Our Updated Charter and Bye-Laws Take Legal Effect
Having been sealed and delivered to the Society, our updated Charter, Bye-Laws and Standing Orders have taken legal effect
Published on 5th December 2024
Sealed on 21 November and now delivered to the Society, our updated Charter, Bye-Laws and Standing Orders have taken legal effect.
Over the coming months, this will mean we are able to update certain aspects of the way we operate, to reflect governance changes approved by our Fellowship in March 2023.
Our New Fellowship Election Process
As the new Bye-Laws are in operation with immediate effect, the way that Fellows are elected has now changed. We no longer require a recommendation from an existing Fellow; instead, we enable people to join us based on what they have done, rather than who they know.
The requirement for Fellowship is now to show that you have in some way contributed to our mission: ‘to cultivate a global community working for a world where nature is understood, valued and protected.’
If you feel that your work has contributed to that mission, we hope you will apply to become a Fellow, or encourage others who are doing great work to join.
Our membership has always been diverse, including nature enthusiasts from all walks of life, and we hope this update will be more equitable, and help people from a range of countries, backgrounds and fields to join our community.
How we Revised our Charter and Bye-Laws
The last major revisions to the Charter & Bye-Laws were undertaken in 2005, and prior to this, they have been revised regularly, reflecting our evolution as a Society since our foundation in 1788, as well as changes to the world we live in. Our 2018 Governance review found that our Bye-Laws were in need of an update to provide a solid base for our governance.
In 2020 the Society’s Council constituted a ‘Bye-Laws Revision Group’ to scrutinise the Bye-Laws, compare them with those of similar organisations, and propose changes. After a period of consultation, the Fellowship adopted the proposed new Supplemental Charter & Bye-Laws at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 23 March 2023. These were then passed on to the Privy Council for consideration and advertised in the London Gazette. Having been approved by the Privy Council, the new Charter & Bye-Laws took legal effect on 21 November when it was passed under the Great Seal by the Crown Office.
What Next?
Throughout the coming months, there will be additional changes in our governance processes; for example, we aim to make it easier for our global Fellows to participate by voting at our AGM. You can read about these changes in the documents.
