GDPR has been a hot topic in The Charity Sector since it was first mooted as an upgrade on the existing regulations back in 2016. In the 2 and a bit years since, there has been a colossal amount of information on the subject published by a plethora of sources ranging from the credible to the not so trustworthy.
What is clear is that the impending regulations will have a significant impact on the way Charities fundraise and communicate with their donors and sponsors. Thankfully the ICO recently published a set of frequently asked questions pertaining to GDPR specifically for Charities.
Whilst a more comprehensive guide was released back in November 2017 aimed at all organisations and sectors in general, the step to specify some of the nuances and key points relating specifically to the Charity Sector is a welcome one. The ’12 frequently asked questions’ for Charities offers some much needed clarity and guidance on the subject, whilst the self-assessment tool provided and dedicated advice line for small businesses & organisations shows a real commitment from the ICO to provide support in what will be a challenging time for many of them.
In spite of the ICO intimating it originally had no plans to provide specific guidance for the Charity sector, it did state that it was supporting ‘sector-led’ initiatives. As such, in a response to a question regarding tailored advice for charities it said: “Our guidance focuses on the general application of GDPR. But we are engaging with representatives from the charity sector to assist them in producing their own sector-specific advice and guidance.”
In this document, it is made explicitly clear that charities will not necessarily need consent for postal marketing to donors and sponsors, but it will be required for some calls, emails and texts.
It goes on to state: “You can rely on legitimate interest for marketing activities if you can show how you use people’s data is proportionate, has a minimal privacy impact, and people would not be surprised or likely to object.”
An important caveat to mention regarding consent specifically, is that if you are relying on consent, then you must not employ pre-ticked boxes in order to obtain that consent.
The 12 Frequently Asked questions for Charities from the ICO can be viewed here:
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/charity/charities-faqs/
It’s a very insightful document that we recommend any charity read and digest for a more in depth look on how GDPR will affect the Charity Sector.
Of course, as Direct Marketing experts we are staunch advocates of Direct Mail and the positive impact it has on engagement and response. If you would like to discuss how you can utilise Direct Mail in a post GDPR landscape we’d be more than happy to work with you on your marketing strategy and plan to maximise your response and ROI.
Thanks for taking the time to read this blog piece on GDPR and the Charity Sector. If you would like to talk to us about your marketing campaigns, feel free to contact us on the office number: 0118 474 888 or alternatively email us at: enquiries@heraldchase.com
*Sources: The ICO
