As Benevity expands globally, we continually strive to ensure our platform complies with the laws and regulations in countries where we have a presence. Given the diverse and changing rules, we routinely undertake reviews in applicable regions — so you can be confident in Benevity’s global offering.
These global regulatory reviews are based on a point-in-time analysis and are subject to change, as are the decisions that result from them. This page provides updates on our ongoing assessments and decisions, as well as any impact on your program and instructions for required actions. It is organized by country in alphabetical order.
If you have employees in any of the countries listed below, you must take the necessary actions as soon as possible to ensure you are complying with local regulations. See column "Client Action Required".
Please be advised that the legal reviews were conducted for Benevity and its partner foundations and do not opine on the possible legal position or requirements of or ramifications to Benevity’s clients and their users. Clients are still strongly encouraged to ensure they are operating programs in accordance with the local laws and regulations in each jurisdiction.
As regulations evolve globally, we’ll share updates and impacts on client programs here. To receive updates as they are posted, please follow this page by clicking ‘Follow’ above. If you have questions or need assistance with any of the actions you need to take, please submit a support request via the B-Hive.
Disclaimer
We kindly ask clients to refrain from posting comments/questions on this B-Hive article as they will not be monitored by Benevity and adding comments will notify everyone who has followed this article. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Client Success Manager or team.
| Country | Assessment | Client Action Required |
| Azerbaijan |
Azerbaijan has reporting requirements at the nonprofit and donor level that cannot be operationally supported at this time. Because of this, nonprofits in Azerbaijan have been deactivated. Users based in Azerbaijan may continue to participate in your program and make donations to causes outside of Azerbaijan. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark and/or Alaya by Benevity: Clients who want to notify employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. No action required from Chaordix. |
| Bahrain |
Benevity and/or the client may require a license to conduct giving and volunteering activity in Bahrain. We have removed Bahrain from our global offering at this time. All nonprofits located in Bahrain have been deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits based in Bahrain will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees based in Bahrain from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users located in Bahrain. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. Chaordix: No action required from Chaordix clients. |
| Israel |
Israel has a system of direct and indirect economic sanctions to prevent business activity with countries they deem as enemy countries and with parties involved in proliferation with enemy countries, including The Israeli Trading with the Enemy Ordinance – 1939. Under the Ordinance there is a strict ban on conducting business activity directly or indirectly with an enemy country, its citizens and anyone on its behalf. For the purpose of this Ordinance, this includes the countries of Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. The relevant lists include countries, persons, entities and organizations with which Israelis are prohibited from carrying out any economic activity. Note, Iran and Syria are comprehensively sanctioned countries by other governments. |
Clients should take this advice under consideration when enabling their program for their Israeli user base and limit the ability for Israeli users to make donations to nonprofits in Iraq and Lebanon. All nonprofits in Iran and Syria have been deactivated from the Benevity Causes Portal as they are comprehensively sanctioned countries. In the event that an Israeli user makes a donation outside the country, funds donated in ILS are likely to be stopped by the bank if directed to causes in Iraq and Lebanon. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates and banner language below. |
| Kuwait |
Benevity and/or the client may require a license to conduct giving and volunteering activity in Kuwait. Benevity has removed Kuwait from our global offering at this time because of the complex legal environment and severe penalties for noncompliance. All nonprofits located in Kuwait have been deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits based in Kuwait will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees based in Kuwait from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users located in Kuwait. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. |
| Oman |
Benevity and/or the client may require a license to conduct giving and volunteering activity in Oman. Benevity has removed Oman from our global offering at this time because of the complex legal environment and severe penalties for noncompliance. All nonprofits located in Oman have been deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits based in Oman will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees based in Oman from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users located in Oman. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. |
| Pakistan |
Pakistan-based donors are restricted and unable to make donations due to local regulations. Volunteer options may be available. Causes in Pakistan are active and allowed to receive foreign donations. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: While employees based in Pakistan are unable to donate, they may have the option of volunteering. For more information, please reach out to your Client Success Manager. Alaya by Benevity: Please contact the Alaya by Benevity team remove any users located in Pakistan - note volunteer options may be available.
Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please see the Employee Communications Templates below. Chaordix: No action is required from Chaordix clients. |
| Qatar |
Benevity and/or the client may require a license to conduct giving and volunteering activity in Qatar. Due to the complex legal environment and severe penalties for noncompliance, Benevity is not able to allow access to users in Qatar and has removed Qatar from our global offering at this time. All nonprofits located in Qatar have been deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits based in Qatar will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees based in Qatar from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users based in Qatar. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. Chaordix: No action required from Chaordix clients. |
| Saudi Arabia |
Benevity and/or the client may require a license to conduct giving and volunteering activity in Saudi Arabia. Benevity has removed Saudi Arabia from our global offering at this time. All nonprofits located in Saudi Arabia have been deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits based in Saudi Arabia will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees based in Saudi Arabia from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users located in Saudi Arabia. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change — please find Employee Communication Templates below. Chaordix: No action required from Chaordix clients. |
| UAE |
Benevity and/or the client will require a license in each of the emirates to conduct giving and volunteering activity. Benevity has received regulatory approval to support giving and volunteering for users and nonprofits located in Dubai; however, Benevity does not have a similar license in Abu Dhabi or any other Emirates. As such, Benevity is currently only able to support Dubai in our global offering because of the complex legal environment and severe penalties for noncompliance. All nonprofits located outside of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates are deactivated in the Causes Portal and nominations for nonprofits outside of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates will not be allowed. Benevity has notified impacted clients. |
Spark: Clients need to identify and remove any employees located outside of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from their demographic file. Alaya by Benevity: Please reach out to the Alaya by Benevity team to remove any users located outside of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Clients may want to notify your employees of this change – please find Employee Communication Templates below. Chaordix: No action required from Chaordix clients. |
| Revision Date | Country Assessment |
| October 2023 |
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| January 2023 |
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| September 2022 |
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| May 2022 |
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Employee Communications Templates
To help you communicate these changes to impacted employees, we have created some employee communications templates available here.