Statutes
Article 1 – Designation
Under the name “Fondation pour la Recherche en faveur des personnes Handicapés” (Foundation for Research in favour of the Disabled), a foundation governed by the present statutes and by articles eighty et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code is established.
Article 2 – Seat
The head office of the Foundation is in Lausanne.
Article 3 – Duration
The duration of the Foundation is unlimited.
Article 4 – Aims
The aims of the Foundation are as follows:
- to conduct and encourage research, mainly in the human and social sciences, aimed at improving the situation of people with disabilities – minors and adults – in society;
- and disseminate the results,
- the Foundation has no economic purpose.
Article 5 – Creation
The founders allocate an initial capital of thirteen thousand francs (Fr. 13’000.–), received for this purpose, to achieve the purpose of the Foundation.
Article 6 – Foundation Board
The Foundation is administered by a self-constituting Foundation Board of at least five members.
Decisions are taken at meetings of at least one-third of the Board members by a majority of the members present, either by teleconference or e-mail by a majority of the Board.
In the event of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.
The Council may delegate some of its powers or competences to an Executive Board of at least three members, elected for a period of three years and eligible for re-election.
The Foundation is committed by the collective signature of two members of the Board.
The Board may empower third parties to bind the Foundation by the collective signature of two.
Article 7 – Financing
The Board of Trustees administers the Foundation’s assets and provides for the investment of the assets according to its own judgement and ensures that they are used in accordance with the statutory purpose. Both the income and the capital itself may be used at any time in accordance with the needs of the Foundation and at the discretion of the Board, which alone is competent to decide, subject to the legal and statutory provisions.
The Foundation may accept donations, legacies and other gifts. The Board shall prescribe whether and to what extent gifts received are to be considered as income or as an increase in capital.
The Board is responsible for all decisions relating to the Foundation’s programme of activities.
Article 8 – Scientific Committee
The Council shall appoint a permanent scientific committee consisting of at least five members, which shall constitute itself.
This commission shall issue, for the attention of the Council :
- proposals for research topics,
- advance notice on the timeliness and quality of projects,
- recommendations for the dissemination of results
The term of office of the members of the commission is three years and is renewable.
A member of the executive committee is an ex officio member of the scientific commission.
Article 9 – Remuneration
The Board may decide on the hiring of paid employees.
Article 10 – Elections
New board members are chosen by co-option, ensuring that they can support research initiatives that meet the Foundation’s missions and represent the interests of people with disabilities and their families in the diversity of issues that arise, whatever the disability.
Article 11 – Accounting period
The closing date for the annual financial year shall be the thirty-first of December of each year. The first financial year shall end on the thirty-first of December one thousand nine hundred and eighty. The balance sheet and profit and loss account are submitted to the Cantonal Supervisory Authority together with the annual report.
Article 12 – Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of the Foundation, its assets shall be used in accordance with its statutory purpose; in particular, they may be transferred to an institution with a similar purpose, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Authority. Under no circumstances may they be returned to the founders.
Thus decided at the Foundation Board meeting on 20 September 2011.