Erikshjälpen's fundraising policy governs all fundraising within Erikshjälpen and must be applied to all types of fundraising. Approved by Erikshjälpen's board 2024-11-29.
At Erikshjälpen, we boldly raise funds so we can continue our work toward a better where children’s dreams come true. We uphold children’s rights through interventions education and recreation, health and safety, protection, and humanitarian interventions. In this way, we aim to provide children and young people around the world with the support and opportunity to dare to dream of the future. We believe in children and want to give them the tools for a better life and a safer future.
According to Erikshjälpen's values, we want to work in "Erik's spirit". This means that we take the responsibility of managing donors' gifts and trust very seriously. Erikshjälpen's fundraising work is aimed at private individuals, Corporate, parishes and associations. We regard every gift as an expression of personal commitment. This has been the case since the days of Erik Nilsson.
Erikshjälpen's activities are funded by private fundraising, institutional contributions and surplus from our Second Hand shops. This policy clarifies for our donors the principles that apply to fundraising activities, how Erikshjälpen raises money and how we handle gifts. The fundraising policy also provides guidance and direction to Erikshjälpen's employees, volunteers and others who participate in our fundraising work.
Erikshjälpen's fundraising policy governs all fundraising within Erikshjälpen. However, gifts in the form of used goods to Erikshjälpen Second Hand are not covered by this policy.
Gifts from the public/privateprivate individuals, organisations, Corporate, communities, private and non-profit funds and foundations, testamentary gifts and the value of donated assets are counted as funds raised. A gift to Erikshjälpen must always be voluntary.
Contributions in the form of money from Corporate can be legally defined as either a gift or sponsorship. Corporate partnerships, where the contribution from the company is to be met by some type of counter-performance from Erikshjälpen, are considered sponsorship and are designed in dialog, after which we write an agreement that clarifies the scope and division of responsibilities.
We see our various aid and development projects as a partnership with our donors. As part of strengthening this partnership, we provide regular feedback with examples of how funds raised have been used.
Erikshjälpen's fundraising towards the public, and the handling of donations, always takes place via a 90 account that is controlled by Swedish Fundraising Control. This means that the collection is checked annually to ensure that we do not have unreasonable collection and administration costs. At least 75 percent of the total income must go to the purpose. Erikshjälpen is also a member of Giva Sverige, the professional association for fundraising in Sweden, and applies their quality code. The purpose of the code is to promote transparency, professionalism and increased trust.
In Erikshjälpen's annual report, which is available at erikshjalpen.se, we report funds raised, costs, funds distributed and the results and effects of our interventions.
Erikshjälpen follows current legislation when handling personal data. Detailed regulations can be found in our Privacy Policy (personal data policy).
Erikshjälpen's fundraising work is completely dependent on committed donors who want to join us in the work for children's rights and future. We do not just want to collect as much money or as large gifts as possible. For us, the small gift is as important as the big one.
In Erikshjälpen's fundraising work, it is central to respect the donor's wishes. This means that:
Erikshjälpen strives to ensure that most of the funds raised are not earmarked. This means that we can use the funds where they are most needed and do the most good. If it is of great importance to the donor to direct the gift to a special purpose within the framework of Erikshjälpen's projects, this can be done in consultation with donor service.
The donor has the right to receive information about what the funds raised are used for. In fundraising campaigns and disasters, the donor must be able to easily find out what purpose the funds raised are for and, for example, which organisations Erikshjälpen chooses to cooperate with on site in the crisis-affected area.
If, for some reason, targeted gifts cannot be used for what the donor wanted, the donor must be contacted and offered the opportunity to direct the gift to another purpose. If Erikshjälpen wants to change the area of use, the donor must first be contacted.
If a donor wishes to have a gift returned and contacts Erikshjälpen within a reasonable time, we will, as far as possible, accommodate this request and pay back the gift. If Erikshjälpen discovers that an incorrect gift has been received or that a gift has been paid twice by mistake, this must be rectified and refunded to the donor as soon as possible.
We want to show our gratitude for the gifts we receive. We aim to ensure that all new donors receive a personalized thank you and information on how the money is used.
Erikshjälpen wants to make it easier for young people to get involved. With our founder Erik Nilsson as a role model and example, we know that children and young people can change the world.
