About DEC

DEC Mission
The DEC unites the leading independent humanitarian agencies in the UK in their efforts to maximise income through cost effective media based appeals to finance humanitarian relief for major disasters overseas.

Legal Mandate
The DEC is a charitable company, created by its members and limited by guarantee with the registered name of the Disasters Emergency Committee.

The objects of the Charity as set out in the Memorandum of Association state:

  1. creating an efficient appeal mechanism through the media for national fundraising and public response
  2. ensuring that funds raised are used in an effective, timely and fully accountable way
  3. facilitating agency co-operation, co-ordination and communication (in the UK).
  4. raising standards in the implementation of Humanitarian responses

Membership
Members are the leading UK registered humanitarian charities which fulfil the membership criteria and together constitute a cost effective and manageable Board having the necessary expertise in the provision of aid and national profile to ensure successful national appeals. Members’ performance and any new applicants are reviewed every two years.

Role of The Trustees
The Board, made up of both Member Trustees (chief executives of the Member Agencies) and Independent Trustees has ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of the charity; defining its strategic goals, ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for which it has been set up. Trustees ensure that the DEC remains true to its charitable purpose and objects and complies with charity law.

Operational Mandate
The Secretariat:
Is the full time dedicated agent of the Trustees charged to develop and implement agreed policies.

The primary functions of the Secretariat are:

  1. To provide a competent administration, giving members leadership and guidance as requested by Trustees
  2. To manage all aspects of DEC appeals, including the accountability process
  3. To maintain and develop the DEC’s Network of Corporate supporters (banks, broadcasters etc.) and the fundraising potential it represents
  4. To maintain and develop information exchange with a primary aim of helping the members improve standards and procedures in the use of DEC appeal funds

The DEC Board is committed to independent public accountability on how the appeal has been managed and how the money has been distributed.

The trustees consider the mandate is best understood through enumerating the DEC’s compact with its members and key stake holders as set out below.

Donors
The DEC, as a joint UK disaster appeal, is committed to best practice in the banking of the complete range of revenue streams and the thanking of its donors. As a time bound emergency appeal based charity it does not seek to create an ongoing relationship with its donors, who will however, be alerted to subsequent appeals and be encouraged to become supporters of the members. The public need to understand that the DEC is neither the totality of the UK response to an emergency nor the major one in the context of many actors who respond internationally.

Member Agencies
The DEC is rule based, with clear membership criteria and agreed standards that guide performance and sanctions. It is not a super agency or a coordinating mechanism for the operational side of the work overseas. It recognises that all members are not homogenous and expects members to own and promote the DEC as their organisation.

Broadcasters and the Print Media
The DEC supported by the Secretariat will maintain an active engagement with the media to ensure appeals have their maximum support, and are reported on in a manner that does not exacerbate stereotyping and informs the public of the context of humanitarian issues and the principles that guide DEC appeals. The DEC Secretariat does not speak on behalf of member agencies (or the wider humanitarian sector) to the media on wider issues, beyond appeal related activity.

UK Government
The DEC Secretariat will ensure the UK Government and other key collaborators in the humanitarian field are well informed about its activities. The DEC will engage on the issues, especially humanitarian funding, associated with any appeal but is not an instrument for policy formulation and advocacy for its members with the British Government or the UN. The DEC Secretariat does not represent its members to Government or other players yet it does facilitate meetings when appropriate.