Code of conduct
1. INTRODUCTION
The Code of Conduct of the Charitable Organization “OLENA ZELENSKA FOUNDATION” (hereinafter — the Code) is a public document based on universal values. It was created to consolidate generally accepted moral and ethical norms, promote the all-round development of individuals, and increase their responsibility for their behavior and actions.
The Code contains a list of principles and standards of ethical conduct that must be followed by all employees, consultants, contractors, advisors and service providers who represent the Charitable Organization “OLENA ZELENSKA FOUNDATION”
(hereinafter — the Foundation) or act on its behalf, regardless of their position in the Foundation (hereinafter — the Stakeholders). All the Stakeholders are required to comply with this Code when performing their duties and in their daily lives.
The Foundation strives to ensure that Stakeholders’ activities in implementing its projects reflect universal values and principles and are sensitive to cultural and socialeconomic priorities of the area where they are implemented.
This Code shall not replace the specific existing policies and procedures, such as the Children and Youth Protection Policy, the Equal Opportunities Policy, the Diversity and Inclusion Policy, or other policies approved by the Foundation.
2. PURPOSE OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT
2.1. This Code establishes ethical norms and conduct rules for Stakeholders to perform their professional activities with dignity. It also promotes strengthening the authority and trust of citizens.
2.2. This Code reflects the Foundation’s focus on the principles of honesty, integrity, social responsibility, conflict and gender sensitivities. It sets out the basic principles and policies that the Foundation’s Stakeholders should follow.
2.3. The Foundation requires that the behavior of the Stakeholders meets the highest ethical norms and professional standards, taking into account the conflict sensitivity. No one is allowed to achieve results using violations of laws and regulations.
2.4. By adopting this Code, the Foundation strives to ensure that all the Stakeholders adhere to the following principles:
ensuring that personal and professional behavior meets the highest standards and is perceived accordingly by the environment
respecting human rights and condemning discrimination, harassment, abuse, neglect and exploitation that violate others’ rights
acting in good faith and treating others with dignity and respect, creating an environment that respects people’s differences
refraining from public or private statements on racist, sexist, or other offensive topics
complying in good faith with the legislation in effect of Ukraine
ensuring that the Foundation’s reputation is not harmed
performing their duties professionally, without prejudice or discrimination in any form, and complying with the Foundation’s rules.
All the Stakeholders must carry out their professional activities to achieve the goals and objectives of the Foundation, adhering to generally accepted moral and ethical standards.
The Foundation encourages professional decision-making and responsibility for the decisions made.
All the Stakeholders must fully and truthfully inform about the activities.
The Foundation encourages social responsibility. All the Stakeholders must take reasonable measures to protect others from harm.
3. FOUNDATION’S VALUES
Partnership cooperation. The Foundation works to establish ethical relationships with other civil society organizations and, if possible, establishes partnerships for the public interest.
Human rights and dignity. The Foundation does not violate everyone’s rights and recognizes that everyone is born free and equal. The Foundation respects and treats the diversity of religions, customs, traditions and cultures of communities in a nonjudgemental manner.
Equality, impartiality and openness to everyone. The Foundation ensures equality and active participation of women, men, girls and boys in its work. The Foundation treats people impartially, especially those most vulnerable, according to objective assessments of their needs, regardless of race, gender, age, physical capabilities, ethnicity, religion, or political views.
Freedom of religion. The Foundation respects freedom of choice of religion.
Transparency and accountability. The Foundation is transparent in all its relations with the authorities, the public, donors, partners, beneficiaries and others. The primary financial information, management structure, activity areas and list of partners are open and publicly accessible.
Responsibility. The Foundation is responsible for its actions and decisions not only to donors and authorities but also to the people it assists, its employees, partner organizations, and society in general.
Honesty and legality. The Foundation strives to be honest in its relationships with donors, beneficiaries, employees, members, partner organizations, authorities, and the public. It also respects and complies with the laws of any jurisdiction in which it operates and the customs established in a particular field.
