APPENDIX A
RETHINK POLICY
STATEMENT 21
Sponsorship
The acceptance and continuation of any sponsorship
by Rethink is conditional upon Rethink being satisfied that its
name will not be used to promote the efficacy of a particular
product, service or event.
CONDITIONS FOR
ACCEPTING SPONSORSHIP
1. The source of sponsorship of any Rethink
project, group or event must be clearly identified and described,
eg "this booklet has been produced with the support of [name
of organisation], this event has been subsidised through funding
received from [name of organisation]".
2. The terms of sponsorship must not influence
any Rethink policy or service or the content or distribution of
any Rethink publication, including any audio-visual material;
Rethink has total editorial control. Also, the terms of sponsorship
must not unduly influence any Rethink event.
3. A product or service associated with
a sponsor must not be promoted by Rethink staff or members, though
they may publicise the relationship between the sponsor and Rethink.
4. Rethink projects, groups, events, publications
or audio visual material must not be sponsored by a person or
organisation whose business consists wholly or mainly in the manufacture
or supply, or in the provision of a service, which does not meet
with the approval of the Board of Trustees.
5. Opinions must not be given on the efficacy
of a particular drug in medication fact sheets sponsored by a
pharmaceutical company.
6. The person or organisation providing
information must always be stated in medication fact sheets.
7. All requests for sponsorship should first
be considered by the Rethink Fundraising Department to check the
suitability of the company as a sponsor.
8. Care must be taken to identify whether
proposed sponsorship income is taxable.
ACTION
Rethink will continue to seek sponsorship, subject
to the conditions above. It will not accept sponsorship if those
conditions are not met. Rethink will withdraw from sponsorship
if those conditions are not met by sponsors at any stage in a
partnership with them.
QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Q. Doesn't the acceptance of sponsorship from
a pharmaceutical company imply the endorsement of the company's
products by Rethink?
A. No. The aim of many pharmaceutical companies
is to support activities associated with mental illness rather
than to narrowly promote their products. Rethink welcomes this
as a valuable source of funding for its work, including:
— making available detailed fact-sheets
explaining aspects of mental health care and treatment and particular
medications;
— subsidising the cost of conferences
and training events of value to both Rethink members and staff;
— supporting local services provided
by Rethink.
Q. How important is it for Rethink to have
a good working relationship with pharmaceutical companies?
A. It is important both to attract sponsorship
money and because it is in our best interests to work well with
pharmaceutical companies for the benefit of everyone concerned.
BACKGROUND
1. A Rethink publication, project or service
is deemed to be sponsored if any of its costs are met by an organisation
or person other than Rethink, with a view to promoting its own
commercial interests or activities. The term "publication"
includes audio-visual items as well as written material.
2. Rethink has accepted sponsorship of publications,
events, and local projects for many years, including sponsorship
by pharmaceutical companies on the understanding that:
— Rethink does not promote particular
products of any company;
— the company accepts Rethink's sponsorship
policy;
— the total amount of funds received
for sponsorship is less than 1% of Rethink's annual turnover.
3. Sponsorship income received without any
services being provided in return will normally be treated as
a donation and outside the scope of both Corporation Tax and VAT.
The following services provided by a charity to a sponsor would,
however, be considered in determining whether sponsorship income
is taxable:
— the use of its mailing list;
— the exclusive rights of the sponsor
to sell their goods or services on its premises.
Acknowledgement of a sponsor's support in a
charity publication would not be regarded as trading income.
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