Policy for Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing is our policy for feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing in English. The policy describes how feedback, complaint and whistleblowing alarms can be reported within Erikshjälpen and how reported cases are handled.
Approved by the Board of Erikshjälpen 2025-05-22.
The policy applies to all of Erikshjälpen, that is, the second-hand business and the children's rights organization in both Sweden and internationally.
Approved by the Board of Erikshjälpen 2025-05-22.
The policy applies to all of Erikshjälpen, that is, the second-hand business and the children's rights organization in both Sweden and internationally.
Content
1. introduction and purpose
This policy describes how feedback, complaints, and whistleblowing matters can be reported within ERIKS development partner and ERIKS Second Hand (hereafter ERIKS) and how reported cases are handled. Feedback, complaints, and whistleblowing represent three different levels of severity, where feedback can be both positive and negative, complaints aim to highlight deficiencies in the operations, and whistleblowing aims to alert about serious misconduct. These three types of cases will be described more in detail in chapters 2-4 of this policy.
ERIKS works to ensure that children's rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled in Sweden and around the world. We have a zero-tolerance towards discrimination, all forms of abuse, sexual exploitation, and sexual harassment. We strive to be transparent and responsible in managing the donations we receive and work preventively regarding anti-corruption. Our approaches are described in our Child Safeguarding Policy, our Code of Conduct, and our Anti-corruption Policy.
ERIKS encourages the reporting of both improvement suggestions and misconducts in order to improve quality and address any deficiencies in our operations in Sweden and in our other program countries. The purpose of this policy is to create a safe and open environment where transparent procedures ensure that all feedback, complaints, and whistleblowing matters are treated seriously, fairly, and confidentially, and with respect for the individuals involved.
Provisions on whistleblowing in this policy are based on the rights and obligations stipulated in the Swedish law (2021:890) on the protection of persons who report misconduct (the "Whistleblower Act"). The law is based on the EU Whistleblower Directive. When a whistleblowing matter occurs outside the EU, consideration will also be given to the specific legal requirements of that country.
2. feedback
2.1. What is considered as feedback?
Feedback can concern anything within ERIKS´ operations, both positive and negative. It can include praise or suggestions for improvement.
2.2 Who can submit feedback?
Anyone who comes in contact with ERIKS can submit feedback, including participants such as children and parents/caregivers in our programs.
2.3. How to submit feedback?
Feedback is submitted directly to the relevant department or operation. Contact information can be found on our website.
2.4 Who handles feedback?
Feedback is primarily handled within the relevant department or operation. If necessary, higher-level manager may be involved. When deemed relevant, the feedback can be handled as a complaint, as described below.
3. complaints
3.4 What is considered a complaint?
A complaint is intended to draw attention to deficiencies in our operations and the operations of our partner organizations. It may concern deviations from, or suspicions of deviations from, agreements, guidelines, and policies. For example, a complaint may involve unethical behavior in any of our operations or among our partner organizations, but it is not considered to be as severe as a whistleblowing, i.e., it is not of such a nature that the public has an interest in it being exposed and stopped (see further information on whistleblowing in section 4 below).
Incidents related to an individual employee's work environment are reported as an incident or work-related injury directly to the immediate manager.
Opinions regarding goods in our Second Hand stores are handled as feedback and submitted directly to the relevant store.
3.5 Who can file a complaint?
Anyone who comes in contact with ERIKS can make a complaint. This includes employees, volunteers, interns, partner organizations and their employees, donors, and customers. It also includes right-holders and their parents/caretakers in our programs.
3.6 How can a complaint be reported?
Complaints are reported through a form on our website (erikshjalpen.se). To enable us to act on incoming complaints, it is preferable to specify which operation or store to which the case relates. A complaint can also be reported to complaints@eriksdevelopment.org or directly to a manager or employee at ERIKS. The recipient of the complaint can then enter the information into the website form.
We also ensure that we in our Programme initiatives have easily accessible ways for children and parents to file a complaint and that our international partner organizations have their own policies and systems for handling complaints. Reporting channels should be accessible and adapted to the local context and rights holders in our work.
If a partner organization within our international programmes receives a complaint, the Regional Office can support the partner upon request. The complaint will then be reported through ERIKS complaint form.
Reporting regarding deviations from our Child Safeguarding Policy should be done promptly, if possible within 24 hours. Internationally, reporting is done according to what has been established in the partnership agreement.
3.7 Who receives the reported complaints?
Reported complaints are received by the relevant quality control group, based on the department or operation to which the case relates. There are quality control groups for different parts of the operations, including Second Hand, programme operations in Sweden, international programmes operations, and general matters relating to the organization. The groups consist of department managers and, in some cases, controllers and/or coordinators. If necessary, other functions can be involved, such as Child Protection/Safeguarding Representatives, CFO, or HR manager. If the case concerns someone in the quality control group, the next higher-level manager or relevant board or external party will be involved.
4. whistleblowing
The Swedish Act (2021:890) on the protection of persons who report misconduct ("whistleblower law") describes the rights and obligations of whistleblowers. The law is based on the EU whistleblower directive. Whistleblowers must not be hindered from reporting misconduct and must be protected against retaliation. Below is a description of how ERIKS handles whistleblowing. ERIKS HR department can provide more details on the whistleblower law if needed.
4.1 What is considered a whistleblowing?
Whistleblowing is meant to alert an organization of serious misconduct that is of such a nature that the public has an interest in it being exposed and stopped.
Whistleblowing should concern misconduct that has occurred or is most likely to occur in the organization in which the reporting person is/has been/may become active, or in another organization that the reporting person is or has been in contact with through their work. The whistleblower must have reasonable grounds to believe that the information about misconduct was true at the time of reporting in order to be covered by protection measures in relation to a whistleblower.
Whistleblower alerts may, for example, relate to:
- Unethical behavior; such as violations of our code of conduct
- Corruption and financial irregularities, such as bribery, unfair competition, money laundering, and fraud
- Crimes related to health and safety, such as workplace safety violations or offenses
- Environmental crimes; such as illegal handling of hazardous waste
- Privacy breaches; such as improper use of personal data
Deviations related to the above categories that are not deemed to be so serious that the public has an interest in it being exposed and stopped can instead be reported as complaints (see section 3 above). Information that only concerns an individual employee's own work or employment relationship is normally not covered by the whistleblower legislation and should instead be raised with the immediate manager, HR or the local trade union if there is one.
4.2 Who can report a whistleblowing matter?
A whistleblower is protected by whistleblower legislation if they, in a work-related context, have become aware of or obtained information about misconduct and report it. The whistleblower must also belong to one of the following categories:
- Employees (including temporary staff and employees of partners/contractors/suppliers)
- Job seekers
- Self-employed individuals
- Persons who are part of an organization's management or supervisory body
- Interns
- Volunteers
Persons who have belonged to any of the listed categories when they became aware of the information are also covered by protection measures in relation to a whistleblower.
In addition to the whistleblower, persons who assist the whistleblower in reporting, persons connected to the reporting person, and legal entities owned, worked for, or otherwise connected to the reporting person are also protected.
4.3 How to report whistleblowing matters?
There are four reporting channels for whistleblowing within ERIKS:
- Through a form on erikshjalpen.se
- Through email to visselblasning@erikshjalpen.se or whistleblowing@eriksdevelopment.org
- Through phone to the responsible recipient of reports
- Through a personal meeting with the responsible recipient of reports if requested via email or phone.
Form and contact information for the responsible recipients of reports can be found on erikshjalpen.se.
Whistleblowing forms guarantee anonymity if the whistleblower does not provide any personal information in the form.
Regardless of the channel you choose, your report should include the following information:
- If your case concerns a specific store, it is desirable to specify which store.
- Describe the misconduct you want to report.
- When did the misconduct occur? Is it still ongoing?
- Who are the individuals involved?
- Are there any documentation or other evidence?
- Have you taken any other actions regarding the misconduct?
- Are you available for additional questions to facilitate the investigation of the case?
- Name and contact information of the informant (optional).
Reporting regarding deviations from our Child Safeguarding Policy should be done promptly, if possible, within 24 hours. Internationally, reporting is done according to what has been established in the partnership agreement. If a partner organization within our international programmes wishes to do so, the Regional Office can support the reporting of whistleblowing cases to ERIKS.
4.4 Who are the responsible recipients of whistleblower reports?
ERIKS HR manager and a designated HR specialist are the responsible recipients of reports on misconduct. They are also the ones who receive reports through the whistleblowing form on erikshjalpen.se as well as the email address visselblasning@erikshjalpen.se and whistleblowing@eriksdevelopment.org.
If the HR manager or the designated HR specialist is directly involved in the reported misconduct, the report can also be made to the highest operational manager, ERIKS Secretary-General, or the Chairman of the Board. Contact information can be found on erikshjalpen.se and eriksdevelopment.org.
The designated recipients of reports have the mandate to handle and investigate incoming reports independently and autonomously. In order to investigate and address the misconduct, additional individuals may need to be involved, and access to any personal information will be limited to what each person needs to fulfil their duties. The person handling a whistleblower case must not unlawfully disclose information that could reveal the identity of the reporting person, or any other individual involved in the case.
5 Complaints and whistleblowing regarding partner organizations
ERIKS collaborates with local partner organizations to implement children's rights initiatives. According to ERIKS' Project Agreement, the partner organization is committing to work to prevent, detect and identify any illegal action or misuse of funds.
ERIKS accepts complaints and whistleblowing regarding local partner organizations and their employees but also encourages partners to develop their own complaint handling systems to enhance accessibility and transparency in project areas. Reporting channels should be accessible and adapted to the local context and rights holders in our work.
6. can I report anonymously?
When you report a complaint or whistleblowing matter through the form on our website, you can choose to remain anonymous. However, we encourage you to provide your name and contact information so that we can investigate the incident and address it properly, and you can receive feedback on the actions taken. Even when personal information is provided, it is handled confidentially, meaning that the information is only accessible to individuals who are authorized to access it.
7 Principles for handling cases:
When handling cases, we work according to these principles.
- Accessibility - ERIKS has easily accessible ways to report misconduct. This also includes a complaint reporting system tailored for children.
- Transparency - ERIKS strives for openness and transparency in all aspects of the organization. This increases the possibility of scrutiny and ensures that any irregularities are addressed in a secure manner.
- Accountability - ERIKS aims to have clarity in mandates and responsibilities, as well as structures and systems to trace mistakes and intentional errors. Individuals who have responsibilities within the organization should be held accountable for their actions.