Equality and non-discrimination. All activities of the Foundation are based on the principles of equal opportunities and non-discrimination on any ground.
Compliance with the Code of Conduct. All the Stakeholders undertake to follow this Code in their activities, particularly to maintain a favorable moral and psychological climate in the team. They must refrain from any actions, particularly the dissemination of information that compromises or degrades the professional dignity and authority of the Foundation or individual employees (contractors). They must also prevent actions that may harm the work or negatively affect the reputation of the Foundation or individual employees (contractors).
The Stakeholders undertake not to engage in any form of sexual exploitation and abuse concerning children and adults. The Stakeholders undertake not to support or engage in any form of illegal, exploitative or violent acts against children and adults, including child labor and trafficking.
4. GUIDELINES
The Stakeholders must fulfil their responsibilities in good faith, show initiative and creativity, and improve their workflow management.
The Stakeholders should respect citizens’ rights, obligations and legitimate interests and not commit actions that discredit the Foundation or its reputation.
The Stakeholders should perform their official duties honestly and impartially without offering any advantages or showing favour to individuals, legal entities, or political parties. The Stakeholders should adhere to high communication standards and respect citizens, managers, employees, and other people with whom they have relationships when performing their duties.
In exercising their powers, Stakeholders should ensure the rational, efficient, and economical use of the material and financial resources entrusted to them.
The Stakeholders should constantly improve their proficiency, knowledge, and skills in accordance with their functions and tasks and improve their professional, intellectual and cultural levels.
The Stakeholders are prohibited from disclosing state secrets entrusted to them and other restricted information defined by the Ukrainian laws “On Information” and “On State Secrets.” At the same time, they must not hide facts and circumstances that pose a threat to the lives, health, and safety of citizens.
All Stakeholders of the Foundation are required to monitor and comply with legal acts in all their activities. The Foundation will terminate relations with the Stakeholders whose activities do not comply with this Code and the laws in effect in Ukraine.
The Stakeholders should avoid using their power positions in the Foundation to gain privileges or other financial or professional benefits.
Under all circumstances, Stakeholders should refrain from accepting benefits, bribes, or other personal enrichments from beneficiaries, partners, or contractors.
When carrying out their professional activities, the Stakeholders must always comply with the provisions of the Foundation’s Charter regarding conflicts of interest.
In their activities, the Stakeholders should use conflict-sensitive approaches to the Foundation, when they make their activities public, and in all types of external communication.
One of the priorities of the Stakeholders should be ensuring responsible disclosure of any conflicts and avoiding measures and actions that will contribute to their aggravation. This aims to help reduce the level of conflict in Ukrainian society and influence the conflict’s socio-psychological, political, and other roots to remove barriers between different social groups that cause or result from the conflict.
The Stakeholders engaged in activities involving the transfer of resources in a resource-deficient environment should act as transparently as possible, applying the principles of social justice and not causing harm.
The use of assistance means or resources to support the conflict is unacceptable. The Foundation Stakeholders should determine the consequences of their decisions on the possible deepening of the conflict and prevent it. The transfer of resources and the way in which the Foundation Stakeholders implement projects should strengthen local reconciliation potential and reduce sources of tension.
Conflict-neutral rhetoric should be used to publicize the Foundation’s activities and prepare materials with its participation or financial support. Positioning individual social groups as specific problems in speeches or when planning events or projects is prohibited.
Gender-sensitive approaches. Gender sensitivity is an approach that considers the specific social, cultural, economic, and political contexts in which women and men live. In its activities, the Foundation uses gender analysis, which aims to reduce gender inequality and discrimination.
The Foundation Stakeholders undertake to refrain from publicly distributing sexist, discriminatory, and degrading to a particular community or gender content.
The Stakeholders should adhere to high standards of confidentiality and protection of information obtained while fulfilling their obligations to the Foundation.
The Stakeholders are advised to protect confidential information from unauthorized access and use.
