Ethical Sponsorship and Partnership Policy

We welcome businesses, companies, and large organisations or charities who actively empower communities, LGBTQ+ people, and promote human rights to take part in Pride to make a visible statement of their commitment to staff, clients and our community. However it is vital that external partnerships do not bring the name of the charity into disrepute and that the relationship does not overshadow or compromise the delivery of Pride.

At Bristol Pride we strive to work with organisations that demonstrate ethical, environmental and social responsibility. We will only work with those organisations that are compliant with UK legal and regulatory requirements. 

We work hard to keep Bristol Pride Day financially accessible including offering Pay What You Can for those that need it. For us to achieve this we work with sponsors and partners who pay to have a presence across the festival and may include attendance on the day. This provides us with the funding needed to run our event, keep the event a donation entry option for attendees, and maximise accessibility.

Bristol Pride is a registered not-for-profit charity, meaning we do not retain any profit, and only seek to make sufficient income to be able to continue our mission, sponsorship is necessary in allowing us to raise the funds to be able to deliver the annual festival and continue our year round work supporting and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community. 

Prior to entering into an agreement with any new partners or affiliate, an exercise of due diligence is carried out. We take steps to clearly identify the key objectives of the organisation that wishes to work with us. 

At least two of the following criteria must be met:

• The organisation is happy to publicly support Pride, our community and lend a voice to the campaign to maintain and further LGBTQ+ equality.
• The organisation actively supports its LGBTQ+ employees, clients or users (i.e. robust D&I policies, LGBTQ+ Staff network, etc).
• The organisation is aligned with and supports the aims of the aims and objectives of Bristol Pride (below): 
  • Raising the awareness of the public with regard to all aspects of discrimination in society and issues and difficulties affecting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ+) people
  • Cultivating a sentiment in favour of equality and diversity in particular through celebrating the achievements of LGBTQ+ people and the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community
  • Advancing education and raising awareness in equality and diversity whether by teaching, interaction, performance or producing and/or displaying artistic and other materials
  • Producing publications, lectures, media, promoting public events and exhibitions, public advocacy and other means of communication
  • Associating with voluntary organisations, and/or governmental, public and private bodies to develop and maximise the effectiveness of voluntary organisations run by and for LGBTQ+ people

The charity will not accept support that could compromise our ethos, what we do, or undermine our effectiveness in achieving our goals.

It would not be appropriate for us to partner with companies whose commercial objectives would conflict with our goals and values, or which could promote inaccurate or misleading messages about our commitment to those goals and values. All partners will be subject to a reasonable due diligence process where we will seek to understand any potential risks of the partnership.

There are sectors that are inherently incompatible with a healthy and happy society and planet. Therefore, we will not enter into a sponsorship agreement with:

• Companies in the fossil fuel sector involved in exploration, extraction, processing, or sale
• Companies in the tobacco sector
• Companies in the arms sector
• Companies involved in animal testing

In addition to the sectors listed above, circumstances where we will have legitimate concern include (but are not limited to):

• National/multi-national companies without a formal sustainability strategy addressing material risks and impacts
• Companies with a poor reputation or track-record for ethical sponsorship or cause-related marketing, including green washing and pink washing
• Companies with a poor reputation or track-record for diversity, equality and/or inclusion
• Companies with anti-trans policies or have staff or spokespeople who have expressed anti trans views or views that undermine our aims, objectives and ethos. 

Recognising community concerns and community campaign activity as well as the historical treatment, and future needs of the LGBTQ+ community we have also made the decision to prevent the following organisations from participating in Bristol Pride Events and activities.

• Police 
• Political Parties 
• Far right groups 
• Trans Exclusionary Groups

Bristol Pride does not endorse or approve products or companies. It is an expectation that sponsor companies will advocate for, and enable, LGBTQ+ rights to be upheld.

Only Bristol Pride will have direct access to our databases. We do not provide partners with access to donors / wristband data.

Bristol Pride acknowledges the dynamic nature of global conflicts and their potential impact on our partnerships. We are committed to staying informed about international developments, especially those involving human rights violations.

If a conflict or human rights issue raises concerns about a partner’s involvement or affiliations, Bristol Pride will review the relationship. We reserve the right to reassess and, if necessary, terminate agreements if a partner’s actions conflict with our values.

Our approved partners list may change based on these evaluations, ensuring we maintain our commitment to human rights, equality, and social justice.

Bristol Pride will not accept more than ten per cent of total income per annum from one corporate partner, so as not to compromise our integrity. This does not include money raised via employee and customer fundraising as part of any corporate partnership arrangements.

All partners will be subject to a reasonable due diligence process whereby the charity will seek to understand any potential risks of the partnership.

Contracts with partners must permit the charity to withdraw from any partnership where new developments mean that areas of this sponsorship policy become breached.

Sponsors have a responsibility to make Bristol Pride aware of any reasons that may cause reputational damage or risk of disruption to Bristol Pride. This includes any other partnerships, investments or events.

A full list of corporate sponsors giving over £2,000 will be maintained on our website.

The charity will communicate its commitment to this policy to the organisation’s stakeholders. A copy of this policy will be displayed on our website within 3 months of its adoption.

We welcome comments, criticism, and suggestions as to how these goals can be met.