- Confidentiality - The information in reported cases is only shared with individuals who are authorized to access it. Access to personal information is limited to what each person needs to fulfill their duties.
- Security and protection - ERIKS places great importance on guaranteeing the security and protection of those who report misconduct or have been subjected to any irregularities related to our operations.
- Non-retaliation - Those who raise complaints or report whistleblowing matters should not face any form of retaliation, reprisals, or negative consequences as a result of their reporting.
- Objectivity - The persons handling cases strive to handle them professionally and conduct as objective investigations as possible.
- Right to appeal - ERIKS offers the right to appeal when a case has not been handled as expected.
8. procedure for handling complaints and whistleblowing matters
Below is a description of the procedure following an incoming case. In all steps, the principles outlined in section 7 are followed.
8.1 Reception
Cases reported through the website forms are directly entered into a case management system and assigned a category for the specific type of case. The case is given a reference number. Only authorized individuals have access to the specific categories. If the case is reported verbally, the reporter and recipient can jointly fill out the form.
This specifically applies to whistleblowing matters:
In the case of verbal whistleblower reports, the recipient should document the report. This can be done through a recording if the reporter consents to it, or by creating a written document. The reporting person should be given the opportunity to review, correct, and approve the written record through their signature. A case is created in the case management system where documentation is stored.
The recipient sends confirmation that the whistleblowing matter has been received within seven days of receiving it, unless the reporting person has waived confirmation or the recipient has reason to believe that a confirmation would reveal the person's identity.
8.2 Investigation
The case is investigated by the designated recipients. Additional individuals may be involved, when necessary, but the number of individuals involved should always be kept to a minimum.
Whistleblowing matters are investigated to determine their accuracy.
All whistleblowing matters and complaints containing sensitive information, such as allegations of gross misconduct, corruption, sexual exploitation and abuse, harassment, and assault, are investigated with special discretion and protection for the affected individuals.
If it is determined that the investigation can better be handled by an external party - for example, due to conflicts of interest, credibility reasons, or the need for expertise - such a party will be engaged.
If the case involves a failure to comply with our Child Safeguarding Policy and if the case involves children, action should always be taken promptly. If necessary, ERIKS Child Protection/Safeguarding Representative may be involved in the investigation.
Serious matters are promptly reported to the Secretary General of ERIKS and/or the Executive Director of ERIKS Second Hand. They determine whether to inform the boards.
If the case is deemed to be serious enough to pose a risk of an organizational crisis, the crisis management group will be involved, and handling will be done according to the established crisis management plan.
8.3 Actions
The recipients will decide on any necessary actions based on the results of the investigation. If needed, other functions will be involved to carry out necessary actions. Even in this case, discretion is observed and personal data is protected.
If there is suspicion that a child is in danger, a report of concern should be made to Social Services in countries where this is possible. Further details can be found in the Guidelines for Child Safeguarding, appendix 2.
If the case involves a criminal offense, it should be reported to the nearest police authority. Before making a report, the immediate manager should be contacted.
The recipients will follow up to ensure that the decided actions are implemented.
8.4 Feedback
If the reporter has chosen not to remain anonymous, the recipients will ensure that the reporter receives feedback on their case, preferably on an ongoing basis throughout the process when possible.
In the case of whistleblowing, confirmation of receipt should be provided within 7 days. The actions taken and the reasons for them should be communicated to the whistleblower within 3 months if they can be reached and wish to receive feedback.
Regardless of the type of case, our goal is to provide feedback as soon as possible, but no later than within one month.
8.5 Reporting, Evaluation, Control and Deletion
All incoming cases that are deemed to be of high severity will be communicated to the management and the board. Reporting will be done in an anonymized format when appropriate.
Once a year, cases and actions will be compiled and reported to the management and, when appropriate, the board, also in an anonymized format. In conjunction with the compilation, an evaluation of the process for handling incoming cases will be conducted, and any identified improvements will be implemented.
To ensure that whistleblowing cases are properly handled by the designated recipients, a quarterly review is carried out by the Secretary General or the Executive Director, who reviews all cases received in the previous quarter and ensures that they have been handled correctly. The results of the review are reported to the Board as part of the reporting of the internal control plan.
Whistleblowing cases are deleted at the latest two years after the case is closed.
9. Appeal handling of case
If the reporter is not satisfied with the handling of a case, a new case can be logged through the same form on the website where the case reference number and the dissatisfaction can be addressed.
10. external reporting of whistleblowers
In Sweden, the government has appointed several authorities that have external reporting channels on their websites that can be used if one wants to report a whistleblowing matter to an external party. The different authorities receive different types of whistleblowing reports, see the list of their areas of responsibility here:
Internationally, the availability of external reporting channels may vary. If necessary, the relevant Regional Office can refer to the relevant party.
Erikshjälpen's Procurement Policy describes how purchasing and procurement rules should form the basis for the organization's purchases and procurements to actively contribute to achieving high quality in the business.
1. background
Erikshjälpen's purchasing and procurement rules shall form the basis for the organization's purchases and procurements to actively contribute to the achievement of high quality in the business. Purchases and procurements shall be characterized by professionalism and lead to correct deliveries and implementations at the lowest possible total cost in combination with high quality. Erikshjälpen undertakes to promote the highest ethical standards among its suppliers.
2. purpose
The purpose of this policy is to document and communicate Erikshjälpen's purchasing and procurement rules for goods and services in order to achieve efficiency in all areas of purchasing. The policy is aimed at everyone who is responsible for purchasing goods and services within the Foundation.
3. business acumen
Purchasing and procurement shall be based on a holistic approach based on this document. Buyers/procurement officers shall have good competence in the field and have a high level of integrity and respect for suppliers and consultants.
4. definitions
a. Goods
Goods means all supplies, materials, equipment and furniture, computers, IT and telecommunications equipment, computer software, office supplies,
household appliances, goods and equipment needed for the business to
functioning of the business.
b. Services
Services are those activities and functions that cannot be described as goods. A service adds value to a recipient without being a permanent physical object with its own value.
c. General services
Services such as equipment/furniture repair and maintenance, trucking, freight, janitorial, security, office rental, transportation, import, logistics services, media, advertising, health, maintenance and other similar services.
d. Consultancy services
Services requiring external technical and professional expertise beyond Erikshjälp's internal capacity, such as advice and review, feasibility studies, design, construction supervision, management and related services and technical or special studies carried out by Corporate.
5. Basic rules
The following thresholds apply to the procurement of goods and services:
- procurement must be carried out competitively for all service contracts above four price base amounts*.
- procurement shall be carried out on a competitive basis for all supply contracts above two price base amounts*.
*) For 2022, the price base amount is SEK 48,300.
Rules concerning the invitation to tender, tender evaluation and procurement decisions referred to in points 1 and 2 above.
a. Complete and clear tender documentation in the form of technical specifications/mission statement and commercial conditions should be included in the tender request. It is important that the specifications are neutral and if reference to a particular brand has to be made, "or equivalent" should be added.
b. The evaluation of tenders shall take into account only the criteria set out in the invitation to tender. The tender considered most advantageous in the light of all these criteria shall be accepted.
c. Tenders must not be invited solely for reasons of comparison. The person invited to submit a tender must also be able to expect to be considered as a supplier.
d. The invitation to tender must be sent to at least three parties, or advertised.
e. The composition of the group of tenderers should not always be the same but
varied from time to time.
f. The successful tenderer shall be informed in writing as soon as possible. However, at the latest within the period during which the tender is binding on the tenderer. Tenderers whose tenders have not been accepted must be notified as soon as possible. Erikshjälpen does not need to give reasons to the tenderers who are rejected.
g. It can be considered reasonable that the requirements must be adapted to local conditions and local legislation in this area. However, procurement must always be carried out on a commercial basis.
A simplified tendering procedure can be carried out through a written price comparison of at least three tenders if the value of the procurement is between one and two price base amounts. If three offers are not provided, a justification for the deviation should be documented, as well as the basis for the choice of offer in the individual case. Orders exceeding two price base amounts must be covered by contracts signed by both parties.
6. guidelines
The following aspects should be taken into account when purchasing goods and services.
a. Ethics
Erikshjälpen's officials, employees or agents must neither request nor accept gratuities, favors or anything of monetary value from suppliers or potential suppliers. If this is breached, disciplinary action will be taken against the persons concerned. Erikshjälpen upholds honesty, integrity and fairness in all aspects of its business, and expects the same in its relationships with its suppliers. Erikshjälpen is committed to promoting the highest ethical standards among its suppliers. Our staff, especially those involved in any phase of procurement, must declare all affiliations with suppliers and must not disclose confidential information about a project's requirements or deprive other bidders of such information that puts one bidder or group of bidders in a more favorable position over other bidders. This includes disclosing the other bidders' prices, terms and conditions, etc. Failure to declare affiliations with suppliers shall be considered a conflict of interest. The offer or acceptance of any form of bribe, monetary or otherwise, is unacceptable and subject to disciplinary action. In addition, staff should not accept personal commissions, gratuities or gifts from suppliers.
b. Conflict of interest
Erikshjälpen shall avoid situations that may involve conflicts of interest for employees, officials or agents or their immediate family. Suppliers must declare if they have family or relatives who are employed by Erikshjälpen. If a tenderer is found to have a hidden conflict of interest with Erikshjälpen, or with a competing tenderer, that tenderer shall be disqualified from participating in
a tender procedure.
c. Fraud and corruption
The contracting authority shall reject any proposal submitted by tenderers and, where appropriate, terminate the contract if it is established that they have participated in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive or coercive practices:
- Corrupt practices mean offering, giving, receiving or soliciting, directly or indirectly, anything of value to influence the effect of the contracting entity in the procurement process or contract performance.
- Fraudulent practices are acts, omissions or misrepresentations that intentionally or recklessly mislead or attempt to mislead the contracting entity in the procurement process or contract performance, in order to avoid an obligation while obtaining financial gain or other advantage.
- Collusion is a secret agreement between two or more bidders aimed at artificially altering the results of the tender procedure in order to obtain a financial or other advantage.
- Coercive practices impair or prejudice or threaten to impair or prejudice, directly or indirectly, any participant in the tender procedure in order to influence that participant's activity or to affect the performance of a contract.
