Endorsement policy for documents produced by third parties
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) works with a wide range of organisations to support improvements in women's healthcare and professional practice. This policy sets out the College's approach to collaboration with external organisations, including Medical Royal Colleges, charities and specialist societies. It covers supporting or associating the College's name and branding with documents, policies, frameworks, initiatives and other outputs developed by third parties.
A separate Standard Operating Process (SOP) has been developed outlining the process for managing requests from external organisations, including Medical Royal Colleges, charities and specialist societies, for RCOG endorsement or support, specifically for guidance or patient information they have or are planning to develop. Such requests should be sign-posted to clinicaleffectiveness@rcog.org.uk
Collaborations
A large part of our work is in collaboration with external organisations. In these cases, we need to reach agreement on conditions and processes at the start of each project.
Such collaborations can’t be assumed, and must be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the relevant person or department within the College.
See the A-Z list of key contacts at the College.
Participation in the development of a document, policy, framework or initiative does not imply endorsement by the RCOG. Any decision to endorse, support or otherwise associate the College's name with a final output will be considered separately through the appropriate governance process.
Endorsement
Formal College endorsement indicates that the College considers a document, policy or initiative to be consistent with its standards, aims and positions and affords it the same status as an RCOG document, policy or initiative. We permit use of our name and/or logo or coat of arms on material we endorse.
In general, the College will only endorse documents, policies, frameworks or initiatives where it has been involved in their development from an early stage. This helps ensure that the final output appropriately reflects the College's expertise, standards and strategic objectives. If there are circumstances where the College is proposing to endorse documents, policies, frameworks or initiatives where it has not been involved in their development from an early stage, a review should be undertaken to ensure the College is not inadvertently assuming any material obligations in any documents or concepts it is endorsing.
Participation in a collaboration, working group, steering group or consultation process does not create an expectation or entitlement to endorsement.
In considering requests for endorsement, the College may take account of factors including alignment with its charitable objects and strategic aims, the quality of the evidence base, implications for patient safety and quality of care, reputational considerations, and any actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
In exceptional circumstances, the College may agree to endorse material developed without the College’s direct involvement. Endorsement in such circumstances must be explicitly approved by the President and Officers, acting on behalf of Council, where they are satisfied that the content aligns with the College's aims, standards and positions.
The College's coat of arms should not automatically be applied to a document, policy, framework or initiative that we have agreed to endorse. A formal written license agreement must be signed between the two parties, which details the permitted use and associated conditions.
The College reserves the right to review, amend or withdraw its endorsement where material changes are made to the endorsed material or where continued endorsement is no longer considered appropriate.
For more information, please email the Digital team at digital@rcog.org.uk.
Support
Where the College does not endorse a document, policy, framework or initiative, it may choose to support it where it aligns with the College's mission and aims, the organisation leading the work is reputable, and the College is willing publicly to express a positive view of the work.
Support may include, but is not limited to, providing a supporting statement, acknowledging or promoting the work through College communication channels, or signposting members and stakeholders to relevant resources. The most appropriate approach for support will be determined depending on the material, target audience and strategic alignment with the College.
We permit use of our name, but not our logo or coat of arms, on material that we support.
Support does not constitute endorsement and should not be interpreted as the College adopting a document, policy, framework or initiative as its own.
Silent support
On occasion, we encourage the development of an initiative but won’t be involved in its development or lend our name to the initiative.
We don't permit the use of our name, logo or coat of arms on materials we silently support.
Commercial hire of College premises
The College makes meeting and event space available for commercial hire at its premises. The hire of meeting or event space at 8-10 Union Street, London SE1 does not constitute endorsement, support, sponsorship or approval by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) of the organisation, event, programme, products, services or views being presented.
Organisations hiring space within the building must not use the RCOG name, logo, coat of arms, branding or any wording that could reasonably imply that the event is endorsed, supported, organised, sponsored or hosted by the College unless explicit written permission has been granted by the RCOG in accordance with this policy.
Marketing, promotional materials, event websites, registration pages and delegate communications may refer to the event location solely by the building address, 8-10 Union Street, London SE1, and must not describe the venue as "the RCOG", "the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists", or otherwise use the College's name as part of the event branding or promotion without prior written approval.
The College reserves the right to require the amendment or withdrawal of any promotional materials that do not comply with these requirements and, where necessary, to review or terminate venue hire arrangements where misuse of the College's name, branding or reputation occurs.
Review and withdrawal
Any permission to use the College's name, logo or coat of arms may be reviewed, amended or withdrawn, where new evidence emerges, or where continued association is no longer considered appropriate or in the best interests of the College.
Organisations should seek further agreement from the College before using the College's endorsement in relation to substantially revised versions of previously endorsed material, with the College’s involvement required from the start of any material revisions to the product.
Where endorsement or support is withdrawn, any permission to use the College's name, logo or coat of arms may also be withdrawn and the organisation may be required to cease such use in accordance with the terms of any applicable licence agreement.