We are present in many contexts where young people, including those under 18, move and participate (festivals, concerts, etc.). People under 18 who want to become donors are welcome to join, but only after the consent of the guardian and/or the signature of an agreement.
We also want to encourage the involvement of children and young people and their fundraising initiatives. This may involve, for example, school classes, groups of children in parishes, sports clubs and others who want to organize fundraising events. We encourage and welcome these initiatives, but always with the approval and involvement of teachers, parents and/or other responsible adults.
We do not target minors in direct marketing activities, such as mailings or targeted campaigns.
Our basic rule is that everyone who wants to can donate money to Erikshjälpen. Erikshjälpen can sometimes still choose to decline a donated gift if the donor wants to condition the gift in a way that we cannot accept or live up to. Erikshjälpen can also choose to decline a gift if the donor's values or activities are in conflict with the organization's values and if the origin of the gift is contrary to Erikshjälpen's Guideline for sustainable cooperation. Erikshjälpen can also decline a gift if it is associated with conditions that we cannot fulfill or if the costs of the gift are not in reasonable proportion to the gift itself. Other reasons for refusal may be that the gift has undesirable consequences or if it consists of goods, services, buildings, etc. that Erikshjälpen cannot use or dispose of.
The Guideline on Sustainable Cooperation providesdetailed information.
If the gift/will is received in the form of Shares, these may be retained for a shorter or longer period unless this is clearly contrary to the donor's wishes as expressed in the deed of gift or will.
Holding Shares in Corporate whose main business is in the alcohol, tobacco, pornography or arms industries is not in line with our policy. If such Shares are received as a gift/will, a responsible liquidation must take place within a maximum of one year unless there are exceptional reasons. Erikshjälpen's Investment Policy containsdetailed information regarding shareholdings.
Gifts in the form of real estate are sold as soon as possible and the amount received is used in accordance with the donor's wishes. However, exceptions can be made if continued ownership of the property in some form can contribute to the realization of Erikshjälpen's purpose, or if the donor in his deed of gift or will expressed a specific wish.
When Erikshjälpen receives a will, we make a careful accountability that the bequeathed funds can be used according to the testator's last will. If it turns out that the will is written in such a way that we cannot fulfill the testator's wishes, we contact the estate to discuss the design and whether the gift can be used for similar activities. If this is not possible, we will decline the gift out of respect for the donor's last wishes.
Wills that benefit Erikshjälpen where another party raises a complaint, we handle with the help of legal expertise, with the aim of fully respecting the deceased's will.
Policy for feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing describes how feedback, complaint and whistle blowing alarms can be reported within Erikshjälpen and how reported cases are handled. Approved by Erikshjälpen's board 2025-05-22.
The policy applies to all of Erikshjälpen, i.e. the second-hand business and the children's rights organization in both Sweden and internationally. The policy is also available in English and is called Policy for Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing.
This policy describes how feedback, complaint and whistleblower alarms can be reported within Erikshjälpen and how reported cases are handled. It applies to the whole of Erikshjälpen, i.e. the Second Hand activities and the children's rights organization in Sweden as well as internationally. feedback can be positive or negative, complaint point to shortcomings in our activities while Whistle blowing warns of serious abuses. Chapters 2-4 describe these in more detail.
Erikshjälpen works to ensure that children's rights are respected, protected and fulfilled in Sweden and around the world. We have zero tolerance for discrimination, all forms of abuse, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment. We strive to be transparent and accountable in the management of the gifts we receive and work preventively on anti-corruption. Our approach is described in our Child Safety and Protection Policy, our Code of Conduct and our Anti-Corruption Policy, among others.
Erikshjälpen encourages the reporting of both suggestions for improvement and grievances in order to improve quality and address any shortcomings in our operations both in Sweden and in our other program countries. The purpose of this policy is to create a safe and open environment where transparent procedures ensure that all feedback, complaint and whistleblowing alarms are treated seriously, fairly and confidentially and with respect for the individuals involved.
Whistle blowing is based on the rights and obligations stipulated in the Act (2021:890) on the protection of persons reporting wrongdoing (the "Whistleblowing Act"). The Act is based on the EU Whistleblowing Directive. When a whistleblowing case arises outside the EU, the specific legal requirements of that country will also be taken into account.
feedback can concern anything within Erikshjälpen's activities, both positive and negative. For example, it can be praise, feedback or suggestions for improvement.
