EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou has written to a second charity regulator about Easyfundraising, urging it to take action over the fundraising platform.
Haji-Ioannou’s company EasyGroup is preparing legal action against Easyfundraising over its use of the prefix “easy” in its name, after taking similar steps with other organisations, with a High Court hearing planned for June.
He wrote to the Charity Commission last month, alleging that the platform’s owners and CEO “have engaged in the past in activities of significant concern from a charity law and regulatory perspective”.
While the Commission reviews Haji-Ioannou’s complaint, he has now shared similar concerns with the Fundraising Regulator in a letter dated yesterday.
“I consider the concerns raised to fall within the remit of both the Fundraising Regulator and the Charity Commission,” the letter seen by Civil Society reads.
Easyfundraising is not voluntarily signed up to the Fundraising Regulator but the letter alleges that it is in breach of the Code of Fundraising Practice’s principles.
Haji-Ioannou’s letter details concerns about the platform including a lack of clarity about how quickly it passes on money raised to charities and the commission received by its owners and senior leadership.
A Fundraising Regulator spokesperson said it was “aware of these issues and is currently assessing the information”.
Easyfundraising: EasyGroup ‘throwing mud around’
James Moir, chief executive of Easyfundraising, criticised the letter and said his organisation had “robust” policies despite not having signed up to the Fundraising Regulator.
“We have undertaken numerous reviews over the years, with legal specialists on our terms, conditions and operations,” he said.
“We couldn’t have raised over £50m for charities and causes without already having robust policies and procedures in place, all of which follow industry best practice.
“Signing up to the Fundraising Regulator is something we’ve looked at in the past, and we may revisit again in the future.
“We know that signing up to the Fundraising Regulator brings a badge of honour to the organisations that do so and extra reassurance to their partners.
“This letter is yet another shameful example of Stelios throwing lots of mud around in the hope it will somehow help EasyGroup’s legal case this summer.”
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