The name of the Society shall be the British Society of Sugar Technologists [BSST].

The Society shall be regarded as the relevant Society affiliated to the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists [ISSCT].

The Offices of the Society shall be established in such a place as Council may from time to time decide.

The Objects of the Society shall be:

1. to foster the interests of persons in the UK in the growing of sugar crops, in the manufacture and use of sugars and their by-products;
2. consistent with those of the International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists;
3. to encourage and assist in the improvement of the technical knowledge of such interested persons, especially those new to the industry, by providing facilities for the interchange and discussion of technical and scientific information; and
4. to encourage membership of the Society.

There shall be the following classes of membership:

1. Personal Members;
2. Corporate Members; and
3. Honorary Members.

The persons eligible for election by the Council as Personal Members shall be those UK residents having an interest in the sugar industry and its products, including such persons on temporary overseas assignments, or those who are already members of a National or International Society of Sugar Technologists, and have been proposed by an existing Personal Member.

The companies eligible for election by the Council as Corporate Members shall be those companies associated with the sugar industry and who have been proposed by a Personal Member.

The persons eligible for election by the Council as Honorary Members shall be individuals who have achieved an acknowledged professional eminence in the sugar industry. Nominations for Honorary Membership must be made to the Council. Honorary members shall have all the rights and privileges accorded to Personal Members and shall hereafter be regarded as Personal Members.

All classes of membership are subject to approval by the Council.

In its absolute discretion, Council may terminate a membership for non-payment of dues or for any action that it deems to be a good and sufficient reason and to be not in accordance with the Objectives of the Society.

The business of the Society shall be carried out by a Council of Officers comprising:

1. President;
2. Vice-President [who may act on behalf of the President];
3. Honorary Secretary;
4. Honorary Treasurer;
5. Trustees to bring the total to at least seven (7); and
6. such Members or sub-committees as shall, from time to time, be appointed or co-opted for a limited period by the Council.

The Council of Officers shall elect an ISSCT Representative of the BSST to the Council of the ISSCT who must be able to attend the International Congress. The Society will refund the cost of the Representative’s return economy class airfare to attend the ISSCT triennial congress subject to approval by the BSST Council.

The Officers, who must be Full Members of the Society, shall be elected at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society immediately following the ISSCT Congress.

The Officers and ISSCT Representative shall hold office until the AGM following the ISSCT Congress after their election, normally for three years, and shall be eligible for re-election at the expiry of their term of office.

At least twelve weeks prior to the relevant AGM, the Council shall circulate to all Members its nominations for Officers. Any further nominations must be forwarded to the Secretary/Treasurer to arrive not later than six weeks before that AGM. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by Full Members and must have the prior approval of the nominee. Final nominations shall be circulated to Members at least four weeks prior to that AGM.

Should a vacancy occur on the Council during any year, such vacancy shall be filled by a person chosen by the Council, at its discretion, and that person shall remain in office until the election of the next Council.

Members of the Council shall continue to act until the election of their successors.

The Council shall carry out the duties of the Society generally and shall have the following powers:

1. to fix the date and times of meetings of the Council and the Society;
2. to determine who shall sign documents on behalf of the Council;
3. to fix the rates of subscription to be paid by members;
4. to open a bank account, at such bank as they may decide upon, in the name of the Society and determine who shall operate the account and sign cheques;
5. to prepare each year a report, on the year's proceedings which, together with a statement of accounts shall be presented at the AGM;
6. to consider and approve applications for membership and to keep a register of all such applications and members; and
7. to rule upon any event not covered within this Constitution, that ruling then to be ratified at the next General Meeting.

Annual subscription for the various classes of membership shall be determined by the Council from time to time, and be payable in advance. No member whose subscription be in arrears for six months or more shall be entitled to take part in the business of the Society.

The Council shall cause true accounts to be kept:

1. of all sums of money received and expended by the Society and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures take place; and
2. of the credits and liabilities of the Society.

The financial year of the Society shall be from January 1st to December 31st each year.

An Honorary Auditor shall be elected at each AGM by the Full Members present at the meeting.

The AGM and any other General Meeting shall be held at such time as the Council may decide. The Council shall circulate members giving at least four (4) week's notice of such General Meetings.

No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting without a quorum of Full Members being present when the Meeting proceeds to business. Fifteen (15) Full Members including at least two (2) members of the Council, present in person and entitled to vote, shall form a quorum.

At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the Full Members. Voting by proxy will be permitted for those Full Members unable to attend any General Meeting. Decisions regarding the eligibility of votes shall be at the sole discretion of the Council.

The Council shall organise technical meetings in response to the wishes of the Society. In particular, it shall organise a technical meeting to be held on the occasion of each AGM.

Members may invite guests to attend the Society’s meetings, subject to notifying the Honorary Secretary in reasonable time before the meeting, and upon paying the dues decided upon for that meeting for each guest.

Alterations to the Constitution may be made at any General Meeting provided that the Council has circulated the proposed alterations to Members at least four (4) weeks prior to that General Meeting.

In the event of the winding up of the Society, the assets of the BSST shall be passed on to any successor organisation whose objectives conform to the objectives of the BSST as set out in Clause 4 of this Constitution. If there is no such eligible body, then the assets shall be given to a benevolent or charitable organisation, nominated by the Members in General Meeting in accordance with Clause 24. In the event of there not being a quorum present at the relevant General Meeting, then the council shall nominate the organisation to receive the assets, on behalf of the members.