Open information policy

CoST is committed to being open and transparent in all that we do. We are accountable to those that support our work, those that potentially benefit from it, the partners that we work with and the wider public in all the countries that participate in CoST. The principles that underpin our Open Information Policy are:

  • Presumption to disclose and provide access: We will proactively disclose and provide access to information that is potentially beneficial to the public subject to certain limitations (see below). In those circumstances we will explain what the reasons are for non-disclosure.
  • Accuracy and completeness: All the information that we disclose will be accurate, complete and timely.
  • Format: Information will be disclosed in an electronic format and in English. We will attempt to respond positively to requests for information in alternative formats.

Subject to proactive disclosure:

  • Statutory obligations: All information required to meet our obligations as a Company and a Charity registered in the UK.
  • Income: including sources, amounts and dates.
  • Work plans: including Business Plans.
  • Governance structure: including names of Directors and Staff.
  • Performance: including external evaluations.
  • We will also disclose additional information that is beneficial to the public on request (see below).

Limitations on disclosure and access to information:

  • Safety and security: We may decline to disclose information that could compromise the safety, security or privacy of our staff, board members or partners.
  • Confidentiality: Information that is confidential for legal, commercial or contractual reasons.
  • Cost: If the time and resources necessary to disclose the information is unreasonable or disproportionate to the potential public benefit of disclosure. In these circumstances we will explain our decision.
  • Copyright and intellectual property: Information may be in our possession, but we are prevented from disclosing it because another party owns the copyright or because the intellectual property rights are not exclusively ours.

Our commitment to the Data Protection Act 1998 (“English Data Protection Laws”)

Our Privacy Policy outlines the rights given relating to ‘information access requests’ to the individuals it holds information on. Please see the ‘your rights’ section of the Privacy Policy for further details.

Requesting information

If you have a request for information that is not proactively disclosed, please write to the Company Secretary, Sean Henderson, at: s.henderson@infrastructuretransparency.org. We will endeavour to respond to requests within 30 days of receipt.