Anyone who in any way comes into contact with Erikshjälpen or Erikshjälpen Second Hand can submit feedback, including participants and guardians that we meet in our program initiatives.
feedback is given directly to the business concerned. Contact details are available on our website.
feedback is handled in the first instance within the relevant activity. If necessary, senior managers can be involved. When deemed relevant, the comment can be handled as a complaint, see below.
A complaint is intended to draw our attention to shortcomings in our operations and those of our partners. It may concern deviations from, or suspected deviations from, agreements, guidelines and policies.
A complaint may, for example, concern unethical behavior in one of our businesses or among our partners, but it is not considered to fall within the scope of Whistle blowing, i.e. it is not of such a nature that the public has an interest in it being discovered and stopped (see further what applies to Whistle blowing in section 4 below).
Incidents concerning an individual employee's work environment are instead reported as an incident or an occupational injury via the intranet or directly to the immediate manager.
Opinions about in-store products are instead handled as feedback and given directly to the store in question.
Anyone who in any way comes into contact with Erikshjälpen or Erikshjälpen Second Hand can submit a complaint. For example, it can be employees, volunteers, trainees, partners and their employees, donors and customers. It can also be participants and guardians that we meet in our interventions.
complaint are reported via forms on Erikshjälpen's website. In order for us to be able to act on incoming complaint , it is desirable to state which business or store the case concerns. It is also possible to report a complaint to complaints@erikshjalpen.se or directly to a manager or employee at Erikshjälpen or Erikshjälpen Second Hand. The person receiving the complaint can then enter the information in the form.
We also ensure that in our interventions we have easily accessible ways for participants and guardians to lodge complaint and that our international partner organisations have their own policies and systems for complaint handling. Reporting channels should be easily accessible and adapted to the local context and rights holder in our work.
If a partner organization within our international program activities receives a complaint , the regional office can support the partner if possible. The complaint will then be reported through Erikshjälpen's complaint form.
Reporting of deviations from our child safety and protection policy should be done promptly, if possible within 24 hours. Internationally, reporting is done as defined in the partner agreement.
Reported complaint are sent to the relevant quality control group, based on which activity the case concerns. There are quality control groups for different parts of the business, including second hand, program activities in Sweden, program activities internationally and Erikshjälpen in general. The groups consist of operational managers and in some cases controllers and/or coordinators. If necessary, other functions can be involved, e.g. child protection officer, safety officer, financial manager or HR manager. If the case concerns someone in the quality control group, the next higher manager is involved, or the relevant board or external party.
The Act (2021:890) on the protection of persons reporting wrongdoing (the "Whistleblowers Act") describes the rights and obligations of whistleblowers. The Act is based on the EU Whistleblower Directive. Whistleblowers must not be prevented from reporting wrongdoing and must be protected from retaliation. Below is a description of how Erikshjälpen and Erikshjälpen Second Hand handle whistleblower alarms. Erikshjälpen's HR department can provide more details on the whistleblower law if needed.
Whistle blowing is used to draw an organization's attention to serious wrongdoing that is of such a nature that the public has an interest in its detection and stopping.
The whistleblowing should concern wrongdoings that have occurred or are highly likely to occur in the activity in which the whistleblower is/has been/may become active or in another activity with which the whistleblower is or has been in contact through his/her work.
The whistleblower must have had reasonable grounds to believe that the information about the misconduct was true at the time of reporting in order to be covered by whistleblower protection.
For example, whistleblower alarms can be messy:
Deviations linked to the above categories but which are not deemed to be so serious that the public has an interest in them being discovered and stopped can instead be reported as complaint (see section 3 above). Information that only concerns an individual employee's own working or employment relationship is not normally covered by the Whistleblowing Act but should instead be raised with the immediate manager or HR or the union.
A whistleblower is protected by the Whistleblowing Act if he or she, in a work-related context, has become aware of or obtained information about wrongdoing and reports it. The whistleblower must also belong to one of the following categories of persons:
Persons who belonged to one of the listed categories of persons and then received the information are also covered by whistleblowing protection.
In addition to the whistleblower, persons who assist the whistleblower in reporting, persons associated with the reporting person, and legal persons that the reporting person owns, works for or otherwise has a work-related connection to are also protected.
