DISCLOSURE OF MALPRACTICE IN THE WORKPLACE (WHISTLEBLOWING) POLICY

At Mwezi, we aim to attain the highest standards in all we do. Our values of respect, transparency, cooperation, fairness, compassion and ingenuity direct all of our work, whether that’s the treatment of our donors, our staff, the schools that we visit or the schoolchildren who benefit from our solar lights.

Purpose

At the Mwezi Foundation it is vital that everyone who works for us maintains the highest standards of conduct, integrity and ethics, and complies with local legislation. If an employee, volunteer, partner, consultant or contractor has any concerns about malpractice in the workplace, we wish to encourage them to communicate these without fear of reprisals and in the knowledge that they will be protected from victimisation and dismissal.

The Mwezi Foundation uses this policy to enable employees, volunteers, partners or contractors to raise or disclose concerns at an early stage and in the right way. It applies in all cases where there are concerns about malpractice in the workplace, regardless of where this may be and whether the information involved is confidential or not.

What is malpractice?

Malpractice is any conduct which falls short of our principles of fairness, openness, transparency, protection and accountability. It may include, but is not limited to:

• Financial wrongdoing including theft, bribery, fraud, money laundering and aid diversion
• Sexual misconduct, including sexual abuse, harassment or exploitation (see Safeguarding Policy)
• Abuse or exploitation of children, vulnerable adults or beneficiaries
• Abuse of position
• A miscarriage of justice
• Danger to the health and safety of individuals or damage to the environment
• Improper conduct or unethical behaviour
• Activity which would bring the organisation into serious disrepute
• Concerns related to the Mwezi Foundation’s fundraising practices
• The deliberate concealment of information relating to any of the matters listed above.

Raising a concern

The concern can be about an incident that happened in the past, is happening now or that you believe is likely in the future. As long as you hold a reasonable belief that the information is true then you will be covered by the protection set out in this policy regardless of whether you are mistaken or the matter cannot be proved.

Whistleblowing does not cover concerns where there is no public interest element such as a concern about your own employment or related matters. To raise a concern in relation to this please communicate directly with the directors or trustees.

Making your claim anonymously

It is possible for you to raise your claim anonymously if you wish to do so. However, this may mean that it is difficult to investigate fully if you haven’t provided us with enough information. We assure you that we will not tolerate any harassment or victimisation of staff and would encourage you to provide us with your name so we can fully investigate the matter. You may ask for confidentiality when doing so and we will respect this. If you ask for confidentiality we will make every effort to protect your identity unless required to disclose it by law. If it becomes clear that we are unable to resolve the issue without revealing your identity we will discuss this with you, taking into account your views and our wider legal obligations before deciding whether or not to proceed with the investigation.

How to raise a concern

• You should raise any matter of concern, serious or otherwise with the directors. This may be done either verbally or in writing. You can notify just one of the directors if your concern is regarding one of the other directors.
• If you feel unable, for whatever reason, to raise the matter with your directors, you may contact the Mwezi Foundation ambassador, Martin Brown, on mbbrown1@gmail.com
• When raising your concern it is helpful for you to provide an explanation with as much detail as possible including dates and times of incidents, any eye witness details and any supporting documents that you have.

The Mwezi Foundation’s responsibilities

The Mwezi Foundation will:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know, their responsibilities within this policy
• Follow up on reports of malpractice promptly and according to due process
• Staff who make complaints or who participate in good faith in any investigation must not suffer any form of retaliation or victimisation as a result. However, making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith will be treated as misconduct and dealt with under our disciplinary procedure. Anyone found to have retaliated against or victimised someone in this way will be subject to disciplinary action.

Response

All complaints will be investigated appropriately. If we consider that there is sufficient evidence to suggest there is malpractice we will consider the appropriate action to take. If the person accused is an employee, this may include invoking our disciplinary procedure. Whether or not your whistleblowing is upheld, we will consider how best to manage any ongoing working relationship between you and the person concerned.

Last Updated: 16 November 2022