Whistleblowing Policy
Not A Phase Whistleblowing Policy
Not A Phase is committed to the highest standards of openness, integrity, and accountability. In line with that commitment, we encourage employees, volunteers, and others with serious concerns about any aspect of the organisation’s work to come forward and voice those concerns. This policy outlines our approach to whistleblowing and the procedures to follow when raising concerns.
The purpose of this policy is to:
- Provide a framework for employees, volunteers, and others to raise concerns.
- Ensure concerns are addressed properly and in a timely manner.
- Protect whistleblowers from retaliation or adverse treatment.
This policy applies to all employees, trustees, volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of Not A Phase.
What is Whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing is the act of reporting certain types of wrongdoing. This may include:
- Criminal activity
- Miscarriages of justice
- Danger to health and safety
- Damage to the environment
- Failure to comply with legal or regulatory obligations
- Bribery
- Financial fraud or mismanagement
- Breach of internal policies and procedures
• Covering up wrongdoing in the above categories
Legal Framework
This policy is in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) which protects whistleblowers from detriment and unfair dismissal.
Our Committments
We are committed to:
- Encouraging employees and volunteers to report suspected wrongdoing as soon as possible.
- Treating all disclosures seriously and ensuring they are investigated promptly and fairly.
- Protecting whistleblowers from retaliation or adverse treatment as a result of their disclosure.
• Maintaining confidentiality as far as possible, consistent with the need to conduct a thorough investigation.
Reporting Concerns
Concerns should be reported in the following ways:
- Informal Approach: If you feel comfortable, raise your concern with your line manager or supervisor. This may enable the issue to be resolved quickly and effectively.
- Formal Approach: If you do not feel comfortable raising the issue informally, or if the issue has not been resolved, you should raise your concern with the designated whistleblowing officer.
Designated Whistleblowing Officer
The designated whistleblowing officer for Not A Phase is Danielle Anson-Jones. You can contact her at Danielle@notaphase.org.
Handling Disclosures
When a concern is raised, the following steps will be taken:
- Acknowledge Receipt: The whistleblower will receive an acknowledgement of their disclosure within 5 working days.
- Initial Assessment: An initial assessment will be conducted to determine the appropriate action, which may involve an internal inquiry or a more formal investigation.
- Investigation: If a full investigation is required, this will be conducted as quickly as possible. The whistleblower may be asked to provide more information.
• Outcome: The whistleblower will be informed of the outcome of the investigation and any actions taken as a result, as far as legally permissible.
Protection for Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers who raise genuine concerns under this policy will not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats, or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern.
Confidentiality
All concerns will be treated in confidence and every effort will be made not to reveal the identity of the whistleblower, unless the whistleblower agrees otherwise or it is required by law.
External Disclosures
While we hope that this policy gives you the confidence to raise your concern internally, we recognise that there may be circumstances where you can properly report matters to outside bodies, such as regulators or law enforcement agencies. It is advisable to seek advice before making an external disclosure to ensure that you are protected by the PIDA.
Review and Monitoring
This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to ensure it remains relevant and effective.
Contact Information
For further information or to report a whistleblowing concern, please contact:
• Whistleblowing Officer: Danielle Anson-Jones <danielle@notaphase.org>