Shawnee County Historical Society (SCHS)
Whistleblower Protection Policy
SCHS requires trustees, officers and employees to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As employees and representatives of the SCHS, we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Reporting Responsibility
This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable employees and others to raise serious concerns internally so that SCHS can address and correct inappropriate conduct and actions. It is the responsibility of all trustees, officers, employees and volunteers to report concerns about violations of SCHS’s ethical standards or suspected violations of law or regulations that govern SCHS’s operations.
No Retaliation
It is contrary to the values of SCHS for anyone to retaliate against any trustee, officer, employee or volunteer who in good faith reports an ethics violation, or a suspected violation of law, such as a complaint of discrimination, or suspected fraud, or suspected violation of any regulation governing the operations of SCHS. An employee, member or trustee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment, or removal from SCHS membership.
Reporting Procedure
SCHS has an open door policy and suggests that members, trustees and employees share their questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints with their supervisor or the Board of Trustees. If you are not comfortable speaking with your supervisor or you are not satisfied with your supervisor’s response, you are encouraged to speak with President of the Board of Trustees. Employees are required to report complaints or concerns about suspected ethical and legal violations in writing to the SCHS’s President, who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints. Employees with concerns or complaints may also submit their concerns in writing directly to the Vice President of the Board of Trustees. The SCHS’s President is responsible for ensuring that all complaints about unethical or illegal conduct are investigated and resolved. The President will advise the Board of Trustees of all complaints and their resolution and will report at least annually to the Finance Committee/Audit Committee on compliance activity relating to accounting or alleged financial improprieties.
Accounting and Auditing Matters
The SCHSs President shall immediately notify the Audit Committee/Finance Committee of any concerns or complaint regarding corporate accounting practices, internal controls or auditing and work with the committee until the matter is resolved.
Acting in Good Faith
Anyone filing a written complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.
Confidentiality
Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant. Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.
Handling of Reported Violations
The SCHS’s President will notify the person who submitted a complaint and receipt of the reported violation or suspected violation. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation.acknowledge
Policy approved by the Board of Trustees on February 10, 2018.
Shirley Driscoll
Secretary
ETHICAL STANDARDS
Adopted (by AFP) 1964; amended Oct. 2014
The Association of Fundraising Professionals believes that ethical behavior fosters the development and growth of fundraising professionals and the fundraising profession and enhances philanthropy and volunteerism. AFP Members recognize their responsibility to ethically generate or support ethical generation of philanthropic support. Violation of the standards may subject the member to disciplinary sanctions as provided in the AFP Ethics Enforcement Procedures. AFP members, both individual and business, agree to abide (and ensure, to the best of their ability, that all members of their staff abide) by the AFP standards.
PUBLIC TRUST, TRANSPARENCY & CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Members shall:
1. not engage in activities that harm the members’ organizations, clients or profession or knowingly bring the profession into disrepute.
2. not engage in activities that conflict with their fiduciary, ethical and legal obligations to their organizations, clients or profession.
3. effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest; such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety.
4. not exploit any relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer, client or employee for the benefit of the members or the members’ organizations.
5. comply with all applicable local, state, provincial and federal civil and criminal laws.
6. recognize their individual boundaries of professional competence.
7. present and supply products and/or services honestly and without misrepresentation.
8. establish the nature and purpose of any contractual relationship at the outset and be responsive and available to parties before, during and after any sale of materials and/or services.
9. never knowingly infringe the intellectual property rights of other parties.
10. protect the confidentiality of all privileged information relating to the provider/client relationships.
11. never disparage competitors untruthfully.
SOLICITATION & STEWARDSHIP OF PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS
Members shall:
12. ensure that all solicitation and communication materials are accurate and correctly reflect their organization’s mission and use of solicited funds.
13. ensure that donors receive informed, accurate and ethical advice about the value and tax implications of contributions.
14. ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors’ intentions.
15. ensure proper stewardship of all revenue sources, including timely reports on the use and management of such funds.
16. obtain explicit consent by donors before altering the conditions of financial transactions.
TREATMENT OF CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
Members shall:
17. not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties.
18. adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by, or on behalf of, an organization or a client is the property of that organization or client.
19. give donors and clients the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to or exchanged with other organizations.
20. when stating fundraising results, use accurate and consistent accounting methods that conform to the relevant guidelines adopted by the appropriate authority.
COMPENSATION, BONUSES & FINDER’S FEES
Members shall:
21. not accept compensation or enter into a contract that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall members accept finder’s fees or contingent fees.
22. be permitted to accept performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, only if such bonuses are in accord with prevailing practices within the members’ own organizations and are not based on a percentage of contributions.
23. neither offer nor accept payments or special considerations for the purpose of influencing the selection of products or services.
24. not pay finder’s fees, commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions.
25. meet the legal requirements for the disbursement of funds if they receive funds on behalf of a donor or client.
"Adopted 1964, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Copyright AFP, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals."
Policy ascribed to and approved by the Board of Trustees
of Shawnee County Historical Society on February 10, 2018.
Shirley Driscoll
Secretary