Care & accountability
Photography and Media Consent
This policy describes respectful use of photographs, video, audio, names, quotations, and stories involving people connected with the foundation.
Purpose and dignity
Media should help people understand the foundation's approved work without reducing anyone to a problem, stereotype, or fundraising device. The foundation should portray people accurately, respectfully, and with attention to context, power, privacy, and safety. No image, quotation, location, case detail, or story should be published merely because it is compelling or available.
Permission before capture and use
Before capturing or using identifiable media, an authorised person should explain who is collecting it, the intended channels and purposes, whether use is optional, foreseeable risks, and how to ask questions or withdraw where feasible. Consent should be informed, voluntary, specific, recorded, and separate from eligibility for assistance, employment, or participation. Refusal must not result in disadvantage, pressure, or repeated requests.
Children and people at heightened risk
For children or people who may not be able to provide valid consent, the required parent, guardian, representative, child assent, and safeguarding checks should be defined for the relevant setting. Media must not reveal a child's identity, location, school, case details, or other information where that could create risk. People affected by violence, displacement, illness, exploitation, or other heightened risks require an additional safety assessment and may need to remain unidentifiable.
Limited, accurate, and respectful editing
Media should be used only for the approved purpose and channels, with accurate captions and no misleading staging, composite narrative, or alteration that changes meaning. Names, voices, quotations, locations, dates, programme claims, and outcomes should be checked before publication. Identifying details should be minimised, and a pseudonym or obscured image should not be presented as a guarantee of anonymity without assessing re-identification risk.
Storage, access, and withdrawal
Original files, consent records, and usage decisions should be stored securely with limited access and clear version control. Staff should know which uses are authorised and should not copy media to personal accounts or unapproved tools. A practical withdrawal and takedown process should be defined, its limits for already distributed material explained, and withdrawal requests handled without exposing the person to further harm.
Partners and publication review
Photographers, journalists, donors, partners, and agencies should receive written boundaries and should not reuse foundation media outside the approved permission. A designated reviewer should verify consent, safeguarding, accuracy, accessibility, credits, and licensing before publication. Decorative or illustrative images must never be presented as real foundation activities or real beneficiaries.