Report to INTERSOS

INTERSOS Whistleblowing and investigation policy aims to:

    • give all employees the confidence to raise serious concerns at the earliest opportunity;
    • provide avenues for concerns to be raised and receive feedback on an action taken;
    • reassure all staff of the response they can expect when raising an issue or concern;
    • Reassure all employees that they will be protected from possible reprisals or victimization if they disclose a genuinely held concern.

 

The types of activity that should be reported include but are not limited to the following:

    • a safeguarding issue that contravenes any of the standards set out in the policies within INTERSOS Safeguarding Framework. This includes but is not limited to prostitution; any cases of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment; violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect, and harassment of children; modern slavery or trafficking;
    • financial irregularity, including fraud, attempted fraud, bribery or attempted bribery, theft, financial mismanagement, unauthorized use of funds, cybercrime, terrorist financing;
    • forging and falsifying documents;
    • serious mismanagement arising from the deliberate commission of improper conduct and/or unethical behavior (i.e., consumption of alcohol during the working hour);
    • failure to comply with security rules;
    • improper conduct likely to damage INTERSOS’ reputation;
    • dangerous acts or omissions that create a risk to health, safety, or the environment;
    • illegal or criminal activities as defined by the law of the country where INTERSOS operates;
    • corruption, blackmail or extortion;
    • inappropriate personal use of INTERSOS’ assets (i.e., pornography, misuse of vehicles and premises, negligence) or damage of INTERSOS’s assets;
    • unauthorised disclosure of confidential information;
    • undeclared conflict of interest;
    • the deliberate concealment of any of the above wrongful acts.

 

All concerns will be treated seriously, and INTERSOS will respond promptly and effectively to all issues raised. A whistleblower or any person who participates in an investigation will not be subject to reprisal. INTERSOS will maintain confidentiality of all reports and protect the identity of whistleblowers to the fullest extent possible. While INTERSOS encourages whistleblowers to identify themselves, a whistleblower may report concerns anonymously. Concerns shall be raised through the Field Mission-specific Complaint Response Mechanism, which includes 1) a dedicated email address 2) a phone number 3) complaint boxes and 4) in person complaints to staff member. Whistleblowers are encouraged to raise their concerns within their respective mission as a first option.

 

However, if, for any reason, an individual doesn’t feel able to follow the procedure outlined in the mission-specific Complaint Response Mechanism, concerns can be raised by sending:

 

Upon receiving a disclosure of possible reportable conduct, INTERSOS will:

    1. assess the report of Reportable Conduct;
    2. determine whether external bodies, such as donors or local authorities, need to be notified;
    3. determine whether and how to investigate;
    4. appoint an Investigation team if appropriate;
    5. acknowledge to the whistleblower that the report has been received within seven days of receiving the concern.

 

Cases relating to SEAH or involving Child victims shall be immediately reported and managed by the Global Safeguarding Coordinator, who will convene a case conference to assess immediate risks and next steps within 72 hours upon receipt of the concern. INTERSOS’ policies on PSEAH and Child Safeguarding provide further guidance on specific protocols in case of SEAH and/or Child victims.