The Mental Health Foundation aims to ensure that high ethical standards are maintained throughout its work as a charity. Our supporters and the public at large expect charities to operate in an ethical manner and this is integral to developing high levels of trust and demonstrating our integrity. Our actions and behaviour affect both the organisation and the people we support.
The NCVO sets out four principles in their paper on Charity Ethical Principles, which the Foundation seeks to follow.
- Beneficiaries first
- Integrity
- Openness
- Right to be safe
Purpose and aims
We have chosen not to have a lengthy Ethical Policy which details everything we do but to have a high-level framework which sets the expectation of meeting ethical standards in all we do across partnerships, investments, procurement, funding and all other relevant activities. By linking in all the individual policies and approaches we have we can ensure that our ethical approach is as consistent as possible across all of our operations.
Scope
This policy applies to all that we do as an organisation: service delivery, procurement decisions, any form of partnership, acceptance of funding (grants, donations, legacies, in kind support), investments or any contractual relationship. In addition, it covers how we act internally.
Ethical Framework
The following policies and principles are integral to how we operate in an ethical manner as a Foundation in our everyday activities:
Ensuring our activities are aligned with our Vision, Mission and Strategic Aims.
Our actions are embedded in the four core organisational values which we are and aim to be (Making a Difference, Side by Side, Determined Pioneers, Walking our Talk).
We expect those we work with, as a minimum, to fully comply with their responsibilities under the Equality Act. However, realistically we expect them to go beyond this and to share our commitment to drive Equality, Diversity and Inclusion across the work they do. Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy and Dignity at Work policy detail how the Foundation looks to implement this.
We recognise the Climate Crisis that is facing the world and via our Environmental Policy we seek to establish our commitment to becoming a greener organisation and protect the environment via our actions and where possible those we interact with.
Provision of a safe and supportive acceptable working environment highlights our commitment to safeguarding our people fully in respect of their health, safety and welfare at work and our responsibilities to members of the public and contractors.
Our Ethics and Gift Acceptance policy sets out a clear process for accepting and in some cases refusing donations and ensures that we work in accordance with charity law and regulatory requirements, we adhere to the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice. In addition, our Fundraising Commitment details our commitment to our supporters.
Our Procurement Policy sets out the framework for procurement decisions, informed by the overarching ethical framework set out in this policy. It embeds the principal that all employees think about the impact of their purchasing decisions (e.g. achieving best value for money whilst ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion, good environmental standards and sustainability) and not just assume that the cheapest and/or most convenient is best when that might run counter to the values of the Foundation. This includes ensuring our suppliers pay the minimum wage and comply with the Modern Slavery Act.
In addition to seeking to ensure our supply chain pays the national minimum wage/London Living Wage as applicable, we ensure that all our employees are paid at or above the London Living Wage regardless of where they live. We have signed up to the Living Wage Foundation to demonstrate and be held accountable for this. https://www.livingwage.org.uk/accredited-living-wage-employers
We ensure that any funds MHF invests are done with an environmental, social and governance lens over them and that they are not contrary to our Vision and Mission.
We are committed to uphold best ethical practices in our research that respects the rights, dignity and safety of those that take part. We will ensure that staff have DBS checks and follow MHF guidance on safeguarding and information governance supported by suitable training. We aim to be transparent in sharing information with those that take part that outlines their rights and how data will be used, processed and disseminated, following GDPR principles. External ethics board committee approval will be sought for major studies.
Our policy and advocacy work is rooted in a rights and equalities framework, and is focused on social justice. We will undertake due diligence regarding the partners we engage with and aim to involve people with lived experience of relevant issues meaningfully in the development and dissemination of all of our recommendations.
In line with the charity ethical principles, our beneficiaries and partner organisations must come first and their safety psychologically and physically is paramount. We will ensure that all programme design (including bids and proposals), partner organisations (including agreements), delivery and evaluation is transparent, honouring and integral with adequate explanations and appropriate consent. If at any time a beneficiary or partner representative is unsafe, the appropriate safeguarding process will be followed.
We complete due diligence research to ensure any potential partner relationship is in accordance with our ethical framework.
We work to ensure that we use data in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 (UK GDPR) and all staff are adequately trained and aware of their responsibilities.
Our Employee Code of Conduct highlights the standards excepted of our staff including Honesty, Integrity and the Avoidance of Conflicts of Interest.
The Foundation’s Anti-Bribery policy clearly states the zero-tolerance attitude to bribery and our compliance with the Bribery Act 2010.
The Foundation will ensure that any use of AI will be in line with this framework, our values and all applicable laws.