To avoid corruption in procurement , the principles and
approach described in Erikshjälpen's anti-corruption policy shall apply. See section
three in our anti-corruption policy.
d. Principles governing the award of contracts
Responsibility for procurement, including the award and implementation of contracts, rests with the procuring entity. Erikshjälpen has an obligation to ensure that funds entrusted by donors are used appropriately with regard to economy and efficiency, and without regard to political or non-economic influences. Erikshjälpen's procurement should generally be guided by:
- the quality of goods, works and services
- Efficiency and economy;
- Gender equality and open competition;
- Transparency of the process and adequate documentation;
- Highest ethical standards in all procurement activities.
Contracts should only be concluded with suppliers that have the potential ability to meet the terms of a proposed contract. Consideration shall be given to such matters as the supplier's values, record of past performance, its financial and technical resources, and the availability of other critical issues. A contract shall be entered into with the supplier whose offer is the most advantageous to Erikshjälpen, taking into account factors such as price, quality, delivery time, payment terms, etc.
All deliveries and transportation of goods should be accompanied by a consignment note signed by the persons concerned. The consignee should immediately return a copy to the consignor.
e. Environmental and rights aspects
Erikshjälpen shall ensure that the requirements for procurement correspond to environmentally sustainable development in accordance with Erikshjälpen's environmental policy. An important part of the purchasing work is therefore to take into account the environmental impact when choosing suppliers and set relevant environmental requirements, so that negative advocacy on the environment is reduced. In this work, the assessment shall be based on a scoring system where the highest score is given if the supplier has an externally audited environmental certification such as ISO, EMAS or similar. The level below this is if the supplier has some form of environmental program but this is not externally audited. A further level below is if there is only an environmental policy. The lowest level is if there is no organized environmental work and no document on the supplier's environmental work.
When choosing a product, Erikshjälpen shall also look at the product's documented environmental performance and make an informed choice. Erikshjälpen shall strive to purchase as many environmentally certified products and services as possible, with relevant ecolabels for the relevant product category. When purchasing goods, these should preferably be labeled with one or more of the following labels:
Electronics: TCO, EPEAT, Energystar, Nordic Ecolabel and EU Ecolabel.
Cleaning products: Good Environmental Choice and the Nordic Swan.
Food products: KRAV-labeled, Fairtrade, MSC and organic.
Promotional products: Fairtrade, FSC, KRAV-labeled and organic.
Erikshjälpen shall also ensure that the requirements for the selection of suppliers of goods and services take into account the fundamental human rights as expressed in the ILO's core conventions. Among other things, the following rules of conduct apply to our suppliers:
- All employment shall be voluntary with the supplier.
- Labor and employment laws must be respected.
- Compensation laws and existing collective agreements must be respected.
- A humane treatment of all employees is a basic requirement.
- Discrimination must not occur in employment decisions.
- Agreed and statutory safety rules must be followed.
- Security and crisis contingency plans must be in place.
- The supplier's employees must be informed of their rights.
- The supplier shall provide a safe and good working environment for its employees.
f. Prohibition of child labor
The contracting entity must ensure that tenderers do not use child labor and that fundamental social rights and working conditions are respected. The tender procedure must include a clause that does not allow any child labor.
g. Quality
The buyer / procurer must always be clear and present Erikshjälp's specifications to suppliers and only use the suppliers that meet the organization's requirements, needs and expectations. The quality of delivered products and services must be ensured through continuous Monitoring and evaluation.
h. procurement of second-hand goods
Erikshjälpen can buy used goods whenever possible. The choice must be made with regard to the environment and sustainability and when it is appropriate and can be combined with sufficient functionality and quality.
i. Competitive opportunities
Competitive opportunities shall be actively sought and utilized. Erikshjälpen's purchasing volume shall be used to achieve the lowest possible cost by coordinating purchases and thus reducing the price level.
All procurement shall be carried out in such a way as to ensure open and free competition. Tenders and tenderers shall be treated objectively so that competition on equal terms is achieved. The purchase of supplies, works and services shall be based on a clear and accurate description of the technical requirements of the material, product or service to be procured. Such a description shall not, in competitive procurement, contain features that unduly restrict competition.
j. Adaptation of procurement rules
If institutional donors contributing to a particular operation (e.g. Sida, SMC, EU) have specific procurement rules that are more demanding than those of Erikshjälp, these rules will be applied to this specific operation.
Erikshjälpen's Code of Conduct Policy governs that Erikshjälpen's vision and values are reflected in all work and conduct, both inside and outside the organization. Adopted by Erikshjälpen's board 2013-10-01.
1. Introduction
Working at Erikshjälpen entails a great responsibility, not only in the implementation of the work, but also in how we act. Erikshjälpen's vision and values should be reflected in all our work and conduct, both inside and outside the organization. This means that it is very important that you contribute to maintaining the good reputation of Erikshjälpen, in your work with partner organisations, in contact with authorities and with people in general - both in Sweden and abroad. These guidelines must be followed by everyone who represents Erikshjälpen as staff, board members and anyone hired as an expert or consultant.
2. transparency
Decisions must be open and clear. Everything you do in your work must be transparent and verifiable for colleagues and others that Erikshjälpen chooses to involve in the work.
3. respect
You have a responsibility to treat all people with respect. You must have an understanding of the opinions and views of others. When working to promote children's rights and the vision and values of Erikshjälp in a context that is contrary to these values, it is important to act thoughtfully and with sensitivity.
4. No abuse of your position of power
Development aid and assistance does not only involve the transfer of financial resources and knowledge, it often entails an aspect of power. In your work, it is therefore likely that you will come into contact with people who are or who perceive themselves to be in a position of dependence on you. These may be people in the partner organization or people in the target group, or other people within Erikshjälpen. You must never abuse your position of power. In addition, you must not use your position of power to give other people advantages that they would not normally have. Your behaviour and relationships with the partner organization and other people must not be such that people think you are demanding or expecting favours or benefits.
5. non-discrimination
You must not discriminate against any individual or group, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs or disability, either at Erikshjälpen, partner organisations or people in general. It is important that you actively uphold this obligation within the framework of the partnership, as projects and activities should strive to enable the above-mentioned groups or persons to participate.
6. no sexual abuse or harassment
All forms of sexual abuse are prohibited, as well as all forms of sexual contact between adults and children, i.e. persons under the age of 18. The purchase of sexual services is strictly prohibited. It is forbidden to use technical equipment (computers, etc.) provided by Erikshjälpen to view or distribute pornographic material. No employee or person with whom you come into contact may in any way be subjected to sexual harassment, either physically or mentally. Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome conduct based on sex or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that violates a person's privacy. You have an obligation to know and follow Erikshjälpen's Child Protection Policy - Safe Children.
7. non-corruption
Corruption means misusing the resources of an organization/company/authority for personal gain. You must not contribute to corruption in any way, for example by giving or receiving bribes, either in the form of money or other benefits in order to give you advantages over others. Erikshjälpen's anti-corruption policy and action plan has zero tolerance for corruption. The action plan states who at Erikshjälpen you should contact if you suspect irregularities.
8. Alcohol and drugs
When working (abroad and in Sweden), alcohol consumption is only allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as official dinners and similar events. On these occasions, it is extremely important to consume alcohol in moderation. During your free time during an official assignment, you should also be restrained in your alcohol consumption as you are a representative of Erikshjälpen. Erikshjälpen never offers alcohol. Alcohol consumption is completely prohibited when driving and as a passenger you should always react if you suspect that the driver is intoxicated. All forms of involvement in, possession or consumption of drugs are prohibited, unless they are prescription drugs for personal use.
9. Knowledge of this Code of Conduct
Everyone working for Erikshjälpen, all staff, board members and people hired as experts or consultants, must be made familiar with this Code of Conduct. As one of these persons, you are obliged to know and follow these guidelines.
10. Monitoring
This Code of Conduct is a governing document adopted by the Board of Erikshjälpen. As of 2013-10-01, it must be signed by everyone engaged in assignments for Erikshjälpen, all staff, board and those working as experts or consultants. If you are suspected of violating the code of conduct, you must receive a written warning and the opportunity to respond to the allegations. Repeated or deliberate breach of the Code of Conduct may lead to termination of employment/assignment. Any dismissal will be submitted to the Board for a final decision on the matter. If a failure to comply with the rules is also a breach of Swedish law, a police report may be filed.
Erikshjälpen's Investment Policy aims to lay the foundation for responsible and efficient financial management that gives the foundation long-term sustainable conditions to carry out its mission for children in the world. Adopted by Erikshjälpen's board 2023-09-22.
1. Introduction
"To work in the spirit of Erik means for us to be sensitive, opportunity-focused, creative and deeply aware of the responsibility it entails to manage donors' gifts and trust". The above quote from Erikshjälpen's core values describes well the attitude that should apply to the entire financial management within the foundation and not least the asset management that takes place through various forms of investments. The purpose of this policy is to lay the foundation for responsible and efficient financial management that gives the foundation long-term sustainable conditions to carry out its mission for children and the world they dream of.
2. division of responsibilities
The basic division of responsibilities within the Foundation is documented in the Rules of Procedure and Decision-Making adopted by the Governing Board and revised annually. The description below is based on the rules of delegation set out therein.
2.1 Responsibilities of the Board
The Board shall
- be responsible for and monitor that the management is carried out in a responsible manner and in accordance with the Foundation's statutes, core values and this investment policy
- once a year or, if necessary, establish or revise the investment policy.
2.2 Responsibilities of the Secretary-General
The Secretary-General shall
- decide on asset management within the limits set by the Board of Directors in this investment policy or by other Board decisions
- continuously monitor and evaluate the performance of asset management
- be responsible for reporting to the Board on the performance and risks of asset management.
The Secretary-General may delegate responsibility for day-to-day management to the Administrative/Financial Manager or an official in a similar position. However, the Secretary-General always has overall responsibility for asset management.
2.3 Securities Committee
The Secretary-General shall appoint a Securities Committee responsible for managing investments. This committee shall be composed of the Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer and officials of similar status. The Committee may also appoint external experts to advise and prepare investment decisions. The officials of the Committee shall implement the investment decisions taken and monitor the progress of the investments made.
The Committee may, by delegation, implement changes to the portfolio on its own initiative, subject to the provisions of this policy. The changes made to the portfolio shall always be reported to the Board of Directors.
3. location rules
3.1 General
The Foundation shall manage its funds in such a way as to ensure a good return and adequate security. The Foundation chooses low-risk investments and does not speculate with endowment funds.
The funds must be managed in an ethically defensible manner in accordance with the foundation's fundamental values (see below). According to a decision by the Board of Directors, Erikshjälpen must have a balanced equity corresponding to current turnover for a period of 5-7 months.
