Terms of Reference

Mission Statement

"Holding the ring" as regards all legal and regulatory affairs touching the direct marketing industry between

• the DMA Secretariat
• the DMA Councils
• the DMA membership as a whole
• the Advisory Board
• the Board of Directors
• the Direct Marketing Commission

so as to help ensure the effective delivery to the DMA membership and the public of a consistent and fit for purpose range of self regulatory standards, best practice and enforcement mechanisms.

Membership

1. Each DMA Council should be requested to nominate one of its number as its appointed representative to the GC. This individual should sit on the Council's best practice hub or equivalent.
2. From within the DMA Secretariat, each of the Directorate of Consumer Services, Compliance and Accreditation and the Department of Legal & Public Affairs should have a representative on the GC.
3. The Direct Marketing Commission should be represented on the GC.
4. The GC should have the power to co-opt up to four, additional "at large" members as required to either assure the GC's status as truly representative of the DMA's membership or bring specific, required skills to the table. Co-opting can happen at subcommittee level.
5. If none of the above sit on the Advisory Board or the Board of Directors, both bodies to be entitled to appoint a representative to the GC.
6. Council and co-opted members to stand for re appointment by respectively their Councils and the GC or stand down every three years.
7. The Chair of the GC to be appointed by the DMA Board of Directors and to stand for re appointment or step down every three years.

Detailed terms of reference

1. Keep under review the provisions of the DMA's Code of Practice and Best Practice documentation and screen before publication all future editions of such Codes, Best Practice statements and any Guidelines, proposed contract forms and other documents purporting to set out the DMA's position on matters of law and governance and intended for general publication. The idea being to ensure consistency of policy, content, style and approach.
2. Proactively monitor legal and regulatory affairs and existing and future anticipated developments affecting the direct marketing industry, both nationally and internationally, and circulate reports and make proposals as appropriate as to for example the writing and publication of relevant content such as code amendments, suggested forms of contract, "White Papers" and Position Statements on specific issues
3. Keep the complaint handling process under continuous review in order to best serve the interests of the membership and the public and make recommendations as appropriate to the DMA Advisory Council regarding compliance with the DMA Code of Practice by DMA members, regarding any variation to complaint handling mechanisms that might be beneficial and regarding any new self regulatory initiatives thought to be in the interests of the consumer and the direct marketing industry.
4. Monitor key indicators within the various Preference Services and recommend actions to be taken as appropriate within for instance Councils that may be directly concerned.
5. Utilise the Direct Marketing Commission's representation on the GC to from time to time request reports on any issues within the Commission's competence concerning the perceived effectiveness of and/or industry adherence to industry standards and make recommendations to its constituencies as appropriate.
6. Act as a conduit for Councils to bring legal and regulatory issues to the attention of the DMA and advise the Director of Legal and Public Affairs regarding which DMA councils should have a fuller input in forming the DMA's position.
7. To enable the GC to perform the above functions, to receive regular updates on relevant developments from the Direct Marketing Commission, the DMA Legal and Public Affairs Directorate and the DMA Consumer Services, Compliance and Accreditation Directorate.
8. To better perform the above roles to appoint specialist Hubs as appropriate.

Meetings

1. The GC to meet every two months or more frequently as deemed necessary by the Chair, convening wherever possible in person at the DMA offices.
2. Proposed meeting agenda to be circulated at least 3 working days in advance.
3. Approved minutes of GC meetings with action points to be circulated to its members and to the Council Chairs, the Advisory Board and the Board of Directors.