Whistleblower Policy

Climate Catalyst is committed to high standards of ethical, moral and legal business conduct and is further dedicated to acting in good faith with those employees and volunteers who raise concerns regarding incorrect financial reporting, unlawful activity, or otherwise improper conduct.

This Whistleblower Policy aims to provide employees and volunteers with an avenue for raising such concerns, and to reassure such employees and volunteers that they will be protected from reprisal or victimisation as a consequence of reporting the alleged wrongdoing of any officer, director, employee, volunteer or agent of Climate Catalyst.

Statement of Policy

No officer, director, employee, volunteer or agent of Climate Catalyst, shall take any harmful action with the intent to retaliate against any person, including interference with employment or livelihood, for providing to a law enforcement officer any truthful information relating to the commission or possible commission of any offense. Nor will any officer, director, employee, volunteer or agent of Climate Catalyst take any harmful action with intent to retaliate against any person for reporting to an appropriate senior management or elected official of Climate Catalyst the suspected misuse, misallocation, or theft of any Organisation resources.

Safeguards

• Harassment or Victimisation: Climate Catalyst will not tolerate the harassment or victimisation of any employee or volunteer who raises concerns under this policy.
• Confidentiality: Climate Catalyst will make every effort to treat a complainant’s identity with an appropriate regard for confidentiality, with the understanding that the details of complaints may need to be shared with others in order to investigate such complaints properly.
• Anonymous Allegations: Because a thorough investigation often depends on an ability to gather additional information, Climate Catalyst encourages complainants to put their names to allegations of wrongdoing. Climate Catalyst will explore anonymous allegations to the extent possible, but will weigh the prudence of continuing such investigations against the likelihood of confirming the alleged facts or circumstances from attributable sources.
• Bad Faith Allegations: Allegations made in bad faith may result in disciplinary action.

Procedure

Process for raising a concern

• Reporting: Climate Catalyst intends this policy to be used for serious and sensitive issues. Such concerns, including those relating to financial reporting or unethical or illegal conduct, may be reported directly to the Chair. In the event that an individual’s concern rises to the level that he/she reasonably believes that notice to the Chair will be disregarded or otherwise not fairly considered, the individual may then report violations or suspected violations to any member of the Board.
  
  Employment-related concerns should continue to be reported through supervisors and the Head of People + Operations.
• Timing: The earlier a concern is expressed, the easier it is to take action.
• Evidence: Although a complainant is not expected to prove the truth of an allegation, he or she should be able to demonstrate that he or she has made a report in good faith. How the Report of Concern Will Be Handled: Initial Inquiries – The Chair will make initial inquiries in consultation with legal counsel, if necessary, to determine whether or not further investigation is necessary or appropriate.
• Further Information: The Chair may seek further information from any officer, director, employee, volunteer or agent of Climate Catalyst, and shall take all reasonable precautions to protect the identity of the complainant to the extent possible while doing so.
• Reporting: The Board of Directors shall receive information on each complaint. In consultation with the Chair and, if necessary, legal counsel, the Board of Directors will determine an appropriate response to a report of concern. Officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents of Climate Catalyst who may be implicated in such reports shall not participate in any deliberation of the Board of Directors related to the complaint, except to present information directly to the Board on his or her own behalf.

How the report of concern will be handled

• Initial Inquiries: The Chair will make initial inquiries in consultation with legal counsel, if necessary, to determine whether or not further investigation is necessary or appropriate.
• Further Information: The Chair may seek further information from any officer, director, employee, volunteer or agent of Climate Catalyst, and shall take all reasonable precautions to protect the identity of the complainant to the extent possible while doing so.
• Reporting: The Board of Directors shall receive information on each complaint. In consultation with the Chair and, if necessary, legal counsel, the Board of Directors will determine an appropriate response to a report of concern. Officers, directors, employees, volunteers and agents of Climate Catalyst who may be implicated in such reports shall not participate in any deliberation of the Board of Directors related to the complaint, except to present information directly to the Board on his or her own behalf.