Charities that hold official meetings online should draw up a policies covering how people can participate and what to do if technical problems strike, new guidance from the Charity Commission suggests.
The regulator has today published updated guidance on charities holding meetings, also known as CC48, which takes into account the fact increasing numbers of organisations have been running virtual meetings since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
The guidance says charities must make sure their meetings comply with what is set out in their governing documents in areas such as who is entitled to attend and the how many people must be present so valid decisions can be taken, also known as the quorum.
It says charities should ensure they have policies covering how people at virtual and hybrid meetings can ask questions, join in the debate, and how charities will share and display documents such as resolutions.
It says that if necessary, charities should update their governing document to set out details such as how votes will be held at virtual meetings and whether all meetings will be virtual or hybrid.
“You must do these things exactly as your governing document says,” the guidance says.
“If you do not, any decisions you make could be invalid.”
Sam Jackson, assistant director, policy and strategy at the Charity Commission, said communication in the sector had “rapidly evolved” since the pandemic and it was common for charities to conduct their meetings online or in a hybrid form.
“Our revised guidance reflects this development, and emphasises the importance of following a charity’s governing document and keeping it up to date to ensure good governance,” Jackson said.
“After seeking feedback from trustees, we’ve also made the guidance shorter and easier to understand.
“Through these improvements, we hope to make it easier for trustees to know what is expected of them, and how they can act in the best interests of their charities.”