Volunteer Policy and Code of Conduct

"bee Charity" Verein (“BeeCharity”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a Swiss association (Verein) with its seat in Dübendorf, Canton of Zurich, registered in the Commercial Register Office of the Canton of Zurich under UID CHE-457.076.818. Volunteers are at the heart of our work: they give their time, skills and energy freely, and much of what we achieve for the environment and for the people and communities we support would not be possible without them.

The purpose of this Volunteer Policy and Code of Conduct is to set out clearly what volunteers can expect from BeeCharity and what we expect from them. It describes the principles that underpin volunteering with us, how we recruit and select volunteers, the responsibilities on both sides, and the standards of behaviour that everyone volunteering in our name must uphold. It also explains how we keep volunteers safe and included, how expenses are handled, and how concerns, complaints and, where necessary, disciplinary matters are dealt with.

This policy is intended to create a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Volunteering with BeeCharity is not employment and does not create a contract of employment or a legally binding obligation to provide or accept work; it is a voluntary arrangement entered into willingly by both sides. This document has been formally adopted by the board and is published in the spirit of transparency; it describes the standards we hold ourselves to.

Our approach to volunteering is guided by a set of principles that shape everything from how we recruit to how we say thank you:

These principles are consistent with Swiss expectations of good nonprofit governance and with internationally recognised good practice in volunteer management, and they apply to every volunteering role, however large or small.

• Voluntary — volunteering is freely given and unpaid, undertaken by choice and never under obligation or coercion.
• Valued — we recognise that volunteers give something precious, their time, and we treat their contribution as genuinely important to our mission.
• Mutual benefit — volunteering should be rewarding for the volunteer as well as useful to us, offering purpose, experience and connection.
• Inclusive — we welcome volunteers from all backgrounds and remove unnecessary barriers to taking part.
• Safe and supported — volunteers are entitled to a safe environment, clear expectations, and the guidance they need to carry out their role.
• Complementary — volunteers enhance and extend our work; they are never used to displace paid workers or to avoid proper employment obligations.

We welcome volunteers from all walks of life who share our values and our commitment to environmental and humanitarian action. In general, volunteers should be able to carry out the role they take on safely and reliably, and should be willing to act in accordance with this policy and our other relevant policies.

Some roles carry specific eligibility requirements. Certain activities — for example those involving contact with children or vulnerable people, the handling of money, or the representation of BeeCharity to the public — may require volunteers to be over a particular age, to provide references, or to undergo proportionate background checks in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. Young volunteers under the age of 18 are welcome in suitable roles, but only with appropriate consent from a parent or guardian and with additional safeguards, supervision and risk assessment in place.

Volunteers must have the right to volunteer in the location where the activity takes place and must not be prevented from doing so by any legal restriction. We consider each prospective volunteer on the basis of their suitability for the role and our capacity to support them, and we make reasonable adjustments so that disabled volunteers and those with particular needs can take part wherever possible.

We aim to make volunteering with BeeCharity accessible, welcoming and straightforward. We advertise volunteering opportunities honestly, describing the nature of the role, the skills or qualities that would help, the time commitment involved, and any specific requirements such as checks or a minimum age. We do not overstate what a role involves or make promises about outcomes we cannot keep.

Our recruitment is open and fair. We welcome expressions of interest through our website and other channels, and we assess prospective volunteers on the basis of their suitability for the role, not on irrelevant personal characteristics. Our approach to recruitment is governed by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, and we take active steps to reach and encourage people who might not otherwise think of volunteering with us.

When someone expresses interest in volunteering, we handle their personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy: we collect only what we need to consider their application and to support them in a role, we explain how their information will be used, and we keep it securely. Expressing interest in volunteering places no obligation on either side until a role is agreed.

Our selection process is proportionate to the role. For many roles, an informal conversation to understand a volunteer’s interests, availability and any support needs is enough to get started. For roles that carry greater responsibility or risk — such as those involving children or vulnerable people, the handling of donations, or acting as a public representative of BeeCharity — we apply a more thorough process.

