At Image Mission, we are committed to high standards of corporate governance. We conduct regular checks and reviews to ensure transparency and accountability in our operations and processes.
We regularly make information available on our programmes, activities, operations, audited financials, Board and management through our annual report, website and social media pages.
Board Recruitment Policy
The Board selects members who possess suitable personal attributes, core skills, competencies and commitment necessary for good governance.
The Nominating Committee assesses candidates’ suitability and recommends the appointment of the selected candidate to the Board for approval.
Training and Evaluation of Board Effectiveness
New Board members are properly inducted and familiarised about their responsibilities, the charity’s operations and governance practices.
The Board conducts periodic self evaluation of individual members as well as the whole Board to assess Board effectiveness.
Terms of Reference
There are documented terms of reference for the board and each of its board committees. These are listed on Board & Executive Management and detailed in our Board & Operations Manual.
Term Limits
The Finance Director has a term limit of four consecutive years.
The charity will disclose reasons for retaining Board members who have served on the Board for more than 10 years.
Re-nomination and Re-appointment
All governing board members submit themselves for re-nomination and re-appointment at least once every three years.
Strategic Planning
The Board periodically reviews and approves the strategic plan for the charity to ensure that the charity’s activities are in line with its objectives.
Regular Reviews
The Board ensures that reviews on the charity’s internal controls, processes, key programmes and activities are regularly conducted.
Programme outcomes are closely monitored to ensure they are aligned with the charity’s vision, mission and objectives.
Board Meetings and Attendance
Board meetings are held every quarter in the financial year and attendance of board members is disclosed in the Annual Report.
The charity has a Conflict of Interest Policy in place. All board members and key management are required to make full disclosure of interests at the start of their term and annually thereafter.
When a conflict of interest situation arises, the person concerned declares his interest and abstains from participating in the discussion, decision making and voting on the matter.
We are committed to ensure data privacy for all our stakeholders – clients, donors, volunteers, partners and sponsors – and to safeguard against any misuse of data.
Our procedures to properly manage, protect and process personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) are documented in our Data Protection Policy.
Image Mission takes into consideration ESG factors when conducting its activities, striving to keep our activities environmentally friendly and sustainable, maintaining good relationships with our stakeholders and upholding high governance standards.
Environmental
- Mindful practice of 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) in our daily operations and conscious energy consumption
- Digitalisation of documents and records through electronic file management
- Extending the life of pre-loved work-appropriate clothes by passing them on to clients to wear at job interviews and employment and selling non work-appropriate clothing to give them a new lease of life
- Repurposing used garments to make functional items such as bags through our Sew Can I project
Social
- Work hand in hand with community partners to provide complementary services and support to clients
- Complement employment support initiatives to plug access gaps to the disadvantaged
- Mobilise skills-based volunteerism in the coaching, image consultancy, communications and finance professions among others
- Regular volunteer and donor engagement and appreciation
- Regular outreach and feedback with community partners
- Transparency in disclosure of information to stakeholders on communication platforms such as website, Annual Report and social media
Governance
- Winner of Charity Transparency Award 2023
- Compliance with the Code of Governance for charities and Institutions of a Public Character and all relevant legislations and regulations
The Board approves an annual budget for the charity’s plans and regularly monitors the charity’s expenditure.
There are documented procedures to ensure that internal controls are in place for financial matters in key areas including procurement procedures, receipting, payment procedures and controls, and system for the delegation of authority and limits of approval.
The Board ensures that reviews on the charity’s internal controls and processes are regularly conducted.
The Board ensures that there is a process to identify and regularly monitor and review the charity’s key risks.
Reserves Policy
The charity has a reserves policy to provide financial stability and ensure sustainability of its operations and programmes. We intend to maintain our reserves at a level which is at least equivalent to six months of operating expenses. The Board reviews the amount of reserves at the start of each financial year.
The reserves ratio is disclosed in the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements.
Restricted Funds
The charity discloses the amount and purpose of funds designated for a certain use in its Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements.
Independent Auditor’s Report
We disclose the independent auditor’s opinion on whether the Financial Statements are properly drawn up in accordance with the relevant provisions, the Companies Act, the Charities Act & Regulations and Charities Accounting Standard (CAS).
All cash and significant in kind donations received are properly recorded and accounted for.
The charity discloses the nature, purpose and amount of funds received in cash, donations in kind of significant value, grants and sponsorships in the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements.
The charity also discloses information on its fundraising activities, including the amount of funds raised and expenses incurred.
We do not engage commercial fundraisers.
Fundraising Efficiency Ratio
The charity discloses its fundraising efficiency ratio in the Annual Report and Audited Financial Statements. We maintain the ratio below 30% in adherence with the 30/70 rule.
Donor Rights Policy
We want donors and prospective donors to have trust and full confidence in our charity and our cause.
We declare that all donors have the right to
- be informed of our mission, the way we intend to use the donated resource and our capacity to use the donation effectively for the intended purpose
- be assured that their gifts will be properly accounted for and promptly deposited
- be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and confidentiality to the extent provided by law
The full list of donor rights is listed in our Donor Rights Policy.
The Board approves the documented Human Resource Policy for staff.
There are processes for regular supervision, appraisal and professional development of staff.
No staff is involved in setting his own remuneration.
No staff receives more than $100,000 each in annual remuneration.
Code of Conduct
There is a documented code of conduct for governing board members and staff, spelt out in the Board & Operations Manual and Human Resource Policy respectively.
Key Management
The Executive Director (ED) is appointed by the Board. The Board determines the terms of reference of the appointment and endorses the remuneration and benefits for the ED.
The charity submits its Annual Submissions to the Commissioner of Charities (COC) on time within six months from the end of its financial year.
The Annual Submission includes the Annual Report, Financial Statements and Governance Evaluation Checklist. These documents are published on the Charity Portal for public viewing.