to make it clear organisations must comply with the code in its entirety.

Compliance with the Telephone Preference Service is to be strengthened in line with guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office, and the committee said it planned to introduce standardisation in the presentation and wording of ‘opt-out’ statements for fundraising methods which all charities will be expected to follow.

The announcement follows publication of the FRSB’s interim investigation report on Tuesday, following allegations that 92 year old Bristol woman Olive Cooke, a committed volunteer fundraiser and regular charity donor, was overwhelmed by fundraising requests.

Mrs Cooke was found dead in the Avon Gorge in early May. Subsequent media reports quoted her family as saying charities were not responsible for her death, but the FRSB has said the situation prompted a surge in public complaints about fundraising practices.

The IoF also today announced it would set up four specific task-groups to look at the full range of issues raised by the FRSB report. Each group will be expected to ensure it fully considers the needs of vulnerable people in its recommendations.

The groups will look at the frequency and volume of approaches to individual donors so donors do not feel “bombarded” by correspondence or “pressurised” into giving, and how individuals can more simply and easily manage their preferences on what fundraising communications they receive from charities.

Groups will also consider what standards charities should have to comply with, over and above legal requirements, in relation to the buying, sharing and selling of data; and standards specifically related to telephone fundraising, including the introduction of Telephone Preference Service Certification requirements.

The groups will report back to Standards Committee within the next six weeks, so it can make further decisions on further code and guidance changes before the end of July.

IoF chief executive Peter Lewis said charities do an incredible amount of good in the UK and overseas, and it is critical they maintain the trust of the donors who fund a lot of their work.

“I believe the combination of raising the standards of fundraising, alongside our commitment to introduce a new compliance regime, will further strengthen charities’ relationships with their supporters and ensure the very highest levels of accountability and transparency,” Lewis said.

“I also want to work with partners and Government to reach out to charities who are currently outside the self-regulation system, to ensure they embrace best practice standards by signing up to our code of practice and joining the FRSB.”

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