3.2 Ethics
Erikshjälpen chooses investments in listed Corporate and equity funds that comply with the international conventions on human rights and the environment that Sweden has adopted, and this applies primarily:
- The ILO Conventions
- human rights conventions
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child
- conventions against bribery and corruption
- international environmental conventions.
We exclude investments in Corporate whose business involves the manufacture and/or sale of alcohol products, pornography, tobacco and tobacco products, weapons, commercial gambling or the extraction of fossil energy (natural gas including shale gas, petroleum and coal). Weapons are defined as products intended to kill, maim or destroy and sold to military users, including products used as platforms for weapons and strategic products, such as warships, tanks and combat aircraft.
3.3 Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are held in transaction accounts at the best possible interest rate. Cash and cash equivalents shall correspond to one month's turnover.
3.4 Investable funds
Investable funds means capital available for investment in Shares, bonds, funds and interest-bearing Securities. This capital shall be invested to provide a good long-term return. At least 80% of the investable funds shall be invested in such a way that they can be converted into cash within a maximum of 14 days.
Based on the market value, the Foundation's investments shall be allocated as follows:
| Asset class | Minimum % of | Normal mode %. | Maximum % of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity-related investments | 0 | 50 | 60 |
| Interest rate related investments | 40 | 50 | 100 |
During the year, there may be deviations from the above minimum and maximum levels caused by increases and decreases that affect the outcome of the percentages. Investments in individual shares may not exceed 10% of the entire equity portfolio. Investments in Swedish investment companies may not exceed 20% of the entire equity portfolio.
3.5 Securities received by inheritance or gift
Securities received by way of inheritance or gift are sold as soon as possible unless there are specific obstacles or special reasons.
4. Reconciliation and adjustment of investments
A reconciliation of the current investments in relation to the above allocation guidelines (3.4) and the policy in general shall take place at least once every six months. If the reconciliation shows that the investments deviate from the current guidelines, measures must be taken to correct the portfolio. Changes to the investments must then be made as quickly as possible, taking into account the value of the investments and available alternatives. The Administrative/Financial Manager is responsible for carrying out the reconciliation and reports to the Secretary-General.
5. reporting
Reporting of investments and returns is done annually in connection with the annual report. In the event of major deviations or extraordinary events that have or risk having an impact on the Foundation's financial position, the Secretary-General shall inform the Governing Board as soon as possible.
ERIKS Anti-Corruption Policy is Erikshjälpens Antikorruptionspolicy in English. The policy describes how we define and relate to corruption and how we work to counteract, detect and act on corruption. Adopted by Erikshjälpen's Board of Directors April 2024.
1 Introduction and Purpose
ERIKS Development Partner (hereafter ERIKS) is a non-profit second-hand business and a child rights organization that works to ensure that children's rights are respected, protected, and fulfilled in Sweden and around the world. Corruption is always an obstacle to social and economic development. It also risks damaging ERIKS´ trust among those we work with in our programs, as well as in relation to private and institutional donors, partners, and customers in our stores. ERIKS, therefore, sees corruption as a serious risk that counteracts our vision of a changed world where children's dreams come to life.
Parts of ERIKS´ programs, both in Sweden and internationally, are carried out in environments and contexts with a relatively high risk of corruption, which requires specific measures and approaches. Countries with a high level of inequality, weak democracy, and conflicts often have a higher risk of corruption. Likewise, internal risks such as handling large amounts of money, close and long-term relationships between colleagues and representatives of different actors, along with weak internal control can foster corruption. There is also a risk of corruption in, for example, procurements, purchases, and corporate collaborations that often occur in Sweden.
The purpose of this policy is to describe how ERIKS defines and relates to corruption and how we work to prevent, detect, and act on corruption.
ERIKS' work with anti-corruption is based on our identity document "In the Service of Love", which establishes our values. In addition to this, the following documents are linked to our work on anti-corruption:
- Policy for Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing
- Procurement Policy
- Code of conduct
- Child Safeguarding Policy
- Personnel and Recruitment Policy
This policy is valid for all parts of ERIKS´ operations, i.e., both ERIKS Development Partner and ERIKS Second Hand, in Sweden and internationally, and applies to ERIKS' staff, interns, volunteers, elected officials, and consultants. Through agreements, the policy also applies to ERIKS´ international partner organizations.
2. definition and approach
Definition of
ERIKS follows Sida's definition of corruption, which is the abuse of trust, power, or position for improper gain. Corruption includes, among other things, bribery, embezzlement, extortion, conflict of interest, nepotism, and other similar improprieties. The definition thus means that someone uses their position of power to benefit themselves, a relative, or their own interests. The benefit can include both financial and other advantages. Corruption also refers to the neglect to take action.
Approach
ERIKS' approach to corruption is based on Sida's anti-corruption rule, which means to always prevent, never accept, always inform, and always act. This should be applied in all situations, even if it means that interventions are delayed or partnerships terminated.
ERIKS is subject to Swedish law. Swedish laws and regulations apply to ERIKS' work abroad, where local legislation and rules must also be followed and respected. However, local legislation can never be used as an excuse for corrupt or unethical actions.
3. implementation
Always prevent
ERIKS works at all levels to make risk assessments that include risks of corruption. Structures and systems within the organization should always be designed to minimize the risk of corruption and at the same time values and ethics should continuously be discussed. All employees, elected officials, and volunteers have a responsibility to prevent corruption and should be given training and support in how they can do this.
Trust is also an important part of preventing corruption. Therefore, ERIKS works constantly to build trusting relationships with partners and to create a good and constructive dialog.
Never accept
ERIKS' employees, interns, elected officials, volunteers, and consultants should never accept corruption or corrupt actions, whether in ERIKS' own programmes or in programmes that we support financially or in other ways. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every part of our operations is characterized by fairness, transparency, and accountability. Never accepting corruption means not only compliance with the law but also acting based on our values and being role models for ethical behaviour in all situations. At the slightest suspicion of an irregularity, this should be reported.
Always inform
ERIKS´ employees, interns, elected officials, volunteers, and consultants are obliged to report suspected or detected corruption through our complaint and whistleblowing functions on our international website (eriksdevelopment.org) or our Swedish website (erikshjalpen.se). Further reporting measures and descriptions of responsibilities are available in our Guidelines for Complaints and Response Mechanism. If it concerns an intervention financed by Sida, the Swedish Mission Council (SMR) must be informed. If the intervention has another institutional donor, the respective donor must be informed.
Always act
ERIKS must always act on tips, warning signals, and suspicions of corruption. The action should be taken with discretion and respect for those involved. ERIKS investigates all suspicions of corruption, and appropriate measures are taken to handle the specific case and prevent something similar from happening again. Internal and external informants and whistleblowers are offered anonymity and other security measures if needed. The routines for how a case is assessed are the same whether the information first reaches ERIKS through our complaint or whistleblowing functions or in another way. More information about the procedure in case of suspected corruption is available on our website and in our Policy for Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing.
Transparency
ERIKS always strives for openness and transparency in all parts of the organization's operations. This applies to policies, strategies, plans, decisions, and reports. Through this, insight into and scrutiny of the operations are made possible, which can contribute to increasing trust in ERIKS among employees, volunteers, and elected officials, as well as partners and other actors.
Accountability
ERIKS strives for clarity in mandate and division of responsibilities and to have structures and systems to trace mistakes and deliberate errors. Those responsible within the organization should be held accountable for their actions. An important part of this work is our complaint and whistleblowing functions through which suspected corruption can be reported. What we define as complaints and whistleblowing is described on our website and in our Policy for Feedback, Complaints and Whistleblowing.
Partner organizations
ERIKS encourages and supports our international and national partner organizations to have their own systems and routines for working preventively with corruption and to detect and report on corruption as early as possible. Through our agreements with partners, it is regulated how partner organizations and ERIKS act in case of suspected corruption.
ERIKS strives for an open and continuous dialogue with partners on the issue of corruption and around values and ethics. Support is given to partner organizations that need to improve their internal control systems or implement other measures that prevent corruption.
Communication
This policy should be available on ERIKS' intranet and website as well as shared and attached as an appendix when agreements are signed with a partner organization. It should also be presented to new employees as well as elected officials, interns, volunteers, and consultants within the organization.
4. follow up
To have a successful work against corruption, continuous follow-up and evaluation of the work must be done. The Secretary General is ultimately responsible for the work with anti-corruption, that the policy is followed, and that the work is evaluated. The policy is approved by ERIKS' board and revised as needed.
All directors and managers within both ERIKS Development Partner and ERIKS Second Hand have a responsibility to integrate anti-corruption work into their operations. The immediate manager also has a responsibility to ensure that employees are aware of the policy and the other documents that reflect ERIKS' view on and work with corruption. All employees, in turn, have a responsibility to contribute to the realization of the policy's intentions and to work for anti-corruption.
In Erikshjälpen's privacy policy you can read how we ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This privacy policy has been decided by Erikshjälpen and is valid from 2018-05-25.
Data protection rules are based on human rights. Everyone has the right to respect for their private and family life and to the protection of their personal data.
On May 25, 2018, the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will enter into force across the EU, replacing the Personal Data Act (PUL). The purpose of the GDPR has been to protect people from having their privacy violated when their personal data is processed. The GDPR further strengthens your rights by imposing stricter requirements on how Corporate and organisations process personal data.
You should always feel safe when you provide your personal data to Erikshjälpen. With this privacy policy, we want to show how we ensure that your personal data is processed in accordance with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Erikshjälpen, Insamlingsstiftelsen Farbror Eriks barn- och hjälpverksamhet, organization number 827500-4789, 561 33 Huskvarna, is the data controller for the processing of your personal data.
1. processing of personal data
1.1 When does Erikshjälpen collect your personal data?
- When you give a gift to Erikshjälpen in our various channels or start a fundraising for the benefit of Erikshjälpen.
- When you want to subscribe to newsletters, use our registration and nomination forms or order goods through our various channels.
- When you apply for a vacancy or register as a Volunteer at Erikshjälpen.
1.2 What do we use the data for?
We use the personal data you provide mainly to administer gifts. The data may also be used for information and marketing purposes, Monitoring and development of Erikshjälpen's activities.
When you apply for vacancies, we use your personal data only for the purpose for which you provided it.
1.3 What data do we process about you and why?
By getting in touch with us at Erikshjälpen, you provide us with certain information. Here you can read about what information we process about you, for what purpose we process your information and what legal basis we have for processing it.
