This social media policy provides a framework for how Baseless Fabric and its associated staff, freelancers, volunteers, and trustees should use social media. It aims to support and empower employees while protecting the charity’s reputation, legal standing, and confidential information.
The Purpose of this Policy
This policy provides guidance on using social media responsibly, both for official charity communications and for personal use where there is a connection to the charity. It applies to all staff, freelancers, trustees, and volunteers of Baseless Fabric.
What is social media?
Social media is the collective term given to web-based tools and applications which enable users to create, share and interact with content (words, images, graphics and video content), as well as network with each other through the sharing of information, opinions, knowledge and common interests. Examples of social media platforms include Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok.
Why do we use social media and what can we use it for?
Social media is essential to the success of communicating Baseless Fabric’s work. Building an engaged online community can lead to more significant long-term support and involvement from supporters. Social media guidance from the Charity Commission (September 2023) conveys how social media can be a highly effective way for a charity to engage its audiences and communicate about its work.
Social media helps us to:
☐ Promote our campaigns
☐ Share our news and updates with our audiences
☐ Celebrate our successes
☐ Advertise job and volunteering opportunities
☐ Support our fundraising activities
☐ Build an online supportive community
☐ Raise our public profile and strengthen our reputation
☐ React to quickly changing situations and topics
Why do we need a social media policy?
Social media is a fast-moving online world, where nuance and context can be easily lost. While social media brings the charity to a wide audience, it can also present risks. We want to ensure that all staff and volunteers using social media represent and reflect Baseless Fabric in the best way possible. It is also important to mitigate risks (such as reputational or legal issues) associated with the use of social media to protect our supporters, staff and volunteers, work and reputation.
Guiding principles
Brand ambassadorship: All staff, freelancers, trustees, and volunteers are ambassadors for Baseless Fabric and should be mindful of how their online behaviour reflects on the organisation.
Tone of voice: The charity’s official social media channels will use a friendly, accessible, and positive tone that reflects our mission.
Pause before posting: The fundamental rule for all social media use is to think before you post. Consider if you would be comfortable saying your comment face-to-face or having your mother read it.
Honesty and accuracy: All information posted on behalf of the charity must be truthful and factually accurate. Mistakes should be corrected promptly and transparently.
Official social media use
Authorisation: Only designated individuals are authorised to post on the charity’s official social media channels.
Confidentiality: Do not disclose confidential or sensitive information. This includes details about future projects, finances, or personal information about beneficiaries, staff, or volunteers. Consent must always be obtained before posting content that identifies individuals, especially children or vulnerable adults.
Content standards: All official posts must serve the charity’s purpose and align with its best interests. Content must not be harmful, defamatory, or discriminatory.
Legal compliance: Baseless Fabric must abide by all relevant laws and regulations, including copyright, data protection, and defamation laws. Always get permission before using someone else’s images or written content.
Moderation: The Artistic Director will regularly monitor comments and activity on our official channels. Inappropriate or abusive comments will be addressed and, if necessary, deleted.
Handling complaints: Complaints received on social media should be referred to the Artistic Director for an appropriate and considered response. Avoid trying to resolve complex issues publicly in comment threads. A person wishing to issue a complaint against Baseless Fabric can be referred to the Complaints Policy on our website.
Personal social media use
Disclosure of affiliation: If you disclose your affiliation with Baseless Fabric on your personal social media profile, you should consider including a disclaimer that your views do not represent the organisation.
Protecting the charity’s reputation: Even on personal accounts, your online behaviour can be linked to your role at the charity. You must not post anything that could bring the charity into disrepute, including:
- Defamatory or disparaging remarks about the charity or its stakeholders.
- Discriminatory, bullying, or harassing comments.
- Comments on sensitive or business-related topics.
- Referrals: If you see something online that reflects poorly on the charity, report it to the Artistic Director or your line manager rather than engaging with it yourself.
- Working hours: Personal use of social media during working hours or on charity equipment should be minimal and must not interfere with your duties.
Managing social media incidents
A social media incident is any event that could significantly harm the charity’s reputation. If you become aware of an incident, follow this procedure:
- Do not act alone. Report the issue immediately to your line manager or the Artistic Director.
- Do not delete content from the charity’s channels without approval. This can escalate a situation.
- Document everything, including screenshots of posts and the date and time of the incident.
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed and updated annually by the Board of Trustees. It was adopted on 11th January 2026.
