Climb is a national  umbrella organisation working on behalf of  children, young people and families affected  by metabolic diseases.

There are more than 1300 metabolic disorders, most of them chronic, progressive, disabling, severe to very severe and more often than not, life threatening. They mostly affect children but also adults and can occur at any time in life. There are no treatments and no cures for most of them and they affect 25 to 30 million people throughout Europe.  Climb supports over 4000 families throughout the United Kingdom and Europe.  Worldwide the support extends to over 6000 families and support groups.

In common with many other patient organisations, Climb must increasingly rely on corporate financial support for a significant proportion of its core and project funding. It recognises that, in return, companies would expect their support to be acknowledged publicly.

Corporate funding helps to maintain the services of Climb but it is essential to establish rules about such funding and about what companies may or may not expect from Climb in return.

This policy exists:

1. to clarify Climb's position regarding commercial companies;
2. to clarify Climb's position to its members;
3. to clarify Climb's position to the general public.

Directors and staff of Climb are expected to adhere to this policy, which will be reviewed from time to time. The policy does not set out to provide a definition of every possible funding opportunity but, rather, it provides a set of principles.

Climb believes it is important to maintain co-operative relationships with commercial companies in order to enhance communication between the families/parents/young people, whose interests we represent, and the companies, whose decisions will affect their treatment.

Relationships between Climb and the commercial companies will be based on equal partnership and will work in the interests of the families/parents/young people while preserving Climb's independence and integrity. To ensure such a partnership is successful each partner should learn to understand the internal culture of, and external pressures on, the other. This should include, however, the knowledge that the companies' profit motive may, from time to time, be in conflict with the needs of Climb to maintain its independence and that in such situations funding from the companies would not be accepted.

Climb recognises that metabolic conditions can limit the number of companies that may be interested in offering financial support and that the consequent relationship between Climb and funders may appear too close and give the impression of ownership of the organisation by particular companies. The above policy is written to keep a transparent position regarding this aspect.

Climb welcomes funding from companies so long as its independence is not compromised and there is total transparency in the relationship. A contract between the parties outlining this concept maintains clarity. Climb must not appear to endorse products or brands, be associated with a company that is unpopular with its public or appear to be partisan in any way. Climb should avoid financial support from companies that make unsubstantiated or misleading claims about their products.

Companies can be involved in project funding, sponsorship funding, grant funding or one-off donations either individually or collectively.

Project funding allows Climb to develop a close, mutually beneficial relationship providing dependable income sources over a number of years. It allows the funder to gain public credit for their involvement while projecting the functions of Climb in a way that appeals to company interests and maximises such funding opportunities. Public association of one company with Climb can also encourage other companies to initiate or increase their support in competition. Prior agreement will have been reached as to the level of publicity given, including the logo type used and the wording that is credited to the company and its support.

Sponsorship funding would apply where a single activity stream related to Climb was being financed such as a conference or means of communication such as the newsletter, leaflets or website. In such cases Climb controls the wording and position of credit given or the logo type which may be used (by prior agreement).

Grant funding would apply in relation to the finance of personnel including trainees, staff with a particular job specification such as information resource and assistance with travel expenses. In such cases acknowledgement would be as for sponsorship.

 One-off donations may not attract an obligation on the part of Climb to acknowledge support. However this may be given by way of the Annual General Meeting, publication in Climb's Annual Report or public acknowledgement at a particular function (eg conference).

Climb recognises that companies wish to be publicly acknowledged for their financial support. When they are referring to financial support they have given to Climb within their own literature, the wording used and/or the Climb name and logo cannot be published without the prior approval and agreement of the Executive Director of Climb. Any publicity information must be jointly agreed between Climb and the company.

When funding is agreed/approved a contract will be negotiated between the company and Climb taking into consideration he following principles:

1. Any funding from companies must be committed to ensuring benefits to Climb and those it represents, projecting no adverse publicity and having no presumption by the funder that this in any way influences Climb's policy whether explicitly or implicitly.
2. Commercial use of the Climb name and logo by the donor must have the prior, explicit, written approval of the Executive Director.
3. Climb supports the availability of the widest range of products, orphan medicinal products and treatments; it does not endorse individual treatments; it encourages active partnership between patient and health professionals and the discussion of all available options in the interests of informed choice on the part of the patient.
4. Where more than one branded version of a medicinal product exists, Climb encourages the naming of all such products without prejudice.
5. Climb opposes the marketing to families/parents/young people of any treatment that has neither undergone clinical trials nor been examined and approved by qualified specialists in the field.

Climb cannot meet the needs of those for whom it exists without funding. As Climb plays a major role in the implementation of services and support within Europe it is bound to attract the interest of industries which have a particular investment in the development of treatments for metabolic diseases.

By adopting a transparent policy regarding its relations with commercial companies which can be published within its literature and on its website, Climb is creating wider opportunities for future funding while making clear how this will not compromise its independence and future policy decisions.