Depending on the role, selection may involve an informal interview or conversation, the taking up of references, verification of identity, and, where appropriate and lawful, a criminal-record or other background check in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. We are transparent with applicants about which checks apply and why, and we treat any information gathered confidentially and in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Once a volunteer is accepted, we agree the role together, provide an induction appropriate to it, and make sure the volunteer understands this policy and any other policies relevant to their work. Decisions to accept volunteers into roles carrying significant responsibility are made carefully and, where they commit the association or involve safeguarding, in line with our governance arrangements and joint signing authority. We aim to give clear and courteous feedback to anyone who is not offered a role, and to suggest alternatives where we can.

Volunteers are ambassadors for BeeCharity, and when acting on our behalf they are expected to uphold the standards of this Code of Conduct. In particular, volunteers agree to:

Volunteers are not authorised to enter into contracts, move funds, or make binding commitments on behalf of the association; such actions are reserved to the board and are subject to our joint signing authority. Volunteers who are unsure about the limits of their role should always ask before acting.

• Act honestly, respectfully and with integrity towards colleagues, beneficiaries, donors, partners and members of the public.
• Carry out their agreed role to the best of their ability and within the limits of that role, not taking on tasks or making commitments they have not been authorised to make.
• Follow this policy and other relevant BeeCharity policies, including those on safeguarding, health and safety, equality and inclusion, data protection, and anti-fraud.
• Treat everyone fairly and never engage in discrimination, harassment, bullying or any form of abusive or intimidating behaviour.
• Respect confidentiality and handle any personal or sensitive information appropriately and only as permitted.
• Protect BeeCharity’s reputation, resources and property, and avoid any conduct that could bring the association into disrepute, including inappropriate conduct on social media when identifiable as a volunteer.
• Declare any conflict of interest and never use their volunteering role for improper personal gain or to obtain or offer improper advantage.
• Report any concern about safety, safeguarding, wrongdoing or the welfare of any person promptly, and cooperate with reasonable requests from those coordinating their work.

The relationship goes both ways. In return for the time volunteers give, BeeCharity commits to:

We recognise that volunteers are giving their time freely, and we will not ask them to take on tasks that are unsafe, that fall outside their agreed role, or that they are not comfortable performing. We will be honest about what we can and cannot offer, including that, as a young and still-developing organisation, some of our support arrangements are still being built.

• Treat volunteers with respect, fairness and appreciation, and value their contribution as central to our work.
• Provide a clear description of each role, together with the induction, information and guidance needed to carry it out.
• Provide a safe and healthy environment in which to volunteer, and carry out proportionate risk assessments where appropriate.
• Support volunteers with a named point of contact who can answer questions, give feedback and help resolve difficulties.
• Treat volunteers’ personal information confidentially and in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
• Reimburse agreed, reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in line with the Expenses chapter below.
• Ensure volunteering is inclusive and free from discrimination, and make reasonable adjustments so that people can take part.
• Handle concerns, complaints and disputes fairly, promptly and without victimising anyone who raises an issue in good faith.

The health, safety and wellbeing of our volunteers is a priority, and we take it seriously in everything we ask them to do. We assess the foreseeable risks of volunteering activities in a way that is proportionate to the task, put sensible measures in place to reduce those risks, and give volunteers the information, instruction and any equipment they need to stay safe.

Volunteers, in turn, are asked to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others affected by their actions, to follow safety guidance and instructions, to use any equipment provided properly, and to report hazards, accidents, injuries or near-misses promptly so that we can act on them. Volunteers should never undertake a task they believe to be unsafe, and should raise any concern rather than putting themselves or others at risk.

For activities involving physical work, outdoor environments, events, or contact with the public or with children and vulnerable people, we plan for foreseeable emergencies, including access to first aid and a means of summoning help. In the event of an emergency, the immediate safety of people always takes priority over the activity itself. We record and review incidents so that we can learn from them and continually improve how we protect our volunteers.

BeeCharity is committed to being an inclusive organisation in which volunteers from all backgrounds feel welcome, respected and able to contribute. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the basis of any personal characteristic, including origin, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, family situation or social background.

We seek to remove unnecessary barriers to volunteering and to make reasonable adjustments so that disabled people and those with particular needs can take part on an equal footing. This may include adapting tasks, offering flexible arrangements, or providing information in accessible formats. Our commitment to fairness in volunteering is set out more fully in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, which applies to recruitment, selection and the day-to-day treatment of volunteers.

