Understanding Business Organisations

Understanding Business Organisations

Report

RSPCA is a Charity non-profitable organisation from the Tertiary Sector within Services. http://www.rspca.org.uk History
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded in 1824 by a group of twenty-two reformers led by Richard Martin MP, William Wilberforce MP and the Reverend Arthur Broome in a London coffee shop ( in St. Martin's Lane, not far from Piccadilly Circus, stood Old Slaughter's Coffee House) and founded as a business by Heather Robertson
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was the first animal welfare charity to be founded in the world. In 1824 under the Martin's Law, it brought sixty three offenders before the Courts. It was granted its royal status by Queen Victoria in 1840 to become the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Why a non-profit organisation instead of a profit organisation?
A charity is a particular type of voluntary organisation – one that takes a distinctive legal form and has a special tax status (charitable status).
Charities can be organised in a number of different ways – they can be an unincorporated association, a trust or a company limited by guarantee. Each of these has a different governance structure – for example, a charity that is formed as a registered company will be governed by a board of directors, a charity that is set up as a trust will be governed by a board of trustees. RSPCA has both as RSPCA is governed by their board of directors and the RSPCA Branches are separately registered charities that manage their own affairs, subject to rules made by the society. There are 169 separately registered RSPCA Branches managed by their own locally-elected charity trustees. Each branch is established as an unincorporated charitable association, but the Council has power to intervene in a branch affairs in certain circumstances. Members of the Council are the charity trustees of the RSPCA, being the persons having "the general control and management of the administration of the charity" as defined by the Charities Act 1993. Every charity has to have a governing document that sets out the charity's objects and how it is to be administered.
To register as a charity, an organisation must have purposes that are defined under law as charitable. These include the relief of financial hardship, the advancement of education, the advancement of religion and other purposes that benefit the community. Once registered, charities have to obey a number of rules, which include regulations covering trustees, accounts, finances and management. A registered charity is not allowed to have political objectives or take part in political lobbying other than in a generally educational sense.

Charities: * Are set up for a charitable purpose * Are not profit-making – so any surplus they may make must be used only to further the organisation's purposes * Are independent – that is, they are not a part of any governing department, local authority or any other statutory bodies
Advantages of becoming a charity

* Tax relief on: * Income tax (on gifts given) * Corporation tax * Stamp duty * VAT * Rates * Capital gains tax * Inheritance tax
Plus increased public support as the organisation is more likely to be viewed as legitimate and worthy.

Disadvantages of becoming a charity * Charity law imposes high standards of regulation and bureaucracy. Trading, political and campaigning activities are restricted.
What RSPCA does and their purpose. * Improve animal welfare * Rescue domestic animals and wildlife. * Rehabilitate animals who can be returned to the wild. * Work with the government and public to prevent cruelty. * Prosecute those who neglect the law, on behalf of defenceless animals.
Where can we find RSPCA?
Hospitals
There are four animal hospitals:
Birmingham, Greater Manchester, Putney (south London) and the Harmsworth Memorial Hospital in Holloway (north London)
Clinics
A number of clinics which provide treatments to those who could not otherwise afford it, neuter animals and accept animals from the RSPCA inspectorate.

Centres
RSPCA animal centres deal with a wide range of injured and rescued animals, working alongside its inspectorate, volunteers, and others to ensure that each animal is re-homed in the best possible way.
In addition the Society has four wildlife centres at East Winch (Norfolk), West Hatch (Somerset), Stapeley Grange (Cheshire) and Mallydams Wood (East Sussex), which provide treatment to sick, injured and orphaned wild animals to maximise their chances of a successful return to the wild.
Branches
RSPCA branches operate locally across England and Wales, they are self-funding and raise money locally to support the animal welfare work they do. They re-home about three-quarters of all animals taken in by the RSPCA. RSPCA branches also offer advice, micro-chipping, neutering and subsidised animal treatments.
Shops
There are around 215 RSPCA shops.
RSPCA stakeholders
“Food and farming industries, smallholders, veterinarians, scientists, animal organisations and governments (UK and beyond). They represent we on many influential government, farming industry and scientific research project committees.”
RSPCA website
RSPCA helps to have animals safely removed from the streets which affects the road users positively.
As a charity group they still have bills to pay which helps the local economy and also big businesses like water, electricity, gas suppliers, internet and telephone among other stakeholders like the few employees that are remunerated, marketing material providers, stationary providers, event planners, etc.

Others like RSPCA
PDSA Vet Care services are available to pet owners who receive either Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.

Dogs Trust - (formerly the National Canine Defence League) is the largest dog welfare charity in the UK. Their mission is to bring about the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction..
The Blue Cross is Britain's pet charity, providing practical support, information and advice for pet and horse owners. Our hospitals provide veterinary care for the pets of people who cannot afford private vets' fees.

Business Structure

Couldn't find any information on this.

Internal Communications * RSPCA Council * Annual General Meeting (AGM)
External Communications * RSPCA website * social networks:
Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. * Newsletter * Magazines:
Animal Life
Animal Action Magazine for the youngest (7-12 years of age) * The Den:
A membership for children up to 18 years old. * An App for Iphone (My Pet App) * Leaflets and Posters

How are they doing?
I Believe RSPCA despite being a charity organisation they have been successful for over a century. They have a well structured marketing campaign and they are connected to the royalty among other celebrities:
Her Majesty the Queen (Royal patron), The Archbishop of Canterbury (Vice-patron), Dr Rowan Williams (well known to be opposed to the deliberate infliction of pain on any living creature), Jamie Oliver, Melanie C, Paul O’Grady, etc.
In June 2009 the RSPCA’s ‘hit squad’ slaughtered, with a bolt gun, 10 German Shepherd dogs after their owner had died and a relative had contacted the RSPCA for assistance. The RSPCA have admitted the atrocity
Research seen by The Independent shows that more than 50 charity chief executives received between £100,000 and £210,000 in 2009. In one case, a charity paid its chief executive nearly £400,000.
Unite, the union which represents 60,000 charity workers, said too many charity bosses were paying themselves more than the Prime Minister's salary of £197,000. Other 17 members of their staff earning over £60,000 pa, they are doing pretty well for themselves!
RSPCA officers earn between £14,500 and £26,000.
After a deep search regarding the charity status and its ownership I also found out that RSPCA is not one organisation but several and attending the fact that being a charity they have certain benefits I wonder where the donations we all give end up. Can RSPCA be aware of all the donations? Do they all go to the same fund? If so to which one? The RSPCA or any "independent" Brach?
Do I change something?
Honestly after what I have seen probably would de-layered that business structure starting with the ones with more authority, set a limit of earnings and would do a very thorough inspection in all RSPCA properties including the ones belonging to the RSPCA branches. Also merge RSPCA and RSPCA branches in one organisation so any possibility of "tax free" scams would fall upon a true charity, or any other scandals.

Resources: http://www.rspca.org.uk http://www.rspca.org.uk/in-action/aboutus/corporate/annualreview http://www.trustees-unlimited.co.uk http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/ http://en.wikipedia.org http://www.chrisroubis.com/category/rspca-scams/ http://rspcainjustice.blogspot.com And others that at the time I didn't accounted for.