1.3.1 If you are an existing donor
We process about you: Name, social security number, donor ID number, address details, email, phone number, gender, family connections, payment history, donor contact notes and for contract donorsMonthly Donor, Youth Sponsor, Sponsor) also bank account numbers. In some cases, free text data is processed in order to provide a good donor service. In order to keep address details up to date, they are regularly updated from SPAR, which is a public personal register, for the period of time we keep your data.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Administration of the payment of the gift | Processing necessary for the purposes of handle payment of the gift according to the agreement between the donor and Erikshjälpen. |
| Good donor service | Balancing of interests |
| Feedback on your giving | Balancing of interests |
| Efficient administration and cost-effective fundraising | Balancing of interests |
| Continued processing for collection purposes | Balancing of interests |
| Monitoring and analysis | Balancing of interests |
| Comply with the requirements of the Accounting Act 1999:1078 | Legal obligation |
Our legitimate interests in the processing operations are based on the balancing of interests carried out. Our aim is to improve our administration and thus reduce our costs. This will allow us to help more children and families in need. Data is processed for as long as you are a donor and for a period of 36 months after you stop donating. Data may be kept for longer in accordance with legal requirements, such as the requirements of the Accounting Act.
1.3.2 You as a prospective donor
We process about you: Name, postal address, email address, social security number and telephone number. In some cases, free text data is processed after contact with our telemarketing departments. Your data is in some cases purchased from other Corporate, with SPAR as the source. In some other cases, data may be obtained from, for example, news sources, in situations where you have some kind of connection with Erikshjälpen and could be interested in contributing to our work.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Contact for requests to make one-off or regular gifts. | Balancing of interests |
Our legitimate interest in the treatments is to connect with people who are interested in making gifts and supporting our work.
Your personal data will normally be kept for two months in cases where data has been purchased for a specific activity. In other cases, data may be kept for up to 12 months since the last contact with you as long as you do not object to us processing your data.
1.3.3 If you have included or expressed an interest in including Erikshjälpen in your will
We process about you: Name, social security number, postal address, email address and telephone number. Your address details are regularly updated from SPAR, which is a publicly accessible register, for the period of time we keep your data. In some cases, we process data on financial and family circumstances.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| To safeguard the rights of Erikshjälpen under wills. | Consent |
| Keep in touch in case of expressed interest to include us in your Will and make a gift to Erikshjälpen. | Balancing of interests |
| Analysis of donor groups for improved donor awareness. | Balancing of interests |
| Maintain a duplicate-free and well-administered donor register. | Balancing of interests. Personal data are processed on the basis of the importance of secure identification. |
Our legitimate interest in the treatments is to connect with people who are interested in making gifts and supporting our work.
If you have informed us that you have included Erikshjälpen in your will and have consented to us processing your data, we will keep it for as long as you have consented to this. If you have not consented but have shown interest and/or requested information, we will retain your data for up to 12 months since the last contact with you as long as you do not object to us processing your data.
1.3.4 If you are a contact person at a Corporate, parish or association that gives a gift, or orders Sister's Secret Box
We process about you: Name, telephone number and email address.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| To manage the relationship between your Corporate and Erikshjälpen. | Balancing of interests |
Our legitimate interest in processing is to be able to administer the contact with the company/organization you represent.
The data is saved as long as no new contact person is notified or for 36 months after the last gift your Corporate donated to Erikshjälpen.
1.3.5 If you are the recipient of a gift certificate
We process about you: Name and postal address. Your address details are collected from the donor.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| To establish a gift certificate. | Balancing of interests |
Our legitimate interest in processing and that of the donor is to be able to administer the gift and ensure that you receive the gift certificate.
The data is stored for 36 months. After that, we delete your data.
1.3.6 If you use a registration or nomination form on erikshjalpen.se
We process about you: Name, telephone number and email address.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| To administer applications and nominations. | Balancing of interests |
Our legitimate interest in processing is to be able to administer registrations for events or nominations for awards and to ensure that you receive information related to the event or the results of the award.
The data is only kept until the event is over or the award is announced. After that, we will delete your data.
1.3.7 If you receive our magazine and digital newsletter
We process about you: Name and postal address for magazine and for digital newsletter email address.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Newsletter/magazine distribution | Balancing of interests |
Our legitimate interest in processing your personal data is that you have indicated that you wish to receive our magazine and/or newsletter. Your data will be deleted when you indicate that you no longer wish to receive the magazine/newsletter.
1.3.8 Applying for a vacancy or traineeship
We process about you: Name, social security number, postal address, telephone number, social security number, information about education and work experience, information in cover letter/email, information in CV and references.
| Purposes of processing | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| Enable the secure identification of the job seeker. | Balancing of interests. Personal data are processed on the basis of the importance of secure identification. |
| Enable an efficient recruitment process. | Balancing of interests. |
Our legitimate interest in processing your personal data is to be able to manage your application in our recruitment process in an efficient and accurate manner.
The personal data we process about you will normally be kept for as long as necessary for the recruitment process in question. If the process is terminated and you are not offered the position, we will delete your data.
2. sharing of personal data
2.1 Who do we disclose the data to?
Your personal data will be processed by Erikshjälpen. In addition, your personal data may be shared with third parties who process personal data on our behalf, so-called data processors. We ensure that there are always data processing agreements in situations where a third party processes personal data on our behalf. We disclose or allow IT and system suppliers, banks, payment services, web agencies, printers and telemarketing companies to access your personal data that is necessary to carry out the tasks ordered. We ensure that the data is not passed on for processing by independent parties.
2.2 Is the data stored outside the EU or EEA (third country)?
As a general rule, we and our suppliers and partners only process your personal data within the EU/EEA. In cases where personal data is processed outside the EU/EEA (in "third countries"), there is either a decision by the European Commission that the third country in question ensures an adequate level of protection for the processing of personal data or other appropriate safeguards under the GDPR, for example in the form of standard contractual clauses that ensure that your rights are protected.
2.3 What are your rights?
In accordance with the applicable data protection legislation, you have the right to access information about what personal data we process about you and the right to request rectification of your personal data.
Under certain conditions, you also have the right to request erasure of personal data or restriction of processing of your personal data or to object to our processing. You also have the right, under certain conditions, to obtain the personal data concerning you that you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and have the right to transmit it to another controller.
You have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of your personal data at any time with effect from the moment of withdrawal. You also have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing and profiling purposes.
If you have any complaint regarding our processing of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swedish Data Protection Authority, which supervises the processing of personal data.
3. security
3.1 How do we work on security?
We and our partners constantly work to keep firewalls and antivirus software up to date to protect and prevent unauthorized access to your data. Only staff with authorized accounts and passwords have access to the areas and systems where personal data is stored. Our employees are also strictly instructed to handle all personal data in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
3.2 What is a cookie?
Erikshjälpen uses cookies to create the best possible experience on our website erikshjalpen.se. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and contain data from websites you have visited. The purpose is to give visitors access to various functions and make browsing easier. The next time you visit the same website, it can read your cookie and display the pages according to your settings.
For more information see erikshjalpen.se/cookies
3.3 Are we responsible for external links?
Erikshjälpen's information material may sometimes contain links to external websites or services that we do not control. If you follow a link to an external website, you are encouraged to read the principles for personal data processing and information about cookies that apply to the page in question.
4. contact
If you have questions about Erikshjälpen's processing of personal data or want to exercise your rights as above, you can email personuppgifter@erikshjalpen.se or send a letter to:
Erikshjälpen
Personal data
561 33 Huskvarna, Sweden
Policy for child safety and protection aims to formulate and clarify the principles and approaches that Erikshjälpen applies to prevent children from being harmed and how the organization acts if a child is harmed in any of Erikshjälpen's activities.
Adopted by Erikshjälpen's board 2022-02-03. Minor adjustment approved by Erikshjälpen and Erikshjälpen Second Hand's management groups 2023-01-31. The policy is called ERIKS Child Safeguarding Policy in English.
Contents
- Introduction and purpose
- The ethos of Erikshjälpen
- Erikshjälpen's commitments to ensure the safety and protection of children
- Reporting and notification
- Responsibility
- Annex 1: Definitions - Child safety and protectionAttachments
- Annex 2: Child safety and protection guidelines and notification procedure
1. Introduction and purpose
Erikshjälpen's vision is "A changed world where children's dreams come true". It is a world where every child feels safe and secure. Therefore, Erikshjälpen also takes all necessary measures to ensure that the organization, its operations and employees look after the child's best interests and prevent children from being harmed, and that all suspicions or established cases of abuse, violations and abuse are taken seriously and handled according to established procedures and guidelines.
This policy for child safety and protection aims to formulate and clarify the principles and approaches that Erikshjälpen applies to prevent children from being harmed and how the organization acts if a child is harmed in any of Erikshjälpen's activities. It applies to the whole of Erikshjälpen, i.e. the children's rights organization and Second Hand activities in Sweden as well as internationally, and must be applied by Erikshjälpen's employees: employees, trainees, field students, volunteers, recruiters, board members, consultants and other people who carry out work for Erikshjälpen. It establishes responsibilities and roles in the work to ensure the safety and protection of children in the organization. The policy is complemented by a position paper that describes Erikshjälpen's view of children's right to safety and protection and explains how Erikshjälpen works with this issue as a focus area in program activities.
The policy for child safety and protection interacts with the organization's other policies. For different parts of Erikshjälpen's activities, guidelines and procedures are developed as needed to provide guidance to employees within the organization in how the work should be conducted.
Erikshjälpen is a child rights organisation and works primarily with a focus on children. A child is every person under the age of 18. In Erikshjälpen's own activities or in projects supported by Erikshjälpen, young adults over 18 also participate. The overarching principles of the right to safety and protection in this policy, with associated documents, apply to all persons participating in or affected by Erikshjälpen's work and activities.
The main message of the policy is adapted and made accessible and understandable to participating children in the activities for which Erikshjälpen is directly responsible.
Where activities are carried out by partners, and the partner has its own child safety and protection policy, this must be followed. This policy is monitored annually and revised as necessary.
2. The ethos of Erikshjälpen
Erikshjälpen's commitment to working for children's rights is guided by the organization's identity and values - to work in the spirit of the founder Erik Nilsson, based on a Christian view of humanity and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly states that all children have the right to life and development, and to be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, maltreatment and exploitation. All children, without distinction, have the right to be safe in the activities that Erikshjälpen and its partners conduct. Everything Erikshjälpen does must have the best interests of children in focus. Therefore, Erikshjälpen is committed to creating safe environments for children where they can develop and feel good, and to integrating measures to ensure children's safety and protection in all processes and systems within the organization. Erikshjälpen has zero tolerance for the exploitation and abuse of children as well as violations and harassment.
