94 - Activities of membership organisations

This Chapter has been extracted from the ONS Explanatory Notes and provides a more detailed explanation of possible activities that could fall within the SIC Codes related to the Chapter.

This division includes activities of organisations representing interests of special groups or promoting ideas to the general public. These organisations usually have a constituency of members, but their activities may involve and benefit non-members as well. The primary breakdown of this division is determined by the purpose that these organisations serve, namely interests of employers, self-employed individuals and the scientific community (group 94.1), interests of employees (group 94.2) or promotion of religious, political, cultural, educational or recreational ideas and activities (group 94.9).

94.1 Activities of business, employers and professional membership organisations

This group includes the activities of units that promote the interests of the members of business and employers organisations. In the case of professional membership organisations, it also includes the activities of promoting the professional interests of members of the profession.

94.11 Activities of business and employers membership organisations

This class includes:
- activities of organisations whose members' interests centre on the development and prosperity of enterprises in a particular line of business or trade, including farming, or on the economic growth and climate of a particular geographical area or political subdivision without regard for the line of business.
- activities of federations of such associations
- activities of chambers of commerce, guilds and similar organisations
- dissemination of information, representation before government agencies, public relations and labour negotiations of business and employer organisations

This class excludes:
- activities of trade unions, see 94.20

94.12 Activities of professional membership organisations

This class includes:
- activities of organisations whose members' interests centre chiefly on a particular scholarly discipline or professional practice or technical field, such as medical associations, legal associations, accounting associations, engineering associations, architects associations etc.
- activities of associations of specialists engaged in scientific, academic or cultural activities, such as associations of writers, painters, performers of various kinds, journalists etc.
- dissemination of information, the establishment and supervision of standards of practice, representation before government agencies and public relations of professional organisations

This class also includes:
- activities of learned societies

This class excludes:
- education provided by these organisations, see division 85

94.2 Activities of trade unions

94.20 Activities of trade unions

This class includes:
- promoting of the interests of organised labour and union employees

This class also includes:
- activities of associations whose members are employees interested chiefly in the representation of their views concerning the salary and work situation, and in concerted action through organisation
- activities of single plant unions, of unions composed of affiliated branches and of labour organisations composed of affiliated unions on the basis of trade, region, organisational structure or other criteria

This class excludes:
- education provided by such organisations, see division 85

94.9 Activities of other membership organisations

This group includes the activities of units (except business and employers organisations, professional organisations, trade unions) that promote the interests of their members.

94.91 Activities of religious organisations

This class includes:
- activities of religious organisations or individuals providing services directly to worshippers in churches, mosques, temples, synagogues or other places
- activities of organisations furnishing monastery and convent services
- religious retreat activities

This class also includes:
- religious funeral service activities

This class excludes:
- education provided by such organisations, see division 85
- health activities by such organisations, see division 86
- social work activities by such organisations, see divisions 87, 88

94.92 Activities of political organisations

This class includes:
- activities of political organisations and auxiliary organisations such as young people's auxiliaries associated with a political party. These organisations chiefly engage in influencing decision-taking in public governing bodies by placing members of the party or those sympathetic to the party in political
office and involve the dissemination of information, public relations, fund-raising etc.

94.99 Activities of other membership organisations n.e.c.

This class includes:
- activities of organisations not directly affiliated to a political party furthering a public cause or issue by means of public education, political influence, fund-raising etc.:
• citizens initiative or protest movements
• environmental and ecological movements
• organisations supporting community and educational facilities n.e.c.
• organisations for the protection and betterment of special groups, e.g. ethnic and minority groups
• associations for patriotic purposes, including war veterans' associations
- consumer associations
- automobile associations
- associations for the purpose of social acquaintanceship such as rotary clubs, lodges etc.
- associations of youth, young persons' associations, student associations, clubs and fraternities etc.
- associations for the pursuit of a cultural or recreational activity or hobby (other than sports or games),
e.g. poetry, literature and book clubs, historical clubs, gardening clubs, film and photo clubs, music and art clubs, craft and collectors' clubs, social clubs, carnival clubs etc.
- associations for the protection of animals

This class also includes:
- grant giving activities by membership organisations or others

This class excludes:
- charitable activities like fund-raising aimed at social work, see 88.99
- activities of professional artistic groups or organisations, see 90.0
- activities of sports clubs, see 93.12
- activities of professional associations, see 94.12

 

For all queries related to this Chapter or any other aspect of SIC Codes, please contact the Office of National Statistics on 01329 444970 or email classifications.helpdesk@ons.gov.uk.