Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Sexual harassmentLatest NewsHR practiceDiscipline and grievancesBullying and harassment

Save the Children’s handling of harassment complaints ‘let down’ staff

by Ashleigh Webber 5 Mar 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 5 Mar 2020 Image: Jevanto Productions / Shutterstock.com
Image: Jevanto Productions / Shutterstock.com

The way Save the Children UK handled harassment allegations made against senior employees had a “corrosive impact” on its internal culture and “amounted to mismanagement” in certain areas, the Charity Commission has concluded.

In its report following an inquiry into the way The Save the Children Fund handled staff complaints about misconduct and harassment by senior figures in 2012 and 2015, the regulator found the charity failed to follow its own complaints processes by deciding to deal with the allegations in an informal manner.

Staff misconduct in the charity sector

Save the Children investigated over handling of staff misconduct claims

Charity scandal: can employers inform others about misconduct?

Aid agencies urged to join staff misconduct data sharing scheme

Helen Stephenson, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “Save the Children UK let complainants and the public down. It must work hard now to rebuild its reputation.

“Charities should be distinct from other types of organisations in their attitude and behaviour, in their motivations and methods. The public rightly expect that; so do the majority of people working in charities, who deserve a workplace culture that is healthy, supportive, and safe.

“Creating that culture is not just about putting the right systems and processes in place; it also requires leaders who model the highest standards of behaviour and conduct, and who are held to account properly and consistently when they fall short.”

Baroness Stowell of Beeston, chair of the Charity Commission, said: “When allegations of harassment were made against senior Save the Children UK staff, this had to be taken very seriously. This is not only about treating complainants with the seriousness and respect they deserve, it is also about demonstrating that no one gets a pass because they are doing important work or are motivated by the desire to help some of the most vulnerable people around the world.”

The inquiry, which involved interviewing around 40 individuals and examining more than 15,000 documents, looked into complaints made against two senior staff – its former chief executive Justin Forsyth and ex-director of policy and advocacy, Brendan Cox.

In 2012, an employee complained to its HR team that Forsyth had behaved inappropriately. The charity and the employee agreed to deal with the matter informally, counter to its own disciplinary procedures.

No investigation into the complaint was undertaken and the complainant received a handwritten apology from then CEO and was assured that the matter would be recorded on his HR file.

Most of the trustees were not informed that an informal complaint had been made against the chief executive.

The same complainant, as well as another, raised issues about Forsyth’s behaviour again in 2015. Both complainants said they did not want to raise a formal grievance. The board of trustees were not informed about the complaints.

When the first complainant found out that another employee had also made allegations after she raised them in 2012, she raised a grievance about the way her first complaint was dealt with.

The Commission said not informing the charity’s trustees amounted to “mismanagement” and said trustees should be promptly informed about concerns about the behaviour of the CEO in order to protect the charity’s interests.

The report is also critical of the charity’s failure to identify the chief executive as the subject of the complaints when it made a serious incident report to the regulator in 2015. It says this amounted to the omission of “material facts” and mismanagement.

However, the inquiry found some aspects of the charity’s complaints handling process worked well. In 2015, when an employee raised a complaint about Cox, trustees were informed and a disciplinary process was begun. However, before any formal hearing could take place Cox submitted his resignation.

The report says: “The Inquiry finds the steps [in the case against Cox]… were responsible and as would be expected of any large charitable employer where concerns of this nature were being raised. They acted immediately, consulted HR, applied its policies, took external legal advice and instigated a disciplinary process promptly. The Commission also notes that the trustees were involved in decision making. Given the seniority of the employee, that was an appropriate course.”

The Commission said the charity “did the right thing in instigating two separate reviews of workplace culture – the Lewis Silkin review in 2015 and the Shale Review in 2018”.

Current Save the Children CEO Kevin Watkins said: “I unreservedly apologise to the women affected by the behaviour of these two senior executives. The harm they suffered was compounded by a failure to respond appropriately to complaints and then by our defensive handling of media inquiries about the cases.

“Our staff are passionate about our work for children. They have a right to expect the highest standards of support and protection. I’m determined to work with them to build an organisational culture that reflects our values.”

Interim chair Charles Steel, added: “The trustees and leadership fully accept these findings and we are profoundly sorry that we let the women and our organisation down. The inquiry makes clear that every part of our organisation must be held to account for our duty of care to staff and for living up to our values. While we are making progress in improving our culture, we have more work to do, and this will continue to be a critical priority for our organisation.”

HR jobs in the not for profit/ charity sector on Personnel Today

Browse more HR jobs in the not for profit /charity sector

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
New decade. New demands. New insights. 2020 Workplace Learning Report
next post
John Lewis staff bonus lowest since 1953

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Whistleblowing lawyer awarded £423k by Foreign Office

4 Jul 2022

One in five workplaces lack LGBT support policies

30 Jun 2022

Christian doctor loses transgender pronoun case, but beliefs...

29 Jun 2022

MP seeks action on Passport Office’s ‘toxic’ working...

29 Jun 2022

NHS leadership review highlights ‘inadequacy’ in training and...

8 Jun 2022

Policeman dubbed ‘Dolly Parton’ for working Nine to...

20 May 2022

BNP Paribas banker accused of ’emotional terrorism’ wins...

19 May 2022

Police Scotland pays out £948,000 to female officer...

16 May 2022

Employment tribunal: use of word ‘bald’ can amount...

13 May 2022

Dealing with bullying in uncertain times

10 May 2022
  • The ultimate guide to payroll for small businesses PROMOTED | You’ve started a business that has expanded to the point of requiring more staff to meet demand. Congratulations!...Read more
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+