There are four reporting channels for whistleblower alarms internally within Erikshjälpen/ErikshjälpenErikshjälpen Second Hand:
Forms and contact details for the responsible report recipients are available at erikshjalpen.se
Whistle blowing forms guarantee anonymity if the whistleblower does not provide any personal data in the form.
Regardless of the channel you choose, your report should include the following information:
Reporting of deviations from our child safety and protection policy should be done promptly, if possible within 24 hours. In international programming, reporting is done according to what is established in the partner agreement. If a partner organization in our international program activities so wishes, the regional office can, if possible, support the reporting of whistleblower alarms to Erikshjälpen.
Erikshjälpen's HR manager and a designated HR specialist are responsible for receiving reports of misconduct in accordance with Chapter 5, Section 5 of the Whistleblower Act and are also the ones who receive alarms via forms on erikshjalpen.se and the email address visselblasning@erikshjalpen.se.
If the HR manager or designated HR specialist is directly linked to what is being reported, reporting can also be made to the highest operational manager, Erikshjälpens Secretary-General, or to the Chairman of the Board. Contact details can be found at erikshjalpen.se.
The designated report recipients are mandated to independently and autonomously handle and investigate reports received. In order to investigate and remedy the misconduct, more people may need to be involved, access to any personal data will then be limited to what each person needs to fulfill their duties. The person handling a whistleblowing case must not unauthorizedly disclose any information that may reveal the identity of the reporting person or of any other individual involved in the case.
Erikshjälpen cooperates with local partner organizations to implement initiatives for children's rights. According to Erikshjälpen's intervention agreement, the partner organization undertakes to work to prevent, detect and identify any illegal or inappropriate activities or misuse of funds.
Erikshjälpen receives complaint and Whistle blowing regarding local partner organizations and their employees, but also encourages partner organizations to develop their own systems to handle this to increase accessibility and transparency in the operations. Reporting channels should be accessible and adapted to the local context and participants in the operations.
In order for participants to make a complaint , partner organizations are expected, as a minimum, to provide information on the name and contact details of the intervention leader and other leaders in the partner organization. If the partner organization has a system for handling complaint and Whistle blowing, it is expected that the system includes the interventions supported by Erikshjälpen.
When you report a complaint or a Whistle blowing via the form on our website, you can choose to remain anonymous. However, we encourage you to provide your name and contact details so that we can investigate the incident and address it properly, and so that you can receive feedback on what has been done. Even when personal data is provided, it is treated confidentially, i.e. the information is only accessible to the persons authorized to access it.
We follow these principles when handling cases:
The procedure followed for incoming cases is described below. The principles set out in section 7 are followed at all stages.
The cases reported via the forms enter directly into a case management system, and are assigned a category for the specific case type. The case is given a reference number. Only authorized persons have access to the specific categories. If the case is communicated orally, the reporter and the recipient can fill in the form together.
This applies specifically to Whistle blowing:
In the case of an oral whistleblowing alert, the recipient must document the report. This can be done through a recording if the reporter agrees to it, or alternatively by drawing up a protocol. The reporting person must be given the opportunity to check, correct and approve by signature an established protocol. A case is created in the case management system where documentation is saved.
The recipient sends an acknowledgement of receipt of the whistleblowing report within seven days of receipt, unless the reporting person has declined acknowledgement or the recipient has reason to believe that acknowledgement would reveal the identity of the person.
The case is investigated by the designated recipients. More people can be involved when necessary, but the number involved should always be kept to a few.
Whistleblower alerts are investigated to determine their accuracy.
All whistleblowing alerts and complaint containing particularly sensitive information, such as allegations of gross misconduct, corruption, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, harassment and assault, are investigated with special discretion and protection for the victim.
If the investigation is deemed to be better handled by an external party - for example for reasons of conflict of interest, credibility or if expert knowledge is needed - such a party will be engaged.
If the case concerns a lack of compliance with our policy on child safety and protection and the involvement of children, action must always be taken promptly. If necessary, Erikshjälpen's child protection officer may participate in the investigation.
When serious cases are received, the Secretary-General of Erikshjälpen and/or the Executive Director of Erikshjälpen Second Hand Hand are informed as soon as possible. They then make an assessment of whether the boards or part of the boards should be informed.
If the matter is considered to be so serious that there is a risk of an organizational crisis, the crisis management group is involved and management takes place according to the established crisis management plan.
