Complaints Mechanism
Who can you complain about and what does misconduct include?
The Centre provides a channel for external individuals or organisations to raise concerns specifically related to the operations or ownership of the Centre. We can only investigate claims that directly concern the Centre, events organised by it or its staff. Any complaints must be directly connected to the Centre. Misconduct may include but is not limited to
- Criminal offences, including fraud, corruption and financial misconduct;
- Breaches of legal obligations (including negligence, breach of contract, breach of administrative law);
- Miscarriages of justice;
- Breaches of health and safety;
- Damage to the environment;
- Any forms of discrimination or harassment based on gender, race, social background, ethnicity, age or sexual orientation
- The concealment of any of the above
How to complain
All complaints will be taken seriously, and the following procedure will be used:
- Any complaints may be sent to complaints@icscentre.org, or by letter. Incoming complaints are monitored by the Human Resources and Operations Officer.
- The complaints should include:
- The name and address of the complainant
- A precise description of the concerns raised, fully supported by evidence
- Evidence of the outcome of other complaints handling procedures
Complaints about organisations
The review of Complaints under the Complaints Handling Process is not a process involving the law of any jurisdiction. The Complainant, and the entity against which the complaint is made, are not entitled to legal representation in the Complaint Handling Process.
As many of the Centre’s partners or owners have their own complaints handling procedures, the Centre will only consider complaints that are directly related to its own staff, activities, or organisational matters. Complaints about members of the Centre’s staff or matters directly connected to the Centre will be handled through the procedure outlined below.
Complaints concerning partners or owners that do not directly relate to the Centre or its operations will not be addressed by this process.
Complaints about individuals
- The complaints should include:
- The name and address of the complainant
- A precise description of the concerns raised, fully supported by evidence
- Evidence of the outcome of other complaints handling procedures
- The Centre will not deal with any complaints
- That are anonymous unless very strong reasons for anonymity are presented in the complaint.
- That do not directly relate to the Centre or its operations and events.
- That have not yet fully exhausted other complaints channels such as the complaints process offered by the organization that is alleged of misconduct
- That relate to alleged breaches of national laws, such as laws relating to the employment of staff, tax law, or the provisions of legislation relating to charities in any jurisdiction which the Centre considers in its discretion ought to have been dealt with through alternative mechanisms (for example criminal investigations by local police forces). The complainant will be advised to consider taking the matter to a more appropriate national or international body.
- That are manifestly ill-founded.
- That have already been reviewed and closed in previous complaints handling procedures by the Centre.
- The HR and Operations Officer will review the complaint and inform the Executive Director who shall take a decision whether an investigation will be conducted into the matter. At his discretion, s/he may discuss the matter with the Chair of the Board before the final decision.
- If the concern refers to the Executive Director, the HR and Operations Officer will consult with at least one other member of the Executive Management Team and decide how to treat the complaint, and whether to inform and involve the Chair of the Board of Directors.
- If the concern refers to an owner organisation, the following steps shall be taken:
- The Executive Director shall assign a person to investigate the complaint.
- The organisation concerned will be informed of the complaint and the investigation.
- Both the complainant and the organisation may be asked to provide additional information.
- The Centre will inform both the organisation and the complainant whether
- The concern has been dismissed to be processed after further investigation, based on the criteria laid out above.
- The concern raised does not include any misconduct.
- The Centre suggests any action to be taken to resolve the concern.
- All steps will be recorded in writing.