All volunteers share responsibility for creating an inclusive environment by treating others with dignity and challenging or reporting behaviour that falls short of these standards. Anyone who experiences or witnesses discrimination or harassment while volunteering is encouraged to raise it through the routes described in the Complaints chapter below, and we will respond seriously and supportively.

Many of BeeCharity’s activities bring volunteers into contact, directly or indirectly, with children and vulnerable people, and safeguarding their welfare is a responsibility shared by everyone who volunteers with us. All volunteers must act in accordance with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, must complete any safeguarding induction or training appropriate to their role, and must understand that safeguarding is everyone’s business.

Before undertaking roles that involve contact with children or vulnerable people, volunteers are subject to the proportionate checks described in that policy, which may include references and, where lawful, a criminal-record check. While volunteering, they must follow safe practice — for example not spending time alone and unobserved with a child, respecting agreed supervision ratios, and never behaving in a way that could harm or exploit a child or vulnerable adult.

Any volunteer who has a safeguarding concern, however uncertain, must report it immediately to the designated safeguarding contact and must never attempt to investigate it themselves. If a child or vulnerable person is in immediate danger, volunteers should contact the local emergency services first and then notify BeeCharity. Concerns can be raised with the safeguarding contact at beecharity1@gmail.com. Volunteers who report concerns in good faith are protected under our Safeguarding and Whistleblowing policies.

In the course of volunteering, people may come into contact with confidential or sensitive information — for example the personal details of donors, beneficiaries, other volunteers or partners, or non-public information about the association’s plans and finances. Volunteers must treat such information as confidential, use it only as necessary for their role, and never disclose it to anyone who is not entitled to it.

Volunteers must handle personal data strictly in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable Swiss data-protection law under the revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revDSG). This means collecting only what is needed, keeping information secure, not removing or copying personal data without authorisation, and returning or securely disposing of confidential information when it is no longer needed or when the volunteering relationship ends.

The duty of confidentiality continues after a volunteer’s involvement with BeeCharity comes to an end. The only exception is where disclosure is necessary to protect someone from harm or is required by law — for example a safeguarding disclosure or a report of wrongdoing made in good faith under our Whistleblowing Policy — in which case the relevant policy governs how the information should be shared.

Photographs, video and personal stories are an important way of sharing our work, but they must always be used respectfully and with consent. Volunteers who take or appear in photographs or video in the course of their role, or who create content about BeeCharity, must follow our Photography, Media and Consent Policy and must respect the dignity and privacy of everyone featured.

Volunteers must obtain appropriate consent before photographing or filming identifiable individuals, and particular care must be taken with children and vulnerable people, where consent from a parent or guardian and the protections of our Safeguarding Policy apply. Images and recordings gathered while volunteering belong to and are used only for BeeCharity’s legitimate purposes, must not be shared or published by volunteers on their own channels without authorisation, and must never be used in a way that could identify a vulnerable person’s location or put anyone at risk.

Unless specifically authorised, volunteers should not speak to the media or make public statements on behalf of BeeCharity, and should refer media enquiries to the appropriate contact. When identifiable as a BeeCharity volunteer on social media, volunteers are asked to act in a way that is consistent with this policy and that protects the reputation of the association and the people it serves.

Volunteering with BeeCharity is unpaid, but volunteers should not be left out of pocket for reasonable expenses they necessarily incur in carrying out an agreed role. Where expenses have been authorised in advance, we will reimburse reasonable, actual out-of-pocket costs — for example agreed travel or materials — on production of receipts or other appropriate evidence.

To keep things fair and transparent, expenses should be agreed before they are incurred wherever possible, should be modest and directly related to the volunteering role, and should be claimed promptly. Reimbursement covers genuine costs only; it is not a payment, reward or fee for time given, and volunteers do not receive any financial benefit beyond the repayment of legitimate expenses. This distinction matters, because it keeps volunteering genuinely voluntary and avoids creating any impression of employment.

