POLICYPROCEDUREMANUAL

Sponsorship

Date Effective:
Approved by:Simon Cohen
Ombudsman
……...... signed21/09/2012
Process Owner:Phillip Money,
Community Relations Manager
………………………………………….signed8/10/2012
PolicyName:
Name / PolicyNo:
TIO–HR47 / IssueDate:
19/09/2012 / ReviewDate:
19/19/2014 / Author:
PhillipMoney

DocumentControl.

Version / Description / Date
1.0 / Creation of policy / 19/09/2012

TableofContents

1.PURPOSESCOPE...... 3

SCOPE...... 3

2.PUBLICSECTORAGENCYPRINCIPLES...... 4

3.WHATWE MAYSPONSOR...... 4

INCREASINGTIOACCESSIBILITY...... 4

4.SPONSORSHIPAPPLICATIONSANDTIO STAFF...... 5

5.WHATWEWILL NOTSPONSOR...... 6

6.ADMINISTRATION...... 6

7.ANNUALREPORT...... 7

1.PURPOSESCOPE

TheofficeoftheTelecommunicationsIndustryOmbudsman(TIO)providesfree,independent,just,informal andspeedyresolutionofcomplaintsforpeoplewho havenotbeen abletoresolveaproblem with theirtelephoneorinternet serviceprovider.

We areguidedbythebenchmarks1forindustrybaseddisputeresolutionschemespublishedbytheDepartmentofIndustry,ScienceandTechnology(DIST)in1997 inallouractivities.Theseareaccessibility,independence,fairness,accountability,efficiencyandeffectiveness.All alternativedisputeresolutionschemesadheretotheDISTbenchmarks.

TheaccessibilitybenchmarksaysthatADRschemesshouldmakethemselvesreadilyavailabletoconsumersbypromotingknowledgeoftheirexistence,beingeasytouseandhavingnocostbarriers.Specifically,thebenchmarksaysthatschemesshouldpromotetheirexistence in suchawayastobesensitivetodisadvantagedconsumersorconsumerswithspecialneeds.

SCOPE

Forthepurposesofthispolicy,sponsorshipisregardedasthesupportbytheTIOofan event,activity,person,ororganisation,whetherfinancially,orthroughtheprovisionofservices, byexplicit orimplicit endorsement,orotherwise.

SponsorshipandpartnershipopportunitiesallowtheTIOtowork with otherorganisationstoachieveaccessibilitytargetsthatwecouldnotmeetonourown.Theseactivities mightinclude:

  • providingspeakers for publicevents
  • participatingatorattendingpublicevents
  • providingfinancialsupporttoconferencesandworkshopsstagedbyintermediarygroups
  • contributionstowardsthecostofprintedandelectroniccommunicationsmaterials.Thispolicyestablishesthe:
  • rationaleforoursponsorship activities
  • thelimitsof oursponsorshipactivities
  • aprocessthroughwhichan organisation canapplyforsponsorshipfromtheTIO.
  • aconsistentandtransparentapproachtooursponsorshipactivities.

Thispolicyisavailableonourwebsite.Detailsof anysponsorshiparrangementthattheTIOenterswillbepublishedinourannualreport.

TheTIOreservestherightnottoacceptanyproposals,andinparticularanythat:

  • conflict with theTIO’svisionandrolesasset outat
  • diminishourpublicstandingoractual orperceivedindependence.

1Thebenchmarksmaybeobtainedat

2.PUBLIC SECTORAGENCY PRINCIPLES

ThispolicydrawsupontheIndependentCommissionAgainstCorruption’s(NSW)tensponsorshipprinciplesfor publicsectoragencies.Thoseprinciplesare:

1.Asponsorshipagreementshouldnotimposeconditionsthat wouldlimit,orappeartolimit,an agency’sabilitytocarryout its functionsfully andimpartially.

2.Thereshouldbenoconflictbetweentheobjectives/missionoftheagencyandthoseofthesponsor.

3.Anagencywithregulatoryresponsibilitiesshouldnotseekoracceptsponsorshipfromorganisationswhichmaybesubjecttoregulationorinvestigationduringthelifeofthesponsorship.

4.Sponsorshipshouldnotinvolveexplicitendorsementofasponsoror itsproducts.

5.Wheresponsorship involvesthesupplyof aproduct,theagencyshouldmeasurethatproduct againstobjectivecriteria.

6.Staffoftheagencyshouldnotreceivepersonal benefitfromthesponsorship.

7.Sponsorshipshouldbesoughtandgrantedbyan openprocess.

8.Sponsorshipproposalsshouldbeassessedagainstpredeterminedcriteria.

9.Asponsorshipagreementshouldbe inwriting.

10.SponsorshiparrangementsshouldbeapprovedbytheCEOanddescribedintheannualreport.

3.WHATWE MAY SPONSOR

INCREASING TIOACCESSIBILITY

TheTIOis committedtoreachingouttoallconsumers,butparticularlythosewhoaredisadvantagedandvulnerable.Wearecommittedtoraisingandproviding accesstoourservicesbydisadvantagedandvulnerableconsumers.Inparticular,wearecommittedtoraisingawarenessamongthefollowing groupsofconsumers:

  • consumersfrom culturallyandlinguisticallydiversebackgrounds
  • youngpeople
  • residentsofrural andregional areas
  • elderlyconsumers
  • Indigenousconsumers
  • peoplewith disabilities

Inaddition,wearecommittedtoworking withintermediaryorganisationsandprofessionals,including financial counsellors,communitylegal centresorotherorganisationsthatassistdisadvantagedandvulnerableconsumers.

ProvidedthatcertaincriteriaaremettheTIOwillconsiderproviding financial orothersupporttoorganisationsandindividuals,particularlyiftheyassisttheabovegroups.

Indetermininganysponsorshipproposal,theprimaryconsiderationoftheTIOwillbethebenefitoftheproposalinimprovingouraccessibilitytodisadvantagedandvulnerableconsumers,and

increasingtheawareness oftheTIOtotheseconsumers andintermediarieswhoprovideservicestothem.

In addition totheprimaryconsiderationofawarenessandaccessibility,wewill alsoconsiderwhether:

  • theproposaliswithinthesponsorshipbudget;generally,noapplicationswillbeapprovedthatfalloutsidethesponsorship budget
  • therearesufficientTIOstaff andresourcestomanageanyactivitiesarising fromthesponsorship/partnership.
  • thesponsorshipprovidesan opportunityfor aspeakerordisplayspace
  • thesponsorship includesawrittendebriefandopportunityforevaluation at theendof thesponsoredevent
  • thesponsorshipprovidesan opportunitytoeducatethepublicabouttheTIO
  • thereareanyadditionalcosts involved,suchascorporatetablesorsignage
  • thereareadditional promotionalopportunitiessuchaslogo exposure,editorialorweb-links.

Wewillconsiderall sponsorshipproposalson a case-by-casebasis.

Asponsorshipproposalmayincludea requestfortheTIOtoprovideanendorsementor linkonitswebsite.This willbeconsideredaspartofthesponsorshipproposal.

IftheTIO’slogoisusedtopromoteasponsorship,theTIOmust approvethecontextofthe useofthelogo orbranding.Forexample,wewouldexpectto seeaproofofanybrochures,websitepagesorotherpromotionalmaterialthatusetheTIOlogoorbranding.TheTIOshouldbegivensuitablenoticetoreviewthematerialbeforepublication.

4.SPONSORSHIPAPPLICATIONS AND TIO STAFF

SponsorshipopportunitiessuggestedbymembersofTIOstaff willbeassessedinconjunctionwiththeTIO’sConflictofInterestPolicy.

TIOemployeesmaintainindependencebydeclaringpersonalrelationshipswith owners andemployeesofcompaniesandorganisationswhichconductorseektoconductbusinesswith theTIO. Itis uptotheindividualstaffmembertoidentify anddeclareanyrelationshipsorconnectionstheymayhavetotheorganisationorindividualsassociatedwiththeorganisation,asthesecouldleadto arealorperceivedconflictof interest.

Whereastaffmemberhasanyrelationshiporconnectionwith an employeeorownerofanorganisation,whichseekstoconductbusinesswith theTIO,orbenefitdirectlyorindirectlyfromTIOsponsorshiporendorsement,thestaffmemberisrequiredtodeclarethatrelationshiporconnectionhowevertrivial itmightappear.

TheTIOmay,insomecircumstances,sponsorcharitableorsportingactivitiesthatareassociatedwith membersofTIOstaff.This willonlybedonefollowing appropriatedisclosurebythestaffconcernedandafterconsiderationbytheOmbudsman.

5.WHATWE WILLNOT SPONSOR

To act effectivelyasan independentumpire,theTIOmustensuretheprocessesanddecisionsoftheschemeareobjectiveandunbiasedandareseentobeso.Anysponsorshiporpartnershiparrangementthat wouldpotentiallycompromisetheTIO’sindependenceor diminishitspublicstanding willnotbeconsidered.

TheTIOwillnot:

  • enter asponsorshipandpartnershiparrangementthatendorsesor leadstotheendorsementofaproductor service(ICACprinciple 4)
  • willnotenter asponsorshiporpartnership with amembercompanyorthirdpartyorganisationsthatarecloselyassociatedwith membercompanies(ICACprinciple 3)
  • provideendorsementforwebsitesthatcompareandrecommendtelecommunicationsandinternetplans(ICACprinciples3 and4)
  • recommendorendorsetheserviceof onetelecommunicationscompanyoveranother(ICACprinciples3 and4)
  • sponsor an activityororganisationthatdoesnotreflecttheTIO’scorevalues(ICACprinciple2)
  • sponsorsportingclubs,charities orbenevolentinstitutionsthatarenotlinkedwith theTIOorTIOemployees,except with theapprovaloftheOmbudsman(ICACprinciple8).

6.ADMINISTRATION

Anyindividual ororganisationisabletosubmit asponsorshipapplication.

AnyTIOstaff memberwhosubmitsasponsorshipapplication must haveregardtotheTIO’sConflictofInterestPolicy,andtherequirementsofmakingfull disclosureof anyrelationshiporconnection asdiscussedabove.

AllsponsorshipproposalsmustbesubmittedtotheTIO’sCommunityRelationsManageratleasttwomonthsbeforethecommencementofthearrangement.Proposalscan besubmittedthroughouronlineform at

TheCommunityRelationsManagerTelecommunicationsIndustryOmbudsmanPOBox276

COLLINSSTREETWESTVIC8007

or email:.

AllproposalswillbeconsideredbytheTIO’sCommunityRelationsManagerandmayonlybeapprovedbytheOmbudsman.TheTIOwillattempttoprovidearesponsetoanyproposalswithinamonthofreceipt.

Althoughsomesponsorshiparrangementswillbeongoing,theTIOmustreceivea freshproposaleachyear.Organisationsseeking sponsorshipfromtheTIOshouldtakeintoaccountthecontentsofthispolicyandalsoaddress thefollowing pointsintheirproposals.

  • thepurpose,scopeanddurationofthesponsorshiparrangement
  • howtheproposalincreases theaccessibilityandawarenessoftheTIO
  • theproposedmanagementarrangementsfortheproject includingthecommitmentofTIOstaffthatmightberequiredforthesponsorship.

Sponsorshipandpartnershipsshouldbesubjectof appropriatedocumentation;thismayincludeanexchangeoflettersorcontract.

7.ANNUAL REPORT

TheCommunityRelationsManagerwillprepareanannualreport,by 31 Julyeachyear. Thereportwill includeinformationabout:

  • thenumberofsponsorshipapplicationsreceived
  • thenumberofsponsorshipapplicationsapproved,includingbriefinformationaboutthenameofthesponsoredorganisationor individual,theeventoractivitysponsored,theamountofthesponsorship,andan assessmentoftheeffectiveness ofthesponsorshipinpromotingtheaccessibilityandawareness oftheTIOtovulnerableanddisadvantagedconsumers
  • anyrecommendationsabouttheTIOSponsorship Policyforthecomingyear.

Thereport willbeconsideredbytheOmbudsman,andrelevantinformationfromit includedintheTIOAnnual Report.