The Roger Diamond Foundation (RDF)
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
1 Introduction
1.1 This Confidentiality Policy (‘this Policy’) should be read in conjunction with the organisation’s other internal policies. We keep certain types of information confidential for important reasons, including to comply with legal requirements.
1.2 This Policy applies to all trustees, staff, and volunteers of the organisation.
1.3 This Policy has been adopted by the organisation to:
1.3.1 Set best practice in protecting the interests of its members, donors and beneficiaries (together referred to as ‘Members’), as well as its staff, volunteers and other stakeholders;
1.3.2 ensure all Members have trust and confidence in the organisation;
1.3.3 protect the organisation, its trustees, staff and volunteers; and
1.3.4 assist in complying with data protection law.
2 Confidential Information
2.1 “Confidential Information” means any information that is not in the public domain and is intended to be protected from disclosure (whether it is proprietary in nature or whether by contract, legal protections or other means). Information may be confidential irrespective of whether it is specifically labelled as “confidential”, “proprietary” or otherwise, or whether it is oral, written, drawn or stored electronically. The following types of information shall be considered confidential information; however, this is not intended to constitute an exhaustive list:
2.1.1 information about the organisation, for example its plans and/or finances;
2.1.2 information about individuals, for example the organisation’s members, beneficiaries and donors;
2.1.3 information about volunteers and staff; and
2.1.4 information about other organisations.
2.2 Under no circumstances should trustees, staff and volunteers share any confidential information, including with their own partners, family or friends.
3 Maintaining Confidentiality
3.1 We limit disclosure of Confidential Information to the organisation’s trustees, staff and volunteers.
3.2 You must treat all Confidential Information as strictly confidential. To maintain the confidentiality of Confidential Information, you must do the following:
3.2.1 Not access or use any Confidential Information to which you have not been provided access or authorisation to use;
3.2.2 not disclose, publish, communicate, or make available Confidential Information to anyone that does not have the authority to know and use the Confidential Information, except as required to perform your duties or otherwise permitted by this Policy;
3.2.3 if your duties require sharing Confidential Information with a third party, you shall not do so until the trustee and the third party have entered into a confidentiality agreement;
3.2.4 not remove Confidential Information from the organisation's premises;
3.2.5 not discuss Confidential Information in public where it may be overheard, including elevators, restaurants, cabs, and public transportation;
2 3.2.6 ensure visitors are accompanied by a member of staff at all times while in locations where Confidential Information might be accessible or become known;
3.2.7 in the event of an inadvertent disclosure of Confidential Information, immediately inform the organisation’s Officers and/or trustees; and
3.2.8 return any Confidential Information in your possession on termination of your trusteeship, volunteering, employment and/or other duties.
3.3 This Policy is not intended to restrict communications or actions that are protected or required by whistleblowing protection legislation such as the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, or otherwise disclosing information as permitted or required by law.
3.4 If you are unsure whether information should be kept confidential, check with the Committee before disclosing the information or taking any other action.
4 Compliance and other information
4.1 It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to ensure that any concerns arising from situations they observe, allegations (reports from third parties) or disclosures (reports from someone about themselves) relating to potential abuse or where an indictable offence may have been committed, are reported to the Project Coordinator and/or trustees, even if they are unsure whether the concern is justified. It is not a breach of confidentiality to pass this concern on to an appropriate member of the organisation.
4.2 The trustees have overall responsibility for this Policy but have delegated day-to-day responsibility for overseeing and implementing action to the committee.
4.3 All trustees, staff and volunteers will have access to a copy of this Policy and training will be conducted as required. All trustees, staff and volunteers are therefore responsible for the success of this Policy and should ensure that they take the time to read and understand it. Questions regarding the content or application of this Policy should be directed to the committee.
5 Monitoring
The organisation reserves the right to monitor, intercept and review, without further notice, trustees’, staff and volunteers’ activities using the organisation’s IT resources and communications systems, including but not limited to social media postings and activities, for legitimate business purposes which include ascertaining and demonstrating that expected standards are being met by those using the systems and for the detection and investigation of unauthorised use of the systems (including where this is necessary to prevent or detect crime).
6 Breach of this policy
6.1 Breaches of confidentiality will be dealt with through the organisation's disciplinary procedures as appropriate. Non-adherence with this Policy will be considered a disciplinary matter.
6.2 You may be required to remove any social media content that the organisation considers to constitute a breach of this Policy. Failure to comply with such a request may in itself result in disciplinary action.
Adopted on: 24th July 2026
Next Review Date: 24th July 2027
