Ethics & Compliance

Ethics and Compliance

To support our zero-tolerance approach and to ensure that the ethical principles and the standards of conduct outlined in our Code of Conduct and Ethics are upheld, International Medical Corps’ Board of Directors’ Committee for Compliance, Audit and Risk Management receives reports from the Chief Compliance Officer—who, with the Ethics and Compliance Department, oversees and supports the organization’s commitment to an effective ethics and compliance program.

The Ethics and Compliance Department works to ensure that International Medical Corps’ staff and implementing partners know and uphold our ethical principles and the standards of conduct outlined in our Code of Conduct and Ethics, and that they comply with the legal, regulatory, donor, and policy requirements that apply to our work. The Ethics and Compliance Department works in close partnership with all levels of management to emphasize the importance of ethics and compliance throughout the organization.

The Chief Compliance Officer reports routinely to International Medical Corps’ Board of Directors’ Compliance, Audit and Risk Committee, as well as to the President and CEO, and can be contacted at compliance@internationalmedicalcorps.org.

For more information about International Medical Corps’ approach to ethics and compliance matters, please review our:

• Code of Conduct and Ethics
• Vendor Code of Conduct
• Whistleblower Policy
• Conflict of Interest Policy

Reporting and Whistleblower Protections

International Medical Corps encourages reporting of suspected or actual misconduct, wrongdoing or violations of policy as part of the organization’s commitment to a speak-up culture and as one of the primary ways we collectively hold ourselves accountable for complying with the ethical principles and standards of conduct outlined in the Code of Conduct and Ethics. All reports are taken seriously and managed confidentially. We are committed to ensuring that all reports are reviewed and investigated, as appropriate, and that violations to the Code of Conduct and Ethics (or any other policy) are addressed promptly, fairly and in a manner consistent with our ethical principles.

Our Code of Conduct and Ethics and Whistleblower Policy prohibit any form of retaliation, discrimination, or consequences against whistleblowers or any individuals who report a concern in good faith. We are committed to ensuring confidentiality and protection of individuals in managing reports and investigations. We take violations to these protections seriously and will impose disciplinary action as appropriate, including termination.

Anyone who suspects that International Medical Corps, our personnel, directors, implementing partners or any other business partner is not respecting or upholding any part of our Code of Conduct and Ethics should report the matter to the Ethics and Compliance Department using one of our confidential reporting mechanisms:

• In-Person: International Medical Corps personnel can report to their supervisor, local Human Resources representative, or Ethics and Compliance Department representative
• Telephone: Call the hotline number for your location listed on www.internationalmedicalcorps.ethicspoint.com
• Internet: Click “File a New Report” at www.internationalmedicalcorps.ethicspoint.com
  (this mechanism provides an option for anonymous reporting)
• Email: Send an email to Report@InternationalMedicalCorps.org

Safeguarding

International Medical Corps has a strong commitment to the safeguarding and protection of all people. We strive to ensure that our presence does no harm in the communities where we work, with a particular focus on protecting those people who may be most vulnerable to exploitation and/or abuse. This includes safeguarding from sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect or abuse of children and adults at risk; and/or any form of trafficking in persons by our personnel or implementing partners.

International Medical Corps expects its personnel and implementing partners to conduct themselves and International Medical Corps’ business in a manner that upholds our organization’s mission and core values, which prioritize safeguarding of the populations with whom we work. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy for inaction in response to safeguarding allegations or violations. International Medical Corps believes that the populations with whom we work have the right to be protected from safeguarding violations and to expect that we will prioritize protection measures in our work.

International Medical Corps’ Safeguarding Policy provides guidance and direction to its personnel and implementing partners on safeguarding, including policies on child safeguarding, protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), safeguarding adults at risk and prevention of trafficking in persons (TIP). The Safeguarding Policy is widely distributed throughout the organization to ensure broad understanding about, and the adoption of, specific policies and guiding principles of International Medical Corps in relation to safeguarding matters, and to reinforce the importance of safeguarding to our personnel and implementing partners, including the obligation to report concerns about safeguarding violations.

To help ensure that personnel do not engage in or have a history of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment, International Medical Corps participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. By joining the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, International Medical Corps helps to strengthen the defenses of the humanitarian-aid sector against recruiting such individuals, and is working to ensure a safe working environment for its beneficiaries and personnel.