More than a quarter of respondents so far to the consultation on refreshing the code of good governance had not heard of the original code.
The consultation was opened after a review by not-for-profit research body nfpSynergy last year, which said the code's principles needed to be easier to understand and applicable to a wider range of organisations.
The steering group responsible for the code is half way through the consultation and had received 170 responses as of 20 October.
Although 88 per cent of respondents said they preferred the refreshed principles, 27 per cent admitted they were not aware of the original code. However, 98 per cent said they intended to use the refreshed code as it currently stood.
The new version of Good Governance: A Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector was sent out to members of chief executives body Acevo, Charity Trustee Networks and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. The consultation closes on 24 November.
Lindsay Driscoll, chair of the steering group, said: "The response to the refashioned principles so far has been incredibly positive at this halfway stage."