All internal data obtained during work must be kept secret and used only for the benefit of the Foundation and its beneficiaries unless otherwise established by the target policies, instructions or orders.
The Stakeholders are advised to manage personal information carefully and protect it from misuse or disclosure.
The Stakeholders should immediately report any possible privacy violations and assist in resolving these issues.
Confidentiality of information is key to the good faith of the Foundation and its beneficiaries.
Protection and proper use of resources. The Foundation strives to use the resources raised to implement charitable programs rationally, efficiently, and publicly. The Foundation uses its resources exclusively to achieve socially useful goals.
Transparency. The procedures and activities of the Foundation should be fully transparent to those it supports, to the public, to charitable institutions, relevant government agencies, the media, and other people and organizations concerned.
The Foundation provides complete and reliable information through its information materials and by responding to requests in the form and within the time limits determined by effective legislation of Ukraine.
Safety, health and environmental protection. The Foundation acknowledges human safety and health as one of its highest values. The Stakeholders are responsible for maintaining safety by complying with safety and health regulations and reducing the risks of current and operational activities.
The Foundation strives to ensure workplace safety and avoid risks for Stakeholders and beneficiaries. All Stakeholders should avoid behavior or actions that may harm safe and efficient work.
The Foundation requires the Stakeholders to comply with the following rules:
- refrain from carrying any weapon in any place of performing the Foundation’s duties, including housing / office / vehicles, etc.;
- refrain from using any narcotic drugs or excessive amounts of alcohol.
Equal opportunities. The Foundation provides equal opportunities for all employees, partners, contractors, and beneficiaries by applying widely publicized and consistent criteria when accepting and reviewing applications, procedures, and rules. Employment, membership, cooperation, assistance, or funding decisions should be made solely based on the quality of documentation, applications, and appeals, without regard to national, political, and religious affiliation, gender, lifestyle, appearance, or socio-economic situation.
Prevention of corruption. The Foundation requires the Stakeholders to comply with national and international anti-corruption laws and regulations strictly.
The Stakeholders must not offer gifts or services to individuals or companies on behalf of the Foundation or accept them for themselves or third parties when starting or maintaining business relationships with the Foundation.
Exceptions to the above are small gifts, products bearing the symbols of the Foundation, its projects, or events, gifts of nominal value constituting signs of courtesy, promotional gifts, and infrequent invitations, which are considered typical in the context of applicable standard business relations practices.
The signs of respect are permitted only to the extent appropriate for the Foundation’s benefit.
Reporting any illegal or unethical behavior. All the Stakeholders must immediately report any suspicions or concerns about violation of this Code to their line supervisor at the Foundation.
They can do this orally or in writing and provide complete information and, if possible, proofs.
If the line supervisor or Foundation manager cannot be notified or is suspected of being involved in unethical, illegal activities, the Stakeholders must inform the other manager, including the Board members. If they express doubts impartially, anyone who expresses concern about severe abuse will be protected from harassment or any other harmful treatment in the event of grave concern.
Intentional and false charges are a serious disciplinary offense and will be investigated and responded to accordingly.
Compliance verification procedures. This Code cannot and is not intended to describe all situations that may arise. If Stakeholders have doubts about the application of the Code or its individual provisions, they should contact the line supervisor, the Foundation’s management, or the project managers.
The Stakeholders may request clarification of the Code provisions, report anonymously any potential or actual violations of this Code or related policies and procedures by providing the information at:
_____________________________________________________________-
5. AMENDMENTS, MODIFICATIONS AND DEPARTURES FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT
This Code or its provisions shall be adopted, canceled, amended or supplemented following the procedure established by the Foundation’s Charter.
The Stakeholders are informed on time about the adoption, cancellation, amendment or supplementing of the Code or its individual provisions by sending a corresponding notification to their work email address.
6. VIOLATION OF THE CODE
Any violations of the Code of Conduct will be investigated and may result in disciplinary actions.
7. FINAL PROVISIONS
This Code is published on the Foundation’s official website to familiarize people with its provisions.