The Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has published its updated Guidance and Good Practice for Charity Trustees, which sets out the role and responsibilities of those running the country’s 24,000 charities.

While the basic principles remain unchanged, Guidance and Good Practice for Charity Trustees has been extensively rewritten and reformatted for ease of use. Like its Meeting the Charity Test guidance published last August, OSCR’s latest guidance is web-based and organised into separate sections for easy reference according to individual needs.

Each section of the guidance features good practice examples to illustrate the legal concepts that OSCR must consider, and the issues which could arise. The guidance also features links to sources of advice and support, and has been informed by OSCR’s experience in the eight years since the last update, along with widespread consultation of charities and third sector advisors.

OSCR’s Head of Engagement, Dr Judith Turbyne, said that the guidance would provide a useful reference for Scotland’s estimated 135,000 charity trustees.

“Our updated guidance features a range of case studies based on the type of scenarios we’ve encountered, to help charity trustees understand their responsibilities and what’s required of them to ensure public confidence,” she said.

“We consulted widely on the guidance, and we’re grateful for the many responses that have helped us improve the document for publication, as well as the very positive feedback about how easy the online format is to use.”

To download the updated guidance (which is available in both HTML and PDF formats), please visit the OSCR website.