Erikshjälpen uses the following definition of child protection: Measures and structures to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence affecting children. Child protection means protecting children from harm. Harm includes violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect. The goal of child protection is to promote, protect/defend and fulfill children's right to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights, humanitarian and refugee treaties and conventions as well as national legislation¹.
In addition to the above, Erikshjälpen emphasizes that harm includes physical, sexual, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects that affect children's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of relationship or responsibility, trust or power. Children should be protected from both potential and actual harm.
¹ Taken from Erikshjälpen's thematic position paper - the right to safety and protection.
3. Erikshjälp's commitments to ensure the safety and
and protection
To ensure children's right to safety and protection in the business, Erikshjälpen undertakes to prevent, act and follow up as follows:
3.1 Prevention
All employees in Sweden and internationally, i.e. employees, interns, field students, volunteers, recruiters, board members, consultants and other persons who perform work for Erikshjälpen, are required to sign that they have read and understood Erikshjälpen's policy and will follow its guidelines.
When recruiting staff to work with children, the suitability of the person concerned is checked, for example, by means of references and criminal records.
Erikshjälpen creates awareness among staff and other people involved in the issue of child safety and protection through information and training.
Erikshjälpen plans its work to minimize the risk of children being harmed, exploited or abused, which includes conducting risk assessments.
Erikshjälpen has an easily accessible and child-friendly complaint handling system for reporting abuses in its operations, as well as procedures for how reports should be followed up.
Erikshjälpen informs participants and guardians in activities for which Erikshjälpen has direct responsibility about the policy for child safety and protection and where they can turn to report irregularities. In cases where activities are conducted by partners, it is the partner's responsibility to inform participants and guardians about its policy. The partner's reporting procedure should be followed.
Erikshjälpen has specially appointed people (child protection officers) in the organization with the task of proactively monitoring the issue of child safety and protection and ensuring that the organization's commitments are fulfilled.
Erikshjälpen ensures that partner organisations within the program activities have their own policy for child safety and protection and that this is complied with and encourages child-friendly complaint handling. In the absence of such a policy, partners shall apply Erikshjälpen's policy until they have formulated their own.
3.2 Acting
Erikshjälpen undertakes to take any concerns raised seriously and act promptly based on developed guidelines and procedures in the event of suspected or established abuses and irregularities concerning children's right to safety and protection. Erikshjälpen also ensures that partners act in accordance with the above.
Erikshjälpen helps to facilitate any investigation in cases where notification to authorities needs to be made.
3.3 Follow-up
If misconduct or irregularities are found, this is followed up with measures to ensure that the incident does not recur, which may involve changing procedures, suspending cooperation or transferring or dismissing people. Victims of abuse or harassment are offered support as the situation requires.
4. Reporting and notification
In the event of suspected or established abuses and irregularities concerning children's right to safety and protection within Erikshjälpen's activities, reporting and notification must be made in accordance with the adopted guidelines. Internal reporting must be made in all cases, notification to the relevant authorities is made after a conversation with the nearest responsible manager and where the assessment is that this should be done.
In the event of incidents in international projects supported by Erikshjälpen, Erikshjälpen's Regional offices ensure that the partner handles the matter in accordance with current policy and applicable laws and regulations in the country in question.
All reporting, both near misses and incidents, should be done promptly, if possible within 24 hours.
All reports received are handled professionally, confidentially and in the most appropriate manner. If it is deemed that authorities need to be involved, this is done with the best interests of the child in mind.
For more detailed instructions on reporting and notification procedures, guidelines should be available.
5 Responsibility
The boards of Erikshjälpen and Erikshjälpen Second Hand are responsible for deciding on the policy and revising it when necessary.
The Secretary General of Erikshjälpen and the Executive Director of Erikshjälpen Second Hand have the ultimate responsibility for child safety and protection within Erikshjälpen's activities, that the policy is implemented, complied with and followed up and kept alive and updated. A summary of how the policy has been complied with must be included in Erikshjälpen's annual report.
Each Head of Department and Regional Director is responsible for ensuring that the policy is followed within their area of responsibility, and that child safety and protection perspectives are integrated into all work. This is done with the support of the specially appointed child protection officers from the program departments.
In international projects run by partners, the Regional Director is responsible for ensuring that child safety and protection policies are in place and enforced.
Everyone working for Erikshjälpen (employees, interns, field students, volunteers, recruiters, board members, consultants and other persons performing work for Erikshjälpen) is responsible for contributing to the safety of children in the organization's activities by following this policy and associated guidelines, and reporting deviations from the policy.
In connection with temporary visits to Erikshjälpen's projects or activities, both in Sweden and internationally, where children participate, the receiving staff is responsible for ensuring that the visitors comply with Erikshjälpen's policy for child safety and protection and associated guidelines.
Annex 1: Definitions - Child safety and protection
This annex defines and explains the main concepts related to child safety and protection. The list is not exhaustive.
Child
A child is a person under the age of 18.
Child protection
Measures and structures to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence affecting children. Child protection means protecting children from harm. Harm includes violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect. The aim of child protection is to promote, protect/defend and fulfill children's right to protection from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence as expressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights, humanitarian and refugee treaties and conventions as well as national legislation².
Harm includes physical, sexual, social, psychological, emotional and spiritual aspects that affect the child's health, survival, development or dignity in the context of relationship or responsibility, trust or power.
Child protection officer
Person within Erikshjälpen who is tasked with monitoring the issue of child safety and protection and ensuring that the organization's commitments are fulfilled.
Direct and indirect contact with children
Direct contact means being in close physical or digital proximity to children within the organization's work.
Indirect contact means having access to information about children in the context of the organization's work such as children's names, addresses, pictures or other personal data.
Abuse
Abuse includes any form of violation, maltreatment, neglect or negligent treatment that may result in harm to the child's health, ability to survive and develop, or diminished dignity in the context of relationship or responsibility, trust or power.
- Physical abuse is when someone uses their position of power to cause a child actual or potential physical harm, illness, pain or to put the child in a state of helplessness and powerlessness. Any form of corporal punishment of a minor (under 18) is considered physical abuse of a child. Physical abuse also includes the failure to meet a child's physical needs.
- Psychological abuse is when someone takes advantage of their position of power and subjects a child to acts such as ridicule, mockery, degrading judgments, degrading treatment, threats, ostracism, unreasonable demands, unfair punishment, rejection, forced isolation from social contacts, being encouraged to engage in anti-social behavior or criminality, being forced to witness violence or experiencing threats of violence. Psychological abuse includes all forms of physical, sexual and spiritual abuse of children. Psychological abuse also includes the failure to meet a child's emotional needs and the failure to provide a developmentally appropriate and supportive environment for the child to develop emotional and social competence.
- Sexual abuse includes all forms of sexual acts that a child is subjected to by another person, which violate the child's integrity. Sexual abuse or harassment can be both physical and non-physical, and can range from unwelcome looks and words with sexual undertones to intimate physical contact or rape. It is an act of a sexual nature that is forced on a child or that the child cannot understand or is not ready for.
Sexual abuse includes:
- Grooming, which is when an adult makes contact with a child with the aim of enticing, encouraging or inducing them to engage in inappropriate or illegal sexual activity.
- Child pornography, which involves the viewing, use, exploitation, trafficking, forwarding and transmission of sexual images of children engaged in real or simulated sexual activity or exposing their bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification.
- Sexual exploitation, which means that someone exploits a person through prostitution or trafficking for sexual purposes, with the aim of making a profit.
- Spiritual abuse is the misuse of power or influence in a spiritual context to control, coerce, manipulate or dominate a child.
Abuse also includes:
- Harmful traditional and cultural practices that may put the child at risk of harm, such as child marriage and genital mutilation.
- Exploitation, i.e. the exploitation of children for personal gain through child labor or other activities that are harmful to the child's physical or mental health or otherwise impair the child's development.
- Bullying, which is the repeated victimization of someone by others. It can include being teased, hit, or ostracized, and also includes actions that take place online.
² Erikshjälpen's Thematic Position Paper - The Right to Safety and Protection
Annex 2: Child safety and protection guidelines and notification procedure
1. Introduction and purpose
The following guidelines concretize and clarify how the child safety and protection policy should be applied in specific contexts. The Swedish version is comprehensive and includes both the Swedish and international versions. The English version is adapted to the international context. Examples are presented below but the list is not exhaustive or complete. All Erikshjälpen staff (employees, trainees, field students, volunteers, recruiters, board members, consultants and other people who carry out work for Erikshjälpen) are expected to plan and organize their work and workplace in such a way as to minimize the risk of children being abused, harmed, hindered in their development or their rights being violated in any other way. All children have the right to be safe in the activities that Erikshjälpen and its partners conduct.
Erikshjälpen's employees are obliged to report irregularities and deviations from the policy for child safety and protection and to respond to children who have been subjected to harm, violation, exploitation or abuse in accordance with Erikshjälpen's guidelines for reporting and Monitoring. See Guidelines for reporting and monitoring at the end of this document.
Erikshjälpen has specially appointed child protection officers in the organization who are tasked with proactively monitoring issues of child safety and protection and ensuring that the organization's commitments are met.
There will be a designated staff member in each international region and two staff members from headquarters; one from the International Program Department and one from the Sweden Program Department responsible for activities in Sweden. The Child Protection Officers will have specific knowledge of issues related to children's right to safety and protection and act as resource persons within the organization. Support will be provided to the Child Protection Officers within the regions as needed. See appendix "Child Protection Officer Erikshjälpen" for the name and contact details of each child protection officer.
child participation is an important part of the revision and implementation of the policy and its annexes. Internationally, the regional offices are responsible for selecting at least three children from each region to participate in the revision and Monitoring of the documents. Nationally, Erikshjälpen's Youth council is part of ensuring the perspective of children and young people in the revision and follow-up.
2. guidelines in specific activities
2.1 Recruitment, employment and training
Erikshjälpen's employees play a crucial role in creating safe and secure environments for children. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the people recruited are suitable for their tasks and are aware of their responsibilities. To ensure this, as far as possible, the following is applied in the recruitment and employment process:
- Nationally, when recruiting or hiring someone to work directly with children, the HR department is responsible for checking their suitability through references and criminal records. Internationally, the regional managers are responsible for an accountability of the references, which includes an accountability of the person's past behavior in relation to children. If possible, an extract from the criminal record or similar register is requested.
