POL00030609
POL00030609
®
Speak Up Policy
The Post Office is committed to conducting business
with the highest standards of honesty, integrity and openness
where our colleagues feel able to raise concerns internally.
Main topic areas Getting help
Ad Policy statement In the first instance,
any queries relating
to this policy should
a ae be directed to your
@ Underpinning legislation line manager. y
® Confidentiality and protection of workers
@ When should concerns be raised? Line managers can
obtain advice b'
® How should concerns be raised? contacting the MY HR
; ; Help Adviceline
® How will concerns be dealt with?
Alternatively visit the
My HR Help website.
The Post Office.V1 30/04/2012
POL00030609
POL00030609
Scope This policy applies to all colleagues of the Post Office.
This policy is effective from 01 April 2012.
This policy does not form part of contracts of employment. We reserve the right
to amend this policy from time to time.
Policy The Speak Up Policy sets out the process by which workers, i.e. colleagues and
statement others who are contracted to personally perform work on behalf of the Post
Office, can raise concerns in confidence and if required, anonymously about
serious malpractice in the organisation in the knowledge that concems will be
acknowledged and action taken where appropriate.
Any worker who raises a legitimate concern in good faith under this process will
not in any way be liable to disciplinary action or loss of benefits, rights or
prospects as a result of their action.
Disciplinary action may be taken against any worker who is shown to have used
these procedures to make malicious or misleading allegations.
Confidentiality I Confidentiality is not the same as anonymity. Workers who raise concerns are
and protection I sometimes understandably concerned about their position, and may wish to
of workers remain anonymous.
However, it is often difficult to conduct an effective investigation without being
able to discuss it fully with the person who raised the concern. The helpline staff
will ask callers if they are willing to provide a contact name and number, but
callers do not need to provide contact details.
Although the business will attempt to investigate anonymously raised concerns
wherever possible, practical difficulties may prevent investigations from being
undertaken in certain cases.
Underpinning Workers are protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA), which
legisiation provides workers with the right not to suffer any detriment or dismissal by the
employer if they raise a concern which qualifies as a protected disclosure.
PIDA identifies protected disclosures as those which are made in good faith and
are reasonably thought to show one or more of the following:
« That a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is likely to
be committed
e That a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal
obligation to which he /she is subject
e That a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur
« That the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be
at risk
The Post Office.V1 30/04/2012
POL00030609
POL00030609
« That the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged; or
° That information about any of the above matters is being or is likely to be
deliberately concealed
A disclosure will not qualify as protected if the person making the disclosure
commits an offence by making it.
When should Workers should raise a concern if they are aware of, or suspect, wrongdoing
concerns be which affects others (eg. customers, members of the public, colleagues or the
raised? Post Office).
Some examples of situations where a worker may raise a concern are:
e Fraud
« Giving or taking of bribes
¢ Financial malpractice
* Misreporting