Souls Harbour Rescue Mission is committed to providing a safe, respectful environment for all stakeholders, including clients, volunteers, staff, and the community. This complaints policy outlines the procedures for lodging complaints and ensures that concerns are addressed promptly, fairly, and effectively.
This policy applies to all individuals associated with the organization, including clients,
volunteers, staff, board members, donors, and members of the community.
1. Lodging a Complaint:
– Complaints can be lodged verbally or in writing, either in person, via email, or through the contact form available on the organization’s website.
– Complaints should include sufficient details, such as the nature of the issue, date, time, individuals involved, and any supporting evidence or documentation.
2. Initial Assessment:
– Upon receipt of a complaint, the designated complaints officer or committee will conduct an initial assessment to determine the nature and severity of the issue.
– Complaints officers will ensure that complainants are informed of the process and supported throughout.
3. Investigation:
– Depending on the nature of the complaint, an investigation may be initiated to gather relevant information and evidence.
– Investigations will be conducted impartially, and efforts will be made to involve all relevant parties.
4. Resolution:
– Once the investigation is complete, the complaints officer or committee will determine an appropriate course of action.
– Resolutions may include mediation, corrective actions, policy revisions, disciplinary measures, or other appropriate remedies.
5. Communication of Outcome:
– The complainant will be informed of the outcome of the investigation and any actions taken to address the complaint.
– If necessary, the organization may implement measures to prevent similar issues from recurring in the future.
Our nonprofit organization is committed to fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and respect. This complaints policy reflects our dedication to addressing concerns in a fair and timely manner, thereby promoting a safe and supportive environment for all stakeholders.
Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission requires its directors, officers and employees to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As employees and representatives of our organization, we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
It is the responsibility of all directors, officers, volunteers and employees to comply with all of our policies and to report violations or suspected violations in accordance with this Whistleblower Policy.
No director, officer or employee who in good faith reports a violation in accordance with this policy shall suffer harassment, retaliation or adverse employment consequences. An employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment. This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable employees and others to raise serious concerns within our organization prior to seeking resolution outside of Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission. Individuals can submit their concerns via email to whistleblower@shrm.ca with the assurance that their identity will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and privacy. We prioritize the safety of whistleblowers and strictly prohibit any form of retaliation. Our commitment to non-retaliation underscores our dedication to fostering a culture of transparency and accountability.
The Whistleblower Policy is intended to protect. It suggests that employees share their questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints with someone who can address them properly. In most cases, an employee’s supervisor is the best person with whom to address an area of concern. However, if you are not comfortable speaking with your supervisor or you are not satisfied with your supervisor’s response, you are encouraged to speak with anyone in management whom you are comfortable in approaching. Supervisors and managers are required to report suspected violations to their superiors, who have the responsibility to investigate all reported violations seriously. For suspected fraud, or when you are not satisfied or comfortable with following our open door policy, individuals should contact an executive team director.
All reported concerns or complaints regarding our organizational accounting practices, internal controls or auditing shall be taken to the executive level. An executive team director will then disclose to the Board of Directors, specifically the Audit Committee, the complaint and work with the committee until the matter is resolved.
Anyone filing a complaint concerning a policy violation or suspected policy violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.
Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant or may be submitted anonymously. All reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.