The recipient will decide on what action, if any, to take in response to the findings of the investigation. If necessary, other functions will be involved in order to implement the necessary measures. Again, with due discretion and protection of personal data involved in the case.
If there is a suspicion that a child is being abused, it may be necessary to report the concern to the Social Services, see further in Child Safety and Protection, Appendix 2 - Guidelines.
If the case involves a breach of the law, this should be reported to the nearest police authority. Before reporting, the nearest supervisor or manager should be contacted.
Beneficiaries regularly follow up on the implementation of agreed measures.
If the reporter has not chosen to remain anonymous, the recipient ensures that the reporter receives feedback regarding his or her case, preferably continuously throughout the process whenever possible.
In the case of Whistle blowing , confirmation of receipt must be made within 7 days. The measures and reasons for these must then be communicated back to the whistleblower within 3 months if they can be reached and wish to receive feedback.
Regardless of the type of case, however, our internal goal is to provide feedback as soon as possible, but within one month at the latest.
All cases received that, after investigation, are deemed to be of a high level of seriousness will be shared with management and the Board. Reporting is done in an anonymized format where appropriate.
Once a year, cases and actions will be compiled and reported to management and, where appropriate, the Board, also in anonymized format. In connection with the compilation, an evaluation of the process for handling incoming cases is also made and any identified improvements are implemented.
To ensure that whistleblowing alerts are handled correctly by the designated recipients, an accountability review is carried out every quarter, where Secretary-General or the Executive Director reviews all alerts received in the previous quarter and ensures that they have been handled correctly. The results of the review are reported to the Board as part of the reporting of the internal control plan.
Whistleblowing cases are deleted at the latest two years after the case is closed.
If the reporter is not satisfied with the handling of a case, he/she can log a new case via the same form on the website, indicate the case reference number and describe his/her dissatisfaction.
In Sweden, the government has designated a number of competent authorities that have so-called external reporting channels on their websites that can be used if you want to blow the whistle to an external party. The different authorities receive different types of whistleblowing, see the list of their areas of responsibility here:
List of authorities with responsibility according to area of responsibility under Regulation 2021:949 - Arbetsmiljöverket (av.se)
Internationally, external reporting channels may differ. If necessary, the relevant regional office can refer to the relevant party.
In the 2023 Annual Report, you can read more about our interventions children's right to education and leisure, health, safety, and protection. The Annual Report contains the financial statements for 2023.
In the 2022 Annual Report, you can read more about our interventions children's right to education and leisure, health, safety, and protection. The Annual Report contains the financial statements for 2022.
The 2021 Annual Report describes Erikshjälpen's interventions children's right to education and leisure, health, safety, and protection during the year. The Annual Report contains the financial statements for 2021.
The 2020 Annual Report describes Erikshjälpen's interventions children's right to education and leisure, health, safety, and protection during the year. The Annual Report contains the financial statements for 2020.
The 2019 Annual Report describes Erikshjälpen's interventions children's right to education and leisure, health, safety, and protection during the year. The Annual Report contains the financial statements for 2019.
Read the statutes for Erikshjälpen, the Uncle Erik's Children's Aid Foundation.
The name of this foundation is Erikshjälpen, Insamlingsstiftelsen Farbror Eriks barn- och hjälpverksamhet.
The Foundation shall have its seat in the municipality of Jönköping in the county of Jönköping.
- (Expired)
The purpose of the foundation is to conduct Christian and social humanitarian activities in Sweden and foreign countries, primarily among children and youth.
The activities are carried out with donations/grants from individuals, parishes, organisations and institutions.
The affairs of the Foundation shall be managed by a Governing Board consisting of not less than six and not more than twelve members. A quorum shall exist when at least half of the members are present and agree on the decision. In the event of a tie, the opinion of the Chairman shall prevail.
The Board of the Foundation:
(a) constitute itself and appoint a new member if necessary
(b) may appoint one or more alternates, if deemed appropriate
(c) may appoint from within or outside the Foundation a director for its activities
(d) the Foundation's name shall be signed by the Board of Directors or by the person or persons appointed by the Board.
- (Expired)
Two auditors shall be appointed annually.
Amendments to these Statutes may be made when the entire Board is present and unanimous at two consecutive meetings.
If the Foundation is dissolved, its assets shall be used for the purposes specified in Article 4 of the Statutes.