Proposed Statutes and By-laws Changes - for General Assembly to consider 2026

Proposed Statutes Changes - for GA to consider 2026

Addition of new item 3 to Article 6: Membership Rights and Obligations. Subsequent sections re numbered (4).

1. Individual members are entitled to attend and vote in the Society’s General Assembly, to be nominated in elections for membership of the Board of Directors, as defined in article 12, and to nominate candidates for elections to the Board of Directors.

2. Honorary and representatives of Affiliate member organisations are entitled to attend and vote in the Society’s General Assembly, and to nominate individuals standing in elections for the Board of Directors, but they are not entitled to hold a position on the Board of Directors.

3. Individual members employed by for-profit corporations are not eligible to be nominated for election to the board of directors or as chairs of the working parties.

4. Individual and Affiliate member organisations must pay an annual fee or contribution, the amount and the conditions of which will be approved by the General Assembly. Exemptions to this requirement are outlined in the By-laws of the Society. Honorary members are exempt from paying fees.

Changes/clarification of wording in article 7.3 a and b to reflect the new rolling membership year:

3. Members may terminate their membership with immediate effect:

a) Within one month after they have been notified of a decision that restricts their rights, or that increases their obligations; Based on their termination of membership, the decision will then not be applicable to them. Members may not terminate their membership with immediate effect in the event of a change in their financial rights and obligations.

b) Within one month after they have been notified of a decision to convert the Society into another legal form, for merger or for splitting-up.

Change in Article 12.7 to allow only one-third of board members to be appointed rather than elected vs the ½ previously allowed:

The Board of Directors is entitled to fill its own vacancies by appointing members of the Society, provided that not more than one third of the Members of the Board of Directors are appointed by the Board of Directors. These appointments will be effective until the next elections

Article 16: Nomination and Election of Board of Directors – reworded to reflect changes in by laws (previously referred to a nominations committee constituted in by laws, but this committee structure has been taken out of bylaws and put in to the board operating manual); some rewording to reflect actual function of the nominations committee

2.  A nominations committee will be established before each election to identify qualified candidates and encourage them to seek nominations and to stand for vacant Board positions.

3g removed as this is not our process and subsequent sections re numbered (current h becomes g, etc.)

Removed: The nominations committee may recommend one or more persons for each board vacancy from the list of nominees for the relevant post.

Proposed By-laws Changes - for GA to consider 2026

By law changed to By-law throughout document

Minor updates to the duties as highlighted below:      

6.1 Duties

The Board of Directors with the Executive Director, oversees activities of the Central Office,

the Standing Committees and Working Parties as they conduct the business of the society and

acts to ensure the vision, mission and goals of the society are met. Specific duties include but

are not limited to:

• Developing and implementing the strategic plan of the Society.
• Deciding the locations and timing of ISBT Congresses (see section 14.4).
• Responsibility for effective governance and the financial management of the Society.

The Board of Directors appoints and supports standing committees and working parties as

described in Sections 11 and 13 of these By-laws and in the Terms of Reference of the committees and working parties.

The Board of Directors may also appoint ad hoc committees as appropriate as well as the nominations committee prior to elections. Remove reference in this line to the awards committee as it is now listed in Committees section

The President has ex officio membership of all committees and working parties of the Society.

The Board may identify a member of the Society to undertake specific activities to further the

Society’s aims.

Specific roles for board positions are defined in the Board Operating Manual.

11. STANDING COMMITTEES (reference to Jean Julliard Prize and Awards committee removed and Wards committee inserted.)

The following Standing Committees are established:

• Committee of the ISBT Academy
• Committee on Ethics
• International Scientific Advisory Committee (ISAC)
• Awards Committee
• Nominations Committee
• Vox Sanguinis Committee
• Young Professionals Council

Each Committee shall have at least one Board member and, except for ISAC, other members as appointed by the Board of Directors and according to each committees current ToR.

Written operating principles for Standing Committees and Terms of Reference for each Standing Committee are available on the website.

15. ISBT AWARDS, PRIZES and FELLOWSHIPS  

Amended to change the names of the awards to updated versions and corrected wording to match new award descriptions on the website.

Awards and fellowships to honour ISBT members and celebrate accomplishments are available. The details of the nomination process and award requirements are outlined in the Board operating manual and on the ISBT website.

15.1 ISBT Award

Granted to individuals or teams who have contributed significantly to ISBT and to the fields of transfusion medicine and science, these awards are presented at each ISBT congress.

15.2 Ravi Reddy Award

Granted biennially to a blood service or blood centre from a low or lower middle-income country that has made a significant contribution to strengthening transfusion practice.

15.3 Jean Julliard Prize

Granted in recognition of individual achievement in transfusion medicine research and presented biennially.

15.4 Travel Fellowships

Investigators no more than 40 years of age at the time of the congress are eligible to apply at the time of abstract submission for each ISBT congresses

15.4.1 Harold Gunson

15.4.2 Exceptional Abstract

15.5 Judith Chapman Award

Awarded biennially to transfusion professionals in a leadership role at an early stage of their career.

15.6 Vox Sanguinis Best Paper Prize

Presented for the best original article published each year in Vox Sanguinis

15.7 Presidential Award

Awarded biennially to a senior transfusion medicine professional who has made eminent contributions to transfusion medicine or related fields through research, the practice of transfusion therapy or through significant educational or service contributions to the field.