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Cornwall Birds – Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society (CBWPS)

Email and Social Media Policy

Use of email and social media by trustees, board members, officers, wardens and members of CBWPS is permitted and encouraged where such use supports the goals and objectives of the Society.

However, Cornwall Birds has a policy for the use of email and social media whereby those using it must ensure that they:

• comply with current legislation
• use email and social media in an acceptable way
• do not create unnecessary risk to the Society by their misuse of the internet

Email Protocol

It is understood that persons named in the ‘To’ category normally warrant a reply. Those named in the ‘Cc’ and ‘Bcc’ categories do not normally require a reply and are for information only. Care should be taken if transmitting Bcc messages.

Unacceptable behaviour

The following behaviour by anyone using Cornwall Birds email and social media is considered unacceptable:

• use of Society communications systems to set up personal businesses or send chain letters
• forwarding of Society confidential messages to external locations
• distributing, disseminating or storing images, text or materials that might be considered indecent, pornographic, obscene or illegal
• distributing, disseminating or storing images, text or materials that might be considered discriminatory, offensive or abusive.
• accessing copyrighted information in a way that violates the copyright
• breaking into the Society’s computer system or unauthorised use of a password/mailbox
• expressing unsolicited personal views on social, political, religious or other non-business related matters
• transmitting unsolicited commercial or advertising material
• undertaking activities that waste volunteer effort or networked resources
• introducing any form of computer virus or malware into the corporate network

Monitoring

Cornwall Birds accepts that the use of email and social media are valuable communication tools. However, misuse of this facility can have a negative impact upon volunteer productivity and the reputation of the Society.

In addition, all of the Cornwall Birds email and social media resources are provided for Society purposes. Therefore, the Board maintains the right to monitor any systems and inspect any data recorded in those systems.

Sanctions

Where a complaint is received that a person (“the subject of the complaint”) has failed to comply with this policy, they may face disciplinary action from the Society. The Trustees may nominate a board member who is not connected to the offence (“the investigating director”) to investigate the issue. The investigating director may at his discretion seek further information from the complainant and/or the subject of the complaint. The investigating director shall report to the board of directors of the Society and such a report may include a recommendation as to the appropriate sanction, if any. The board shall consider the investigating director’s report and if the complainant, the subject of the complaint or both are members of the board they shall be excluded from the board’s deliberations.

If (in the opinion of a majority of the board members participating in the deliberations) there has been a breach of the policy, the subject of the complaint will face a penalty ranging from a verbal or written warning to disqualification of the subject of the complaint from any office held by them in the Society for a maximum of two years and/or termination of membership of the Society for a maximum of two years. (In accordance with paragraph 9.9 in the Articles of Association of the Society). The investigating director and the board shall take into account any apology offered by the subject of the complaint. The board’s decision will be final and binding.

Awareness and Publicity

The existence of this policy should be promoted on the Society’s website, on social media and in the members handbook.  Persons using the Society’s email and social media services should be aware of this policy and in using email or social media agree to abide by it.

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‘CORNWALL BIRDS (CBWPS)’ is a trading/working name of Cornwall Bird Watching & Preservation Society

Get in touch – secretary@cbwps.org.uk

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