Read our member Code of Conduct (currently under consultation).
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) is the membership community for voluntary bodies.
We define these as independent, self-governing bodies of people who have joined together voluntarily to take action for the benefit of the community, and which are established otherwise than for financial gain.
This Code of Conduct sets out the standards of behaviour that we expect from our Members to enable us to work together respectfully, inclusively and collaboratively.
NCVO has a wide membership of charitable and voluntary organisations. Inevitably, organisations will hold different beliefs and promote different philosophies; in some cases
these views may be hard to reconcile. How Members conduct themselves and manifest those views, provided consistent with the membership eligibility criteria and the best interests of
NCVO, is what is important and gives rise to the expectations in this Code of Conduct.
a) Respect the views, knowledge, experience and expertise of others;
b) Be polite and treat people with dignity;
c) Ensure a safe environment in which to operate.
a) Act inclusively and in a non-discriminatory fashion (including where a Member exists to promote/support one particular group in society).
b) Promote equality, diversity and inclusion, including having a stated policy on equal opportunity values or a clear public commitment to improved practice in this area.
Enable constructive collaboration and partnership so as to achieve NCVO’s mission
1.1. By successfully applying to become a member of NCVO you agree to be bound by the terms of this Code of Conduct and the NCVO Member Complaints Procedure. This Code does not replace any code of conduct, values or behaviours you have in your own organisation.
2.1. This Code of Conduct applies to all NCVO Members.
2.2. This Code of Conduct applies:
The Code does not apply beyond this.
2.3. When we refer to ‘Members’ in this Code of Conduct, we mean Members in their capacity as organisations, as well as:
2.3.1. organisations controlled by Members (for example, a charity’s trading subsidiary); and
2.3.2. Members’ trustees, directors, staff, volunteers and other representatives, and any person authorised by a Member expressly or implicitly to act or communicate on its behalf.
2.4. Members are expected to ensure that anyone acting or communicating on their behalf understands the expectations placed upon them by this Code.
2.5. Members are normally expected to seek to resolve complaints under their own procedures before NCVO handles any complaint in relation to this Code.
3.1. Where a Member of NCVO or NCVO itself considers that a Member may have fallen below the expected standards of behaviour they may make a complaint under the NCVO Member Complaints Procedure.
3.2. If in NCVO’s view a Member may be in breach of the Code of Conduct, NCVO will ordinarily work with them (both on an individual and organisational level) before taking any formal action, to try address the issue.
3.3. Breaches of this Code may however result in a range of possible outcomes under the NCVO Members Complaints Procedure, including in the most serious of cases and where in the best interests of NCVO, removal from membership in accordance with Article 17.1(e) of NCVO’s Articles of Association. This may include where the conduct in question took place prior to the Member’s admission to membership but only came to light afterwards.
3.4. NCVO reserves the right to vary the terms of this Code of Conduct from time to time.
Last updated: 25 September 2025