Accountability and transparency

We are a trusted organisation for those we work with and for, and for those who support us. We always strive to meet and exceed expectations of accountability and transparency set for the charity sector.

As a charity and a company, there are legal frameworks that govern what we may and may not do.

More information on these, and other regulators and membership organisation we sign up to to ensure we deliver excellent services are listed below.

Partnerships, funders, and financial interests

We receive funding from a range of commercial organisations for areas of our work where we have shared interests. We ensure these partnerships are open and transparent at all times.

Trusts, Foundations & grant givers

In our last full financial year trusts, foundations and grants were received from: A M Pilkington Charitable Trust, The Beale Trust, D M Charitable Trust, Edgar Lee Foundation, Emily’s Dash Foundation, G F Eyre Charitable Trust, G M Morrison Charitable Trust, Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Foundation, Hobson Charity, John M Archer Charitable Trust, Merkle Foundation, Mrs Vera Leigh’s Charity, the National Lottery Community Fund, Tableau Foundation, Vera Outhwaite Charitable Trust, Wyndham Charitable Trust and UNICEF.

Law firms who support families affected by meningitis

Law firms is a sector represented amongst our corporate supporters. We are committed to offering the best advice and support possible to our beneficiaries, and this network of independently accredited experts help us to provide up-to-date and accurate information, and signpost to high quality specialist advice where appropriate.

Other corporate support

Companies that have supported us through generous gifts in kind, corporate donations, payroll giving, Charity of the Year relationships, and by supporting and enabling their teams to fundraise for us in our last full financial year are: Bord Na Mona, Bristows LLP, Computer World, Deloitte, Hawk Incentives, HB Projects, The Information Lab, Media Lab, MFS Assets Management, and Owens.

Pharmaceutical companies working to prevent meningitis through vaccination

In the last financial year, we received support from Pfizer, GSK, Sanofi and Serum Institute of India, as pharmaceutical companies who share our aim of preventing people from getting meningitis. Our policy is to receive no more than 25% of our total income from pharmaceutical companies. These sponsors do not influence the work we provide but fund specific projects, which are transparently listed in our policy on Funding from pharmaceutical companies (below).

Full disclosure of our income is available for anyone to read in our annual accounts.

Regulation 

Meningitis Research Foundation is registered as a charity and a company, and there are legal frameworks for both that govern what we may and may not do.

In addition, there are several other regulatory bodies and sector groups which set standards for many aspects of our work. We see this as incredibly important. By committing to these organisations and the principles they uphold we set expectations for you and all our staff. And by openly reporting on our behaviour and activity against these standards we make ourselves accountable to both these organisations, and to you.

Companies House keeps a register of all UK-based companies.

You can view the principles of our constitution, find out about our Directors, and download our financial accounts and Trustees’ annual reports, also available on this website here

The Charity Commission is a UK government body that holds charities to account for acting in accordance with charity law.

Outside England and Wales

Meningitis Research Foundation’s main office and operations are in Bristol, UK so The Charity Commission is our principal regulator.

We also have offices and staff in Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin, Ireland. Therefore we are also registered as a charity in these countries and are committed to adhering to the principles set out by their equivalent regulators. These are:

• The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
• The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
• Charities Regulator in Ireland

The AMRC is the national membership organisation for health and medical research charities. We pay to be a member of the AMRC and are bound by the standards it sets for delivering high-quality research.

The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of charitable fundraising. We pay a voluntary fee for this regulation and have committed to operate to the standards it sets. Members of the public can complain to the Fundraising Regulator.

Our Summer and Winter raffles are regulated, and we report on these to the Gambling Commission.

This is the membership body for organisations that provide helpline services, ensuring high-quality service delivery.

We are answerable to the ICO for how we protect and use personal information. This is very important given the sensitive information we hold on families affected, and the fundraising work we carry out.

The NCVO champions the voluntary sector by connecting, representing and supporting voluntary organisations.

MRF publish information through IATI about our overseas projects and spending to improve transparency about our work to defeat meningitis here.

Dóchas sets a standard for the use of imagery relating to international aid. We use these standards for all of our work whether in the UK, Ireland, or globally.

CFG Counter Fraud Pledge

Fraud costs the charity sector an estimated £1.9 billion every year. No organisation can be completely immune to fraud, but we can take steps to minimise the risks.

Therefore we have signed up to the CFG Counter Fraud Pledge, which helps us to raise awareness amongst our staff, reduce the risks, and build trust in Meningitis Research Foundation.

These regulators ensure that we maintain the highest standards. If you do not feel we have met your expectations, you can contact us at any time with any concerns or complaints 

Safeguarding

MRF is committed to safeguarding and to protecting everyone that we assist, and all those in contact with MRF’s work from deliberate or inadvertent actions and failings that place them at risk of abuse, sexual exploitation, injury or any other harm. We firmly believe it is unacceptable to abuse power and positions of trust.

Equally, each MRF staff member, volunteer or associate must have the opportunity to contribute fully to our work in a safe and dignified environment.