- Nationally, introduction for assignments within Erikshjälpen shall include a review of the Policy for Child Safety and Protection with associated annexes.
- Internationally, regional offices are responsible for the introduction and review of the Child Safety and Protection Policy, as well as guidance and training as needed.
- Nationally and internationally, regular reflections on child safety and protection, especially during joint days.
- All staff (employees, interns, field students, volunteers, recruiters, board members, consultants and other persons performing work for Erikshjälpen) must sign that they have read, understood and will comply with Erikshjälpen's policy for child safety and protection.
- Nationally, people who work in direct contact with children must undergo training on child safety and protection, provided by Erikshjälpen. The scope of the training may vary depending on the nature of the assignment.
- Internationally, new employees should read the Child Safety and Protection Policy and, with the support of the Regional Manager or Human Resources Manager, be given the opportunity to reflect their understanding before signing the employment contract.
2.2 Activities with children
In all activities within Erikshjälpen, including digital, which involve direct contact with children, the employees concerned must do everything possible to protect children from harm, violations, abuse or exploitation. In international projects conducted by partners, the partner's guidelines must be followed.
All Erikshjälpen employees are expected to:
- Assess risks and plan work in all activities so that children can feel safe and secure in the activities.
- Treat each child as an individual, respecting their integrity and dignity.
- Treat all children fairly and never discriminate or favor some children at the expense of others.
- Strive for transparency and openness (including in the physical environment) and to foster a culture of safety and respect, so that critical issues and problems can be discussed.
- Give children the space and opportunity to express their views in situations that concern them and are appropriate to their age and maturity.
- Always respect and safeguard children's right to their own beliefs and convictions; promote reflection on existential questions; never blame, condemn or force anyone to participate in activities of a spiritual or religious nature.
- Only help children with intimate and private commitments if the situation requires it or they cannot do this themselves.
- Identify and avoid situations that could be misconstrued and interpreted as inappropriate by the children concerned or outsiders.
- Follow Erikshjälpen's guidelines for communication and handling of images and personal data.
- Never promise confidentiality to a child, as some situations may require action to be taken in the best interests of the child.
- Never act in a way that blames, humiliates, degrades or humiliates children or otherwise exposes them to emotional abuse or harm.
- Never hit or otherwise use physical violence or abuse against children.
- Never condone, participate in, or give tacit approval to any child's behavior that may be considered illegal, dangerous or wrongful.
- Avoid activities that may trigger questionable and inappropriate behavior or lead to children being hurt, humiliated or feeling forced to participate against their will.
- Avoid, as far as possible, working alone with children, unless the task requires it and it is agreed in advance with the line manager.
- Never initiate sexual contact with children. Nor enter into a relationship, which may be perceived as exploitation, molestation or otherwise considered inappropriate, with children participating in Erikshjälpen's activities.
- Avoid touching, talking or interacting with children in ways that may be perceived as inappropriate, offensive or abusive.
- Child pornography is never allowed, which means the display, use, exploitation, trade, forwarding and transmission of sexual images of children engaged in real or simulated sexual activity or exposing their bodies for the purpose of sexual gratification.
- Nationally, avoid sleeping alone in the same room as a lone participating child during overnight stays, unless it is required to ensure safety, and it is agreed with the line manager and guardian. Internationally, this is covered by partner organizations' policies.
Children, and their guardians, who participate in activities for which Erikshjälpen has direct responsibility, should be informed of Erikshjälpen's child safety and protection policy in a way that they can understand. This includes knowing where to go if they have a complaint to make.
People within Erikshjälpen, who lead or organize activities where children participate, are responsible for ensuring that temporary guests and visitors adhere to Erikshjälpen's policy for child safety and protection.
Within Erikshjälpen, collective confidentiality is applied to activities where children participate. This means that personal information about participants is not disseminated outside the group by leaders and leaders, but can be shared within the group. Participants in the various activities are informed of the meaning of the collective duty of confidentiality. In the event of a report to the police or social services, the duty of confidentiality does not apply.
2.3 Communication and fundraising
In order to prevent children from being exploited, abused or otherwise harmed by Erikshjälpen's communication and fundraising work, the following must be taken into account in accordance with Erikshjälpen's guidelines for images:
- In all communication, strive to think from the perspective of children and in their best interests.
- When children are portrayed in text or images, it should always be done with care, respect and dignity.
- In accordance with the GDPR, consent is obtained before images and personal data of children
are published. The consent must be in writing and it must clearly state how the images will
be used. For children aged 0-16, consent is required from both parents and children
based on their age and maturity. For children aged 16 to 18, only their own consent is required. - Images of people with protected identities must not be published under any circumstances.
- In the case of fundraising through corporate cooperation, a declaration must be made before the agreement is signed that
Corporate does not violate children's rights through its activities. (See Appendix 2 Checklist
for violations of children's rights - to be developed).
2.4 Partners in Programme and Projects
When cooperation agreements are signed with external organizations, it must be ensured, as far as is reasonable and possible, that partners meet Erikshjälp's requirements for child safety and protection. This is done through the following measures:
- An organizational assessment should be carried out before signing cooperation agreements to ensure that child safety and protection are adequately addressed within the organization.
- In cases where partners do not have their own policy for child safety and protection, Erikshjälpen's policy and applicable guidelines must be followed. Erikshjälpen encourages and supports partner organisations in developing their own policy.
- Nationally, in connection with the reporting of interventions or when renewing agreements, the work on child safety and protection must also be followed up. Internationally, this is reported to Erikshjälpen and followed up according to partner organizations' own policies.
- Serious deviations from the child safety and protection policy may lead to the termination of cooperation, which should also be reflected in the cooperation agreement.
2.4 Store
Erikshjälpen's second-hand shops must be safe and secure places for both children and adults. Therefore, the following applies:
- Agreements ensure that store partners support Erikshjälpen's policy for child safety and protection, which also includes the application of Erikshjälpen's guidelines for images.
- All store staff (employees, trainees, volunteers, board members) must sign the commitment, which shows that they have read, understood and will comply with Erikshjälpen's child safety and protection policy.
- If underage volunteers or trainees work in the shop, follow the guidelines under Activities with children (see above).
- If a store houses Erikshjälpen Framtidsverkstad , guidelines for Activities with children must be followed (see above).
- When risk assessment is carried out in the store, the children's perspective should also be taken into account, to ensure that it is a safe and secure environment for children to be in.
2.5 Purchasing and procurement
In order to prevent Erikshjälpen from contributing to children being exploited or harmed, in accordance with Erikshjälpen's procurement policy, a declaration must be made for major purchases and procurement that tenderers do not use child labor and that the basic social rights and working conditions are complied with. (See Appendix 2 Checklist for violations of children's rights - to be developed).
3. guidelines for reporting and notification
All reporting should be done promptly, if possible within 24 hours. Internationally, reporting is done as defined in the Partner Agreement with reference to the "Guidelines on complaint and Response Mechanisms". If a partner organization receives a complaint and requests support from the Regional Office, the Regional Office will provide support if possible and report the complaint in the ERIKS CRM.
3.1 Incident and near miss reporting
When deviations from the policy for child safety and protection are discovered, or when deficiencies in Erikshjälpen's activities that could lead to children being harmed by Erikshjälpen's employees, reporting must be done. If someone suspects an incident and does not report it, it will be considered consent.
Incident reporting is done in the event of knowledge or suspicion that children have been subjected to intentional or unintentional harm, violation, discrimination or any form of abuse or exploitation in Erikshjälpen's activities by Erikshjälpen's employees or other persons related to Erikshjälpen. Reporting must also be done when an event has occurred, where someone could have been injured, but did not (incident).
Incidents and near misses must be reported either in writing via the complaint management system at erikshjalpen.se or through the manager concerned. In the case of incidents occurring in international operations, the regional office should be involved in the first instance. The persons receiving the report will ensure that appropriate action is taken, in accordance with the agreed procedures.
In connection with a crisis situation, Erikshjälpen's crisis plan must be followed.
All cases of reporting will be handled professionally, confidentially and in the most appropriate manner. If the case concerns a child and it is assessed that authorities need to be involved, this will be done in the best interests of the child.
Nationally, the reporting system is designed so that participants, guardians and occasional visitors can also easily report abuses in the activities. Internationally, this is covered by partner organizations' policies.
3.2 Reporting to authorities in Sweden
According to the Social Services Act (Chapter 14, Section 1), anyone who becomes aware of or suspects that a child is being abused should report this to the social services (regardless of the context in which the child is being abused). People who work professionally with children and suspect or become aware that a child is being abused must report this to the social services (applies to the exercise of authority). For employees of Erikshjälpen, the following applies when reporting to authorities:
Reporting concerns to the social services
Anyone who becomes aware of or suspects that a child is being abused must document what they have seen or heard. It is important to note the date and describe how the information was obtained.
The situation that has arisen is discussed with the nearest supervisor or manager, if it is not the manager or supervisor who is the suspected perpetrator, then the matter is raised instead with the nearest senior manager or the HR department. Together, it is decided whether a report should be made to the Social Services in the municipality concerned and whether guardians need to be involved.
It is important to listen to and support the child, but avoid influencing the child or starting an investigation yourself. Also, as you may be forced to proceed with the notification and reporting, do not promise the child your silence.
Individuals can submit the report anonymously, but when the report is made by Erikshjälpen, the name and contact details must be included, in order to be able to assist in any investigation. The report is signed by the immediate manager.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to make the report together with the victim or with the guardian, so that they can express their need for help and support and thus "own" their own case. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
3.3 Notification to authorities internationally
In international operations, the laws of the country concerned must be followed in the reporting procedure.
3.3 Reporting to the police
If a breach of the law is committed in connection with child abuse in the activities that Erikshjälpen itself conducts or provides support for, this must be reported to the nearest police authority. Before reporting, the nearest supervisor or manager must be contacted, unless it is the manager or supervisor who is suspected of the crime. In this case, the matter will be discussed with the nearest senior manager or the HR department.
Children's right to safety and protection
Erikshjälpen works for all children's right to safety and protection, to influence and change the fact that many children in the world are suffering. Our goal is that all children should be able to live a life in safety.
Read more about how we work on safety and security
Erikshjälpen's Anti-Corruption Policy describes how we define and relate to corruption and how we work to counteract, detect and act on corruption.
Adopted by Erikshjälpen's board 2024-04-12. Erikshjälpen's Anti-Corruption Policy is available in English and is then called ERIKS Anti-Corruption Policy.
