Whistle Blower Policy
- Fraudulent activities/transactions
- Personal and profession misconduct
- Unauthorised access to and/or disclosure of information
- Embezzlement, misappropriation, theft, or criminal misuse of Society’s monies and resources
- Corruption, bribery, cheating
- Aiding and abetting illegal activities
- Where AiSP is under a legal obligation to disclose information provided
- Where the information is already in the public domain
- Where the information is given on a strictly confidential basis to legal or auditing professionals for the purpose of obtaining professional advice
- Where the information is given to the Police or other authorities for criminal investigation
INTRODUCTION
1. AiSP is committed to the highest standards of honesty, transparency, ethical and legal conduct and accountability. In this regard AiSP is committed to a high standard of compliance with accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, corporate governance and auditing requirements and any legislation relating thereto.
AIM
2. In line with this commitment, we provide this avenue for parties to raise concerns regarding malpractice, statutory non-compliance, actual or suspected improprieties in financial transactions and any other wrongdoing.
SCOPE
3. The issues which may be raised covers such following wrongdoings, although not limited to these:
PROTECTION FOR THE WHISTLE BLOWER
4. The whistle blower will be provided with protection from reprisals or victimisation for whistle blowing in good faith. This is carried out to deter wrongdoing and help to promote standards of good financial practice and corporate governance.
5. AiSP recognises that the decision to report a concern can be a difficult one to make, not least, because of the fear of reprisal from those responsible for the alleged malpractice. AiSP will not tolerate harassment or victimisation and will take action to protect anyone who raises a concern in good faith, even if the concern is later proved to be unsubstantiated. However, AiSP will reserve its right to take action against those who give false or misleading information.
APPLICATION
6. This Policy applies to both staff and/or external parties. Staff shall include anyone who is on the payroll of AiSP, whether he/she is on permanent, contract, temporary, part-time or other types of employment with AiSP. External parties shall include registered members and volunteers of AiSP, individuals or organisations with a business dealing with AiSP.
MISUSE OF THE PROCESS
7. The Policy is not meant as a channel for personal or normal HR grievances, which can be taken up through the AiSP’s grievance handling procedure. Frivolous, unsubstantiated, or unsubstantial claims / complaints will not be considered. AiSP does not condone abuse of the Policy for personal gains, or with malicious intent.
PROCEDURE
8. The whistleblower can raise his/her concern through the following channels:
Secretary, AiSP
Email: [email protected]
To ensure confidentiality, the email should be titled “Strictly Private and Confidential To be opened by Addressee Only”
9. Without prejudice to Para 10a and Para 10b; to encourage transparency and accountability, the Policy encourages the whistleblower identify himself/herself. To protect the whistleblower, AiSP will handle confidentially the whistleblower’s identity and the information he/she provides. The whistleblower is required under this Policy to put in writing (or to sign against) the information that he/she is providing for the case.
10a. Subject to Para 10b, if a complaint received is anonymous, Secretary, AiSP, will assess it based on the merits of the complaint, its nature and whether the complaint can be verified. If the complaint can be pursued, the same procedures will follow; accept that the whistleblower will not be informed of the outcome of the case.
10b. Except under the most exceptional circumstances, anonymous complaints will not be entertained.
11. Exceptional circumstances under which information provided by the whistleblower could or would not be treated with strictest confidentiality include: