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Kent With Ukraine's Whistleblowing Policy

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Kent With Ukraine is fully committed to openness, accountability and integrity. We encourage anyone connected to our work, including volunteers, partners, beneficiaries, suppliers and members of the public, to raise concerns about safeguarding failures, abuse, exploitation, fraud, corruption, misuse of funds, aid diversion, discrimination, harassment, unsafe practice or any serious breach of our policies.

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Concerns can be raised confidentially, and anonymous reports will be accepted. Kent With Ukraine will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a genuine concern in good faith. All concerns will be taken seriously, recorded securely and escalated where necessary to the appropriate safeguarding, regulatory, law enforcement, funder or government authorities.

 

1. Policy Statement

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Kent With Ukraine is committed to openness, accountability and the highest standards of integrity in all areas of its work.

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We encourage directors, staff, volunteers, partners, beneficiaries, suppliers and members of the public to raise concerns about wrongdoing, misconduct, safeguarding failures, abuse, exploitation, fraud, corruption, misuse of funds, aid diversion, discrimination, harassment, unsafe practice or any conduct that may put people, resources or public trust at risk.

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No one should suffer retaliation, disadvantage or intimidation for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

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2. What can be reported 

 

Concerns may include:

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  • safeguarding concerns involving children or vulnerable adults;

  • sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment;

  • bullying, discrimination or victimisation;

  • fraud, bribery, corruption or theft;

  • misuse or diversion of funds, equipment, vehicles or aid;

  • modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation;

  • serious data protection breaches;

  • unsafe working practices;

  • breach of Kent With Ukraine policies;

  • attempts to conceal wrongdoing;

  • conduct that may damage beneficiaries, partners, donors or public trust.

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3. Who Can Raise a Concern​

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A concern may be raised by:

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  • Directors;

  • staff and volunteers;

  • advisers, consultants and secondees;

  • delivery partners;

  • suppliers or contractors;

  • beneficiaries or project participants;

  • donors, supporters or members of the public.

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Kent With Ukraine will make reporting routes accessible, including to people in Ukraine, people with disabilities, people with limited English, children where relevant, and those who may feel unable to report through normal management channels.

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4. Reporting Routes​​

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Concerns should be reported as soon as possible to:

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Designated Whistleblowing Lead: Director, Iris Smith 

Email: iris@kentwithukraine.co.uk Telephone: +44 7710 247424

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Operational / Deputy Whistleblowing Lead: Head of Mission, Jordan Meade

Email: jordan@kentwithukraine.co.uk Telephone: +44 7977 367013

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Where the concern involves the normal reporting contact, the concern should be raised with another senior contact or directly with the Board of Directors. 

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Where there is immediate danger, the matter should be reported to emergency services, police, safeguarding authorities or relevant local authorities without delay.

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5. Anonymous and Confidential Reporting

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Kent With Ukraine will accept anonymous reports. However, anonymous reporting may make investigation more difficult, so individuals are encouraged to provide contact details where they feel safe to do so.

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All concerns will be treated sensitively and shared only with those who need to know in order to assess risk, protect people, investigate properly, comply with the law, or meet funder/regulatory requirements.

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6. Protection from Retaliation

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Kent With Ukraine will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a genuine concern in good faith.

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Retaliation may include dismissal, removal from volunteering, exclusion from activities, threats, bullying, harassment, intimidation, loss of opportunity, reputational harm or adverse treatment by staff, volunteers, partners or representatives.

 

Any retaliation will be treated as serious misconduct.​

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7. How Concerns Will Be Handled

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Kent With Ukraine will:

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  • acknowledge the concern where contact details are provided;

  • assess immediate risk to people, funds, data or assets;

  • take urgent protective action where needed;

  • record the concern securely;

  • appoint an appropriate person to review or investigate;

  • avoid conflicts of interest in handling the concern;

  • escalate to safeguarding authorities, police, regulators, funders or partners where required;

  • keep the person raising the concern informed where appropriate;

  • record decisions, findings and lessons learned;

  • report serious matters to the Board.

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Concerns involving children, vulnerable adults, sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment will be treated as safeguarding matters and handled under Kent With Ukraine’s safeguarding procedures.

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8. Governance and Review

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The Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of this policy and for ensuring that whistleblowing arrangements are effective, accessible and trusted.

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The Board will review whistleblowing concerns, trends and lessons learned, while protecting confidentiality.

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This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner following a serious incident, safeguarding concern, funder requirement or material change in Kent With Ukraine’s operations.​

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