1. Introduction and purpose
Erikshjälpen is a non-profit second-hand business and a child rights organisation that works to ensure that children's rights are respected, protected and fulfilled in Sweden and around the world. Corruption is always an obstacle to social and economic development. It also risks damaging Erikshjälpen's trust among those we work with in our interventions and in relation to private and institutional donors, partners and customers in our stores. Erikshjälpen therefore sees corruption as a serious risk that counteracts our vision of a changed world where children's dreams come to life.
Parts of Erikshjälpen's activities, both in Sweden and internationally, are carried out in environments and contexts with a relatively high risk of corruption, which requires specific measures and approaches. Countries with high inequality, weak democracy and conflicts often have a higher risk of corruption. Similarly, internal risks such as handling large sums of money, close and long-term relationships between colleagues and representatives of different parties, and weak internal accountability can promote corruption. There is also a risk of corruption in, for example, procurement, purchasing and business partnerships, which often take place in Sweden.
The purpose of this policy is to describe how Erikshjälpen defines and relates to corruption and how we work to counteract, detect and act on corruption.
Erikshjälpen's work with anti-corruption is based on our identity document "In the service of love" which establishes our core values. In addition, the following documents are also linked to our work on anti-corruption:
- feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing policy
- Procurement policy
- Code of conduct
- Child safety and protection policy
- Staff and recruitment policy
This policy is valid for all parts of Erikshjälpen's activities, i.e. the children's rights organization and Erikshjälpen Second Hand, in Sweden and internationally, and applies to Erikshjälpen's staff, interns, volunteers, elected representatives and consultants. The policy also applies via agreement to Erikshjälpen's international partner organisations.
2. definition and approach
Definition of
Erikshjälpen follows Sida's definition of corruption, which is the abuse of trust, power or position for improper gain. Corruption includes, among other things, bribery, embezzlement, extortion, conflict of interest, nepotism and other similar irregularities. It is defined as the use of a position of power to benefit oneself, a close associate or one's own interests. The gain can include both financial and other benefits. Corruption also refers to the failure to take action.
Approach
Erikshjälpens approach to corruption is based on Sida's anti-corruption rule, which means always prevent, never accept, always inform and always act. This should be applied in all situations even if it means delays in interventions or termination of partnerships.
Erikshjälpen's activities are subject to Swedish law. The Swedish laws and regulations are applied to Erikshjälpen's work abroad where local legislation and rules must also be followed and respected. However, local laws can never be used as an excuse for corrupt or unethical actions.
3. implementation
Always prevent
Erikshjälpen works at all levels to conduct risk assessments that include risks of corruption. Structures and systems within the organization must always be designed to minimize the risk of corruption while continuously discussing values and ethics. All employees, elected representatives and volunteers have a responsibility to prevent corruption and must be given training and support in how to do this.
Trust is also an important part of combating corruption. Erikshjälpen therefore works constantly to build trusting relationships with partners and to create a good and constructive dialog.
Never accept
Erikshjälpen's employees, trainees, elected officials, volunteers and consultants should never accept corruption or corrupt acts, whether in our own operations or in interventions that we support financially or in other ways. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that every aspect of our work is characterized by fairness, transparency and honesty. Never accepting corruption means not only complying with the law, but also acting on our values and setting an example of ethical behavior in all situations. At the slightest suspicion of an irregularity, it must be reported.
Always inform
Erikshjälpen's employees, trainees, elected officials, volunteers and consultants are obliged to report suspected or discovered corruption via our complaint function or Whistle blowing on our website. More reporting routes and responsibilities can be found in our feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing Policy.
If the operation is funded by Sida, the Swedish Mission Council (SMC) must be informed. If the operation has another institutional donor, the relevant party must be informed.
Always act
Erikshjälpen must always act on tips, warning signals and suspicions of corruption. The action must be taken with discretion and with respect for those involved. Erikshjälpen investigates all suspicions of corruption and appropriate measures are taken to deal with the specific case and prevent something similar from happening again. Internal and external reporters and whistleblowers are offered anonymity and other security measures if needed. The procedures for how a case is assessed are the same whether the information first comes to Erikshjälpen through our complaint and Whistle blowing function or otherwise. More information on the procedure for suspected corruption can be found on our website and in our feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing policy
Transparency
Erikshjälpen always strives for openness and transparency in all parts of the organization's activities. This applies to policies, strategies, plans, decisions and reports. This enables insight into and scrutiny of the business, which can help to increase confidence in Erikshjälpen among employees, volunteers and elected officials as well as partners and other stakeholders.
Accountability
Erikshjälpen strives to have a clear mandate and division of responsibilities and to have structures and systems to track mistakes and deliberate errors. The people who have responsibility within the organization must be held accountable for their actions. An important part of this work is our complaint and Whistle blowing function, where suspected corruption can be reported. What we define as complaint and Whistle blowing is described on our website and in our feedback, complaint and Whistle blowing policy.
Participation
All relevant actors in Erikshjälpen's partnerships, including the intended target groups, must have ownership and influence over the planning, implementation and follow-up of our partnerships in order to be able to participate more easily in the work against corruption.
partner organisations
Erikshjälpen encourages and supports our international and national partner organisations to have their own systems and procedures for working preventively with corruption and to detect and report corruption at the earliest possible stage. Our and our partners' agreements regulate how partner organisations and Erikshjälpen act in the event of suspected corruption.
Erikshjälpen strives to have an open and continuous dialogue with partners on the issue of corruption and on values and ethics. Support is given to partner organisations that need to improve their internal control systems or implement other measures that prevent corruption.
Communication
This policy must be available on Erikshjälpen's intranet and website and be shared and added as an annex when signing an agreement with a partner organization. It should also be presented to new employees as well as elected officials, interns, volunteers and consultants within the organization.
4. Monitoring
Successful anti-corruption work requires continuous Monitoring and evaluation of the work. The Secretary General is ultimately responsible for the work on anti-corruption, that the policy is followed and that the work is evaluated. The policy is adopted by the board of the children's rights organization and revised when necessary.
All managers in both the children's rights organization and the second-hand business have a responsibility to ensure that anti-corruption work becomes an integral part of the work within their business. The immediate manager is also responsible for ensuring that employees are aware of the policy and the other documents that reflect Erikshjälpen's view of and work with corruption. All employees, in turn, have a responsibility to contribute to the realization of the policy's intentions and to work for anti-corruption.
ERIKS Code of Conduct is Erikshjälpen's Code of Conduct policy in English. The policy governs that Erikshjälpen's vision and values are reflected in all work and conduct, both inside and outside the organization. Adopted by Erikshjälpen's board 2013-10-01.
1. introduction
Being involved with ERIKS brings with it great responsibility, not only in the implementation of the work, but also in terms of the behavior of the people involved. The vision and values of ERIKS are to be reflected in all our work and conduct, inside and outside the organization. This means that it is very important for you to maintain our good reputation, in your work with partner organizations, in contact with authorities and with people in general - in-country and abroad.
These guidelines are expected to be adhered to by everyone who engages in assignments on behalf of ERIKS; all staff, board members, and those engaged as experts or consultants.
2. transparency
Decisions must be open and transparent. Everything you do in your work must be transparent and verifiable for collegues and others ERIKS chooses to involve in this work.
3. respect
You have a responsibility to treat all people with respect. You must have understanding for the opinions and views of others. When working to promote child rights and ERIKS' vision and values in a context which conflicts with these values, it is important to act wisely and with sensitivity.
4. No Abuse of Your Position of Power
Development aid and assistance not only means a transfer of financial resources and knowledge, it often brings with it an aspect of power. In your work, it is therefore likely that you will come into contact with people who are or who feel as though they are in a position of dependence to you. This could be people in the partner organization or people in the target group, or other people within ERIKS. You must never abuse your position of power. In addition, you must not abuse your position of power to give other people benefits that they would not normally have had. Your behaviour and relationship with the partner organization and other people must not be such that people believe you are demanding or expecting different services or benefits.
5. Non-Discrimination
You must not discriminate against any individual person or group, irrespective of gender, age, ethnic background, religion, sexual preference, political beliefs or functional impairment; either within ERIKS, the partner organization or people in general. It is important that you pursue this obligation actively in the framework of partnership collaboration, as project and its activities should aim at making it possible for the aforementioned groups or people to take part.
6. No Sexual Abuse or Harassment
All forms of sexual abuse are forbidden, as are all forms of sexual contact between adults and children, i.e. persons under the age of 18. Purchasing sexual services is strictly forbidden. It is forbidden to use the technical equipment (computers etc.) that ERIKS provides you with to look at or spread pornographic material. No employee or person that you come into contact with should in any way be exposed to sexual harassment, either physically or psychologically. Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome behavior based on gender, or unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that violates the person's integrity. You have an obligation to know about and follow ERIKS' Child Protection Policy.
7. Non-Corruption
Corruption means misusing an organization's/company's/authority's resources for your own benefit. You must not in any way contribute to corruption, for example by giving or receiving bribes, either in the form of money or other benefits with the aim of giving you advantages over others. ERIKS' Anti-Corruption policy and response plan have a zero tolerance approach to corruption. If you suspect any irregularities, the response plan tells you whom at ERIKS to contact.
8. alcohol and drugs
When you are working (in-country or abroad), alcohol consumption is only allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as official dinners or similar occasions. On these occasions, it is extremely important to consume alcohol in moderation. During your free time on work mission, you should also be restrained in your alcohol consumption, as you are a representative for ERIKS. ERIKS never pays or offers alcohol. Alcohol consumption is completely forbidden when driving, and as a passenger, you should always react if you suspect that the driver is drunk. All forms of involvement with, possession or consumption of narcotic preparations are forbidden, unless when they are prescription drugs for your own use.
9. Knowledge of the Guidelines
Everyone who engages in assignments on behalf of ERIKS; all staff, board members, and those engaged as experts or consultants, must be made familiar with this Code of Conduct. Being one of these persons, you are obliged to familiarize yourself with and follow these guidelines.
10. follow-up
This code of conduct is a guiding document that has been adopted by ERIKS' Board of Directors. From October 1st 2013, this document must be signed by all engaged in assignments on behalf of ERIKS; all staff, board of directors, and those engaged as experts or consultants. In case of suspected breach of the Code of Conduct, you must be given a written warning and the possibility to respond to the allegations. Repeated or deliberate breach of the Code of Conduct may result in termination of the employment/assignment. Any termination of employment will be presented to the Board of Directors for a final decision on the matter. If a failure to follow the regulations is also a breach of Swedish law, you can also be taken to court.
Listening 