Open Information Policy

YBI OPEN INFORMATION POLICY

Youth Business International (YBI) believes in accountability and transparency as a way of building partnerships and ensure that everyone we work with is informed in all we do.

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This policy sets out the information that Youth Business International (Registered Charity no. 1123946) will make publicly available, both through our website and on request. It also sets out information that is excluded from this policy and how to appeal decisions relating to some types of exclusions. It is informed by best practice within the UK international development sector and existing legislation in the UK. This includes:

• Charities Regulation Act 2008
• Data Protection Act 1998
• UK Aid Transparency Guarantee (for funding from DFID)
• International Aid Transparency Initiative

Overall accountability for the implementation of this policy will lie with the Finance and Operations Director or with a staff member whom the Chief Executive Officer may appoint for this matter. Compliance with this policy is the responsibility of all staff within Youth Business International. Specific accountabilities are as follows:

• Publishing of information, responding to information requests, complaints procedure: Data Protection Officer
• Provision of information for publication and information in response to requests: Data Protection Officer
• Review and update of this policy: Data Protection Officer

This document was created: July 18, 2016. This policy was discussed and approved by the Senior Management Team on February 9th, 2017 It is owned by: Finance and Operations Director It is due for review: In a year’s time from approval

IATI COMPLIANCE

YBI takes part in the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative that seeks to improve the transparency of aid, development, and humanitarian resources in order to increase their effectiveness in tackling poverty. Our financial and programmatic data is published in a format that is compliant with the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) Standard. IATI has developed and agreed a common, open, international standard – the IATI standard. This standard is designed to make aid-related information simpler and easier to understand, to compare and to use, so that aid information will be useful to all stakeholders. Youth Business International’s financial and programmatic data is also published in the IATI Registry.

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE PUBLISH?

YBI publishes detailed information, including overviews of our Strategic Plan, Staff and Senior Management Team and Trustee Board. Included on our website is a comprehensive Annual Review. Please consult this document for more detailed information. On our website you will also find resources including but not limited to:

• Research and Evaluations of our work;
• Success stories;
• Reports from events and other activities.

HOW TO MAKE A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION AND HOW WE WILL RESPOND

You can make your request by phone on +44 (0)20 3326 2060 from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (UK time), or via email to [email protected], or in writing to the following address: Youth Business International (YBI) 4th Floor, 11 Belgrave Road, SW1V 1RB London, United Kingdom We will reply to requests as soon as possible. Normally, within 5 working days either with the requested information or an explanation as to why it cannot be provided. Response will take no longer than 30 working days. We reserve the right to ask the reason for the information request.

DATA PROTECTION AND PRIVACY

Youth Business International is subject to the Data Protection Act. We are unable to disclose personal private data covered by this legislation without consent unless we are obliged or permitted by law to do so. For more information, please see our Data Protection Policy.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

As a charity, Youth Business International is not a public body and therefore is not subject to the UK’s Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, Youth Business International is committed to working to increase the openness and availability of the information listed in this policy.

PROGRESSIVE PUBLICATION

Youth Business International is committed to supporting trustees, staff and volunteers to value transparency and open information and to ensuring that we have cost-efficient systems in place to make information available, including our website. YBI will regularly review the information we provide as well as the requests we receive for information, using learning to guide a process of continuous improvement.

CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH WE MAY BE UNABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION

If you request information from us, we may not be able to provide you will all the information you require. If all or part of the information you have requested falls under one of the following categories, we will write and let you know the reason why we will not share it. You will have the opportunity to appeal this decision through our complaints procedure for some categories, indicated below:

• Ownership of the data: you may ask us to disclose information about a partner that is not our right to disclose. This is outside of the scope of this policy and we will ask you to contact the partner organisation directly. This decision is not subject to appeal.
• Privacy: where disclosure would breach data protection legislation or an individuals’ right to privacy. For example, we will not share the personal details of our staff, volunteers or individual supporters. This decision is not subject to appeal.
• Confidentiality: the information is confidential on legal, business or contractual grounds. This decision is not subject to appeal. Where Youth Business International has grants that fall within this exclusion category, we are committed to working with our funders to move towards allowing us to share information with our stakeholders.
• Intellectual Property Rights: The Intellectual Property Rights for a piece of work belongs to someone else and we cannot give permission for its use. This decision is not subject to appeal.
• Security: the disclosure of information may present a risk to the safety and security of staff and operations, either for Youth Business International or other organisations.
• Cost: the financial or time cost of disclosing the information would be unreasonably high. Youth Business International is a medium-sized organisation, and we need to balance our commitment to transparency with our delivery of results, especially where it involves public or member funds. Appeal via complaints procedure.
• Status: The information is in draft state for staff review only, is an internal communication or an internal administrative or management document. Appeal via complaints procedure.
• Vexatious, offensive or unreasonable requests: we may decline to correspond if a person deliberately behaves in an offensive or abusive manner, aims to obtain information by deceit (for example by using false contact details or other misrepresentation) or otherwise engages in unreasonable conduct. Appeal via complaints procedure.
• Historical information: if the information requested is historical, it may be difficult and costly for Youth Business International to obtain archived material. Appeal via complaints procedure.

COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS POLICY

This policy is for information only, and therefore is not a binding contract and does not confer legal rights on any person. Youth Business International reserves intellectual property rights for information and materials provided under this policy, including those materials distributed under an open license. Any request to reproduce copyrighted material should be referred to [email protected]

WHAT IF I AM UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY MY REQUEST HAS BEEN HANDLED?

You can request a review of any decision under this policy to withhold information by Youth Business International to Finance and Operations Director. As Youth Business International is not a public body, there is no right of appeal to the Information Commissioner. If you consider YBI is acting illegally, you may complain to the Charity Commission of England and Wales.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

All Youth Business International members, service users and the general public have the right of complaint in respect of Youth Business International’s services and activities, members, some categories of exclusions within Youth Business International’s open information policy or specific conditions of membership.

DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS

Listening and responding to feedback is very important to Youth Business International. If you are dissatisfied with our response to your information request, the person making the request may ask for a review of this determination by writing to the same email address ([email protected]). The request for review will be considered by at least one member of the Senior Management Team and one member of the Board of Trustees, whose decision will be final. Every request for reviews will be acknowledged, and a final determination will be provided within 28 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.