AGI Transparency Policy

AGI strives to be transparent and accountable to its members in all its activities. The AGI Council is committed to a policy of openness. AGI seeks to achieve this objective by publishing, or making available to members, a wide range of information on its activities and responding positively to requests for unpublished information. AGI also acknowledges that it produces information that has a commercial value for AGI and for its members, and will seek to protect this information as a membership benefit by making it available through mechanisms available only to members such as the password protected area of the AGI web site.

The following Code of Practice details how stakeholders can request published and non-published information from AGI and how AGI will respond.

Transparency means that AGI aims to make as clear as possible how and why, it has taken its decisions and determined its policies. AGI wants its members to know about; 

  • The processes of engagement and discussions it has undertaken; 
  • The criteria it has adopted to help it reach its conclusions;
  • The rationale behind these conclusions. 

Transparency also means that AGI wants members to have good access to information so that members are able to participate effectively.

Recourse to Members

If a member is dissatisfied with any aspect of the way that a request for information has been handled, then a complaint can be made to the Executive Group of the AGI Council. Complaints should be sent to the Chair of the AGI, who will bring it before the Executive Group for consideration. The Executive Group will provide an answer within 30 working days.

The full AGI Complaints Procedure is available to download (pdf)

The AGI will conduct itself in an atmosphere that is open and transparent with the goal of enhancing trust and understanding. Unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary, the AGI will provide to members, stakeholders, external bodies and the public, relevant information affecting them and the actions of the AGI in a timely fashion.

Transparency Policy Statement

AGI will use its resources to assure that this policy is achieved. Recognising that openness requires ongoing effort, AGI will keep under constant review the best means to communicate effectively with its membership. To accomplish these ends it will:

  1. Share on a timely basis with the membership:

     - Council discussion and decisions as recorded in Council, and Executive Group  minutes. 

     - AGI processes

     - The policies of the AGI and Council

     - Information on the governance structure of the AGI

     - The financial position of AGI as certified by its independent auditor

     - Any papers produced by its Special Interest Groups, Action Working Groups or Standing Committees

  2. Encourage the participation of AGI members in activities of AGI and solicit the opinions of members on a regular basis as an aid to the Council's decision-making process.
  3. Balance the desire for openness in its actions with sensitivity to privacy, confidentiality, and the need for free and frank discussion of issues at the Council level, but with the balance weighted towards openness and disclosure. If AGI does prevent information being put into the public domain, it will always state whether and why information has not been published.
  4. Comply with all relevant laws.

All internal AGI papers, such as minutes and papers will be placed on the Members Only part of the web site. Documents and publications that have a commercial value, such as conference and seminar proceedings, and the AGI Source Book will be placed on the Members Only side. All other papers that are outward facing, such as responses to Consultations, policy statements, lobbying papers will be placed on the open side of the web site.

Code of Practice

AGI's Code of Practice details how stakeholders can request published and non-published information, how AGI will respond to and handle such requests, together with any restrictions that apply.

  1. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply directly to AGI. However, AGI aims to ensure that arrangements for access to information are at least as open as those required by the Act. AGI will not pass member details to anyone without the express permission of the member.
  2. AGI aims to be open as possible in publishing information and responding to requests for information. However, it may not be free to disclose some types of information, such as: 
     - Personal information; 
     - Information from third parties without their permission, 
     - Information provided to meet legal obligations; 
     - Commercially confident information; 
     - Information which might harm the commercial interests of AGI's members.
  3. AGI publishes a wide range of information on its activities. Details of the documents that it is committed to publishing are contained on its website. AGI also maintain a searchable database on its website.
  4. If the information a member wants from AGI is not available in a published document, members can ask AGI for it. AGI will always aim to tell a member whether or not it holds the information and provide it if it does. If AGI cannot provide the information requested it will explain why.
  5. AGI aims to respond to all requests for information within 20 working days and can generally complete straightforward requests for published documents in a shorter time. It may take longer if it is necessary to retrieve the information from archives or if the information needs processing or re-formatting. Delays may also occur if it is necessary to consult with third parties before releasing the information. In such cases the applicant will be kept informed.
  6. AGI does not normally charge for providing information for non-commercial use, such as single copies of reports or other documents. However, it may make charges to recoup costs for requests that involve extensive photocopying or printing, or significant amounts of staff time in retrieving and collating the information. If charges do apply, AGI will inform the member and ask the member to confirm that it wishes AGI to proceed.