Expense claims are handled under the financial controls set out in our Donation and Refund and Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption policies, including appropriate approval and, for payments, our joint signing authority. Any question about what can be claimed should be raised with the volunteer’s point of contact before the expense is incurred.

We want volunteering with BeeCharity to be a positive experience, but we know that things can sometimes go wrong. Volunteers who are unhappy about any aspect of their volunteering — whether the way they have been treated, a decision that affects them, or the conduct of another person — are encouraged to raise it, and can do so without fear of being disadvantaged for speaking up.

In the first instance, many concerns can be resolved informally and quickly by raising them with the volunteer’s point of contact. Where that is not appropriate or does not resolve the matter, a concern can be raised formally under our Complaints Policy, using the contact details in the Contact chapter below. We will listen, look into the matter fairly, and explain the outcome, and where a complaint highlights something we should improve, we will act on it.

Equally, if BeeCharity has a concern about a volunteer, we will normally raise it informally first and give the volunteer a fair opportunity to respond before considering any further step. Serious concerns — for example about safeguarding, dishonesty or wrongdoing — may also be raised under our Safeguarding or Whistleblowing policies, which offer additional protection to anyone reporting in good faith.

Because volunteering is not employment, we do not operate a formal employment-style disciplinary process. Nevertheless, we need a fair and proportionate way to address situations where a volunteer’s conduct falls short of this Code of Conduct or where their behaviour puts people, the association or its reputation at risk.

In most cases, concerns about a volunteer’s conduct will be addressed supportively and informally: by talking the matter through, clarifying expectations, offering additional guidance or training, or adjusting the role. We will normally explain the concern clearly, listen to the volunteer’s side, and agree how to move forward. Our aim is to resolve issues constructively and to help volunteers succeed wherever we reasonably can.

More serious matters — such as a significant breach of this policy, dishonesty, discrimination or harassment, a safeguarding concern, or conduct that endangers others or seriously damages trust — may lead to a volunteer being suspended from activities while the matter is looked into, and ultimately to the volunteering relationship being ended. Decisions to suspend or end a volunteering relationship for conduct reasons are taken fairly, with the volunteer given a chance to respond, and in line with our governance arrangements. Where conduct may involve a criminal offence or a safeguarding risk, we will act under the relevant policy and, where necessary, involve the appropriate authorities.

Volunteering is a voluntary arrangement, and either the volunteer or BeeCharity may bring it to an end at any time. We ask only that volunteers who decide to stop, or to step back from a role, let their point of contact know where they can, so that we can plan for any handover and thank them properly for their contribution. There is no obligation on a volunteer to give a fixed period of notice, though advance warning is always appreciated.

A volunteering relationship may also come to a natural end — for example when a project or event finishes, when a role is no longer needed, or when a volunteer’s circumstances change. In addition, we may bring a volunteering relationship to an end where a volunteer no longer wishes to abide by this policy, where a role ceases to exist, or, following the fair process described above, on conduct grounds. We will always try to handle endings respectfully and with appreciation for what has been given.

When a volunteering relationship ends, the volunteer must return any BeeCharity property, identification or materials in their possession, and must continue to respect the duty of confidentiality described above. We will deal with any outstanding authorised expenses, and we will handle the volunteer’s personal data in accordance with our Privacy and Data Retention policies, keeping only what we are required or reasonably need to keep. Where a volunteer would like a reference or a record of their contribution, we will gladly provide one where we can.

This policy was formally adopted by the board and is reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there is a relevant change in Swiss law, in recognised good practice on volunteering, or in the nature and scale of our activities and the volunteering roles we offer.

Any material change to this policy is approved under our joint signing authority, with two authorised representatives acting together. The version and status shown at the top of this page reflect its current standing as a policy formally adopted by the board, and we will update the version history when it is adopted or amended. Volunteers are always welcome to suggest improvements to this policy through their point of contact.

If you have any question about this policy, if you would like to volunteer with BeeCharity, or if you wish to raise a concern about volunteering, please contact us and we will be glad to help.

Volunteering: beecharity1@gmail.com

Safeguarding: beecharity1@gmail.com

General enquiries: beecharity1@gmail.com

Postal address: "bee Charity" Verein, c/o Jasmin Semra Gabrielli, Bahnhofstrasse 33, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland