Financials + Legal

GlobalGiving + Safeguarding

At GlobalGiving, we commit to conducting our work in a manner that is safe for all our partners, the constituents they serve, and any other vulnerable person who we may encounter.

This means protecting people's health, well-being and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse, and neglect. In the context of our work we understand it to mean taking all reasonable steps to protect people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm and abuse that could arise from coming into contact with our staff, representatives, content or programs; and to respond appropriately when harm occurs.

Our Safeguarding Policy

GlobalGiving has a written safeguarding policy which you can access here. This policy, and the responsibilities it describes, applies to:

• All staff contracted by the GlobalGiving Foundation and GlobalGiving UK (collectively referred to as GlobalGiving).
• Staff members' activities and behaviors at work, outside work, and while on leave in all locations and at all times, on or off duty.
• Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to GlobalGiving, including but not limited to: board members, consultants, contractors, volunteers and programme visitors.

This policy explains how GlobalGiving addresses safeguarding through the three pillars of prevention, reporting, and response.

This policy does not apply to safeguarding concerns in the wider community not caused by GlobalGiving staff or associated personnel. However, guidance on how to report any safeguarding concerns related to vetted GlobalGiving nonprofit partners or Corporate Partners is below.

Any non-adherence to this policy by staff will be handled according to the severity and nature of the violation, and based upon GlobalGiving's Procedure for Dealing with Safeguarding Reports and Disciplinary Policies. Instances of non-adherence by associated personnel will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

How You Can Report Safeguarding Concerns

Anyone (including GlobalGiving staff and associated personnel, GlobalGiving partners and members of the public) can raise a safeguarding concern about something they have experienced or witnessed without fear of retaliation.

If your concern relates to a GlobalGiving staff or associated personnel member, please complete a Safeguarding Incident Report Form as soon as it is safe to do so.

If your concern relates to a vetted GlobalGiving nonprofit partner, please complete a nonprofit concern form as soon as it is safe to do so.

If your concern relates to a GlobalGiving corporate partner or donor, then these should be referred to the CEO of the GlobalGiving Foundation or Director of Operations of GlobalGiving UK. To do this, GlobalGiving partners and members of the public are asked to complete a Safeguarding Incident Report Form, and a member of the GlobalGiving Safeguarding team will securely relay the concern to the relevant individual. GlobalGiving staff and associated personnel should securely report such concerns directly to the relevant individual.

How GlobalGiving Addresses Safeguarding

GlobalGiving addresses safeguarding through the three pillars of Prevention, Reporting, and Response.

Prevention

As part of preventing harm, GlobalGiving will:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
• Design and undertake all programs and activities in a way that protects people from risks of harm that may arise from coming into contact with GlobalGiving. This includes how information about beneficiaries of assistance is gathered and communicated.
• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing, and deploying staff and associated personnel.
• Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization.
• Ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are available to staff, associated personnel and the communities we work with.
• Ensure that its Safeguarding Team follows up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.

Reporting

If anyone (including GlobalGiving staff and associated personnel, GlobalGiving partners and members of the public) witnesses, hears about or becomes aware of any behavior or incident related to safeguarding (suspected or otherwise), then they are asked to report it as described in the “How you can report safeguarding concerns” section of this website page.

Someone may submit anonymous reports, but we strongly encourage you to provide contact information so we can seek additional information regarding the concern, as a lack of information can hinder evaluation and investigation.

Response

GlobalGiving will follow up on reported safeguarding concerns according to its Procedure for Dealing with Safeguarding Reports, and according to all legal and statutory obligations.

GlobalGiving will acknowledge receipt of a submitted report within 48 hours, and will carry out an initial evaluation to determine the scope of the report, and how to proceed. The GlobalGiving Safeguarding Team will undertake an initial evaluation urgently if a report raises any concern of an immediate/ongoing safeguarding risk to a child or at-risk adult.

GlobalGiving will offer support to survivors of alleged harm by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a report has yet been investigated or substantiated. The survivor will lead decisions regarding support.

GlobalGiving will take action, including disciplinary measures, when alleged harm by staff or associated personnel is substantiated.