Find out more about key management policies here, including detailed and downloadable policy statements.
As an organisation that works with children and vulnerable adults, the RSPB acknowledges its duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We are committed to ensuring our safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and regulatory requirements wherever we operate as a charity.
Like nature our survival depends on diversity. Nature has no borders and neither do we. We recognise that everyone is individual and different and value what that difference brings to the RSPB. We want to support everyone to unlock their potential and better reflect the communities in which we work.
We have published our gender pay gap data in line with UK government legislation - see the download on the right hand side for our report. The gender pay gap looks at the difference between average hourly salaries of men and women across the organisation, and gender composition of workforce by seniority. We are continuing to work on ways to address our gender pay gap and some of these are highlighted in the report.
To help us build our relationship with our supporters, learn from your suggestions and provide opportunities for you to engage with us, we want to encourage your feedback.
We have an active and popular programme of engagement, from formal events such as our AGM and Members Day, Members Weekend, regional and country volunteers’ conferences and through our local groups, to daily face-to-face contact.
All employees, including the Chief Executive and the Executive Board, are covered by the same remuneration policy, which is based on externally benchmarked salary bands. The remuneration policy is approved by Council and subject to periodic review.
To ensure clear governance and transparency, the remuneration of the Chief Executive is overseen by the Nominations and People Committee. The performance of the Chief Executive is subject to formal appraisal against previously agreed measures and is discussed at an annual appraisal meeting. Any recommendation for progression is made in line with the RSPB’s pay policy for all employees. The Chief Executive is responsible for overseeing the salaries of the Executive Board in line with the same policy.
Following their election to the RSPB Council, each trustee receives a briefing pack outlining their role, together with information on the RSPB, its policies, structures and work. Each new trustee completes a register of interests and related party transactions - this register is updated annually and whenever any changes occur.
All Council members owe a duty of loyalty to the RSPB and its charitable objects and do not act as representatives of any other interests whilst representing RSPB: this is embedded in our Code of Conduct for Council members, which is based on the seven principles of public life and informed by the Charity Governance Code.
Council members and candidates for election to Council complete a comprehensive register of paid and unpaid interests and related party interests and transactions. Additionally RSPB performs extensive checks prior to nomination of trustees as required through regulation. The complete register of interests is available to all members of Council and to our auditors. The register is updated every year in full, and whenever there are changes relating to individuals.
Each Council meeting begins with an assessment of relevant conflicts of interest. We publish biographies of our Council members on our website and information is also available through the Charity Commission website. We do not make the register of interests public, recognising that Council members are unremunerated volunteers and have a right to privacy.
A similar register is maintained for the senior staff of the charity. RSPB’s President, vice-presidents and ambassadors play no role in the governance and decision-making functions of the charity.
