3. Voluntary application of the Code

The call for evidence asked respondents how they would like to see voluntary application (VA) evolve and for any other comments about developing VA.

Around half of the call for evidence responses provided feedback on VA.

What you told us

We received various suggestions from our stakeholders regarding VA of the Code. These included:

• Considering the name and how to make the scheme appealing, such as by introducing a kite mark
• Developing a marketing strategy to appropriately target analysts and organisations most likely to find the pillars helpful, such as larger charities, academics, private sector analysts
• Providing guidance and training that provides clear exemplars of good practice, with practical tools and how to guides, demonstrations and learning resources
• Establishing a means for accountability with respect to meeting the Code standards, and for enforcing this
• Considering a system approach to the scheme and how to balance the available resources within OSR with the needs of supporting the Code adopters.

OSR’s response

The comments provide a broad range of ways that voluntary application can be further developed, to better target the use of the Code standards in the places that may benefit from and be receptive to applying them.

These high-level findings and ideas broadly chime with what we have heard in discussions about how we could strengthen and extend VA with existing members of the VA community.

Outcome and next steps

OSR will further review the voluntary application scheme, considering the detail of the feedback provided in the call for evidence, in partnership with the members of the existing VA community of practice by autumn 2024.

Since OSR has limited resources and does not have the statutory authority to regulate non-official statistics producers, we will explore with stakeholders some ways to verify that the Code pillars are being appropriately applied by members of the scheme.