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Governance and Transparency 

Guiding principles with regard to partnerships, sponsorship and conflict of interest

The International Coalition of Respiratory Nurses (ICRN) registered as a company limited by guarantee (No 14604971) under the law of England & Wales on 19th day of January 2023 and has a Board which is the supreme policy and steering body of ICRN.

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It is within this framework, that the Executive Board of ICRN adopts the following guiding principles:

  1. ICRN's guiding principles with regard to partnerships, sponsorship and conflicts of interest aim to increase ICRN's potential to access funds, services in kind and joint venture operations from public bodies, firms or foundations in ways that do not contravene the principles and values of ICRN and its members.

  2. It does not aim to provide a definition of every possible funding opportunity or relationship but rather define a set of operating principles.

  3. The guiding principles comply with the objectives and mission of ICRN: to promote and strengthen respiratory nurses in European countries and in non-European countries across the globe. They are based on ICRN’s vision of an equitable international society in which all individuals have access to www.ICRespiNurses.com  

  4. ICRN is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organisation that intends to maintain a high level of independence and integrity. This will allow ICRN to position itself in public health and healthcare policy without being influenced by vested interests.

Partnerships

  • Whilst ICRN recognises that partnerships are essential in advancing ICRN's mission and related objectives, any partnership that ICRN undertakes should in no way compromise, or be seen to compromise, the independence of ICRN's decision making processes. The independence of the internal policy making and planning of annual activities of ICRN should not be influenced by a partnership's economical support.

  • ICRN can enter into partnerships with organisations that hold views and practices that are not contrary to ICRN's mission and values. The partnership shall not compromise ICRN's core principles nor restrict ICRN's ability to address relevant issues freely, thoroughly and objectively in public or private forums.

  • ICRN's relationship with partners should be transparent and publicly disclosed.

  • Joint agreements or projects undertaken by ICRN with its partners should be based on mutual respect and trust, and should be governed by clearly understood and agreed upon principles.

  • ICRN should always be able to prove to its members and the public that the cooperation does not exert any undue influence on its own policies and practices.

Sponsorship

The following applies to all sources of financing.

  1. ICRN shall accept funding from organisations that hold views and practices that are not contrary to ICRN's mission and values. ICRN will only accept funding that does not compromise its core principles and does not restrict its ability to address relevant issues freely, thoroughly and objectively in private and public forums.

  2. ICRN will not accept funding from organisations engaged in the manufacture and/or marketing of commercial products whose sale is against ICRN's mission (for example: tobacco, alcohol, arms, unhealthy food, etc).

  3. Funding from public sources may be directed at ICRN's core functions or specific projects or activities. Core functions concern the Private sponsorship can only take the form of financial support for specific projects or activities.

  4. Grants of this kind shall be unrestricted and unconditional. When financial support is approved, a contract or memorandum of understanding between ICRN and the organisation will be agreed and signed by authorised parties detailing length of time for the agreement, contribution value, joint activities and deliverables to be achieved, with a start and end date. This agreement will ensure that no restrictions or conditions are imposed by the sponsors which would affect the content of the project and/or activities.

  5. ICRN should always be able to prove to its members and the public that the sponsorship does not exert any influence on its own policies and practices. ICRN will ensure that its independence and integrity are preserved in any financial relationship with another organisation.

  6. In order to avoid the risk of being identified with one single vested interest, ICRN aims to diversify the sources of funding as much as possible.

  7. ​Corporate partners or private sponsors shall at no time make use of the name, or logo of ICRN, or make any claim of association with ICRN without ICRN's prior agreement.

Procedure for partnership and sponsorship agreements

  • Partnership and sponsorship opportunities will be assessed by ICRN's Executive Board on a case by case basis, while respecting the above mentioned principles. The conclusions of their assessment will be circulated amongst ICRN members.

  • When approached by, or when approaching, an organisation/agency for funding, ICRN will request information about the organisation, including their principal activities, their products or services. ICRN will also undertake its own research about the organisation/agency, notably about the nature of the organisation; the nature of its products; the sources of its product; the means used to promote the product, or the consequences of these processes.

  • When financial support is approved, a contract or memorandum of understanding between ICRN and the organisation will be agreed and signed by authorised parties detailing length of time for the agreement, contribution value, joint activities and deliverables to be achieved, with a start and end date.

  • When weighing up whether or not to accept funding from commercial organisations/agencies, grant making bodies or individuals, the following should be considered: the nature of the organisation; the nature of its products; the sources of its product; the means used to promote the product, or the consequences of these processes, and whether these are compatible with the principles outlined in the present document.

  • ​Any financial support by commercial companies will appear in ICRN's reports to members and the public and other relevant documents. 

Conflict of interests of the Board and its members

The Executive Board is responsible for the strategic directions, the setting of priorities and the programming of ICRN’s activities, including the determination of the annual work programme. Also, the Executive Board members assist in fundraising and representation activities.


Members of the Executive Board shall therefore declare, annually, any interest and function, be it corporate or institutional and declare any (potential) conflict of interest which may arise throughout the duration of their service on the Executive Board. 

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This document shall be publicly available on ICRN's website.
Date: 25th January 2023.
 

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