Campaign for safer alternatives (CASA) is committed to improving public health through promoting the use and understanding of risk-reduced nicotine products. To achieve our goals, we recognize the need to engage with the public, vapers and users of other alternative nicotine products, current smokers and a range of professionals. We also recognize the benefit of engaging with a range of groups from the public, voluntary and commercial sectors. This policy sets out how we consider these relationships and the process to agree any partnership or sponsorship agreement.

We do not accept donations from tobacco companies or their subsidiaries or from the vape industry. All donations are untied and all spending is at the discretion of the CASA Board of Directors, in line with the written objectives of the organization and our constitution.

1. Commitment to address ethical issues.

We actively seek opportunities to work together with external organizations to achieve shared objectives. However, it is vital that we maintain our independence and do not allow external partnerships to bring the name of CASA into disrepute.
CASA therefore seeks to ensure that the activities of organizations we work with are consistent with our own organizational values.

The following principles will be applied in consideration of any partnership or sponsorship arrangement.

• Campaign for Safer Alternatives is not used in a manner that would express or imply endorsement of a specific company, or product.

2. CASA will only accept financial support from, and partnership working with, companies, organizations or individuals on the following conditions:

• There are grounds for believing it will result in a benefit to improving public health of those people affected by smoking tobacco
• There is no attempt on the part of the company, organization or individual to influence CASA policy or actions either explicitly or implicitly
• That initiatives do not compromise the independent status of CASA
• The board has considered the risk of adverse publicity in accepting such support

3. This policy exists to provide clarity and openness to all our stakeholders.
It is designed to address sponsorship and partnership agreements with external partners. “Sponsorship” means payment by an external organization – or individual – in return for public association with a CASA project or the organization itself. This could be in cash or in kind.

4. Decisions relating to support, sponsorship or partnership will be discussed by Campaign for Safer Alternatives’ board members and recorded in the minutes of the relevant meetings.

Avoidance Criteria

5. Campaign for Safer Alternatives will not accept support that compromises the organization or its objectives – or undermine our effectiveness in achieving our goals.

Acceptance Criteria

6. When deciding whether to accept a donation, the board have a duty to demonstrate that they have acted in the best interest of the organization, and that association with any donor does not compromise CASA’s ethical position, harm its reputation or put future funding at risk. CASA will also ensure it complies with all relevant legislation including money laundering rules, the Bribery Act as well as Charity Commission guidance.

CASA therefore would not accept any of the following where the donation:

• Was known to be associated with criminal sources
• Would help further a donor’s personal objectives, which conflict with those of CASA
• Would lead to a likely decline in support for CASA
• Would otherwise significantly damage our reputation

Cause related marketing, affinity marketing and product endorsements

7. CASA does not endorse or approve specific products or companies, and a statement to this effect will be included alongside any branding or promotion associated with products.

8. CASA will not promote any category of nicotine/ tobacco harm reduction product unless published research has shown direct benefit to our beneficiaries.

9.CASA will not share our databases with third parties.

Engagement

10. CASA recognizes benefits to both partners can be achieved where a charity partner has an input into policy issues of commercial organizations. However, any such engagement will only be undertaken where the board agree there is benefit to the objectives of the CASA.

Process

11. All significant sponsorship or other support with a value of more than US$ 1,000 must be approved by the Board, prior to acceptance.

12. Contracts with partners must permit CASA to withdraw from any partnership where new developments mean that areas of this ethical sponsorship policy become breached.

Transparency

13.A copy of this policy will be displayed on our website within 3 months of its adoption and reviewed every year.

Funding

14. Campaign for Safer Alternatives is funded by donations from private individuals and organizations. We do not accept donations from the tobacco industry, the electronic cigarette industry or manufacturers/distributors of other nicotine products. Our independence from commercial conflicts of interest is of paramount importance.