The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
We recognise our obligations to create and maintain records which document our activities, to support good governance and to comply with legal and statutory requirements, in particular the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Public Records Act 1958, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation.
We recognise that our records form part of our corporate memory and are an important organisational asset. This applies to all records, in all media, which are created, received or maintained by our staff, irrespective of their contractual status, in the course of British Council business. Records and documentation created through partnerships are also subject to contractual record keeping requirements.
The British Council is committed to:
- ensuring that records are created to provide evidence of its decisions and activities
- maintaining record keeping systems to support the integrity and reliability of records
- developing and maintaining policy and procedures for the review and timely disposal of records in line with organisational requirements, legal obligations and historical value
- protecting records from unauthorised alteration or loss and providing an audit trail to record the movement and use of records
- setting principles and standards which govern access to records
- ensuring that records which are essential to business continuity are identified and protected.
We will provide adequate and appropriate resources to implement this global policy statement and will ensure it is communicated and understood.
The British Council will review this global policy statement annually to reflect new legal and regulatory developments and ensure good practice.
This global policy statement was approved by Scott McDonald, Chief Executive, in April 2024 and is due for review in March 2025.