Only 12 per cent of leading charities publicly recognise a trade union, analysis by Third Sector has indicated.

Of the 50 charities ranked in Third Sector’s inaugural Charity Employer Index 2024 on their workplace policies and benefits, only six organisations actively mentioned trade union recognition on their websites.

There may be other charities that have agreements with unions but choose not to advertise this fact. 

For example, the RSPCA faced strike action in 2020 by members of the union Unite, but there is no mention of the organisation on the charity’s website, making it unclear whether there remains an active agreement between them.

The sector has faced a spate of strike action in recent years, with salary reviews unable to keep up with the pace of inflation and financial challenges driving charities to restructure or implement redundancy programmes. 

The NSPCC was among the six charities in the index to mention trade union recognition on their websites. 

Brett Terry, people director at the NSPCC, told Third Sector: “Prospective employees are increasingly researching potential employers, including whether those employers recognise unions. We take great pride in our relationship with our trade union [Community Union], which allows us to work together to ensure our staff and volunteers are happy in the workplace. 

“Our partnership is built on trust, respect and a clear, shared purpose. In my experience, such relationships are relatively rare, and we are proud to showcase our collaboration with our trade union on our website, demonstrating our commitment to our people.”

Oxfam GB also mentions trade union recognition on its website.

The charity’s chief people officer, Joyce Idoniboye, said: “We pride ourselves on a collaborative engagement with our recognised trade unions alongside all our colleagues. We have regular meetings with our reps to discuss concerns, share updates and collaboratively address workplace issues. We value mutual respect and open dialogue.”

The first strike action by members of staff in Oxfam GB’s history was called off after two days in December 2023, when Unite members voted to accept a pay offer from the charity.

Citizens Advice has also recognised a union since 2005.

Angela Buxton, executive director of people at the charity, said: “We’re proud to be an employer that recognises trade union membership among our colleagues. As independent organisations, we take a partnership approach in our relationship with Unite to ensure that Citizens Advice is a great place to work, where everyone belongs and can reach their full potential."

Analysis conducted for the index also found that the vast majority – 42 – of the 50 charities (84 per cent) have a whistleblowing procedure. 

This is despite the fact that in the UK there is no legal requirement for an organisation to have a whistleblowing policy in place. 

The findings come against a backdrop of rising whistleblowing disclosures in the charity sector. 

Recent data from the Charity Commission revealed that whistleblowing disclosures made to the regulator rose by a “significant” 72 per cent in 2022/23 – a record high since it began releasing the figures in 2015/16. There was a particular spike in reports of financial harms, which more than doubled on the previous year. 

The full findings of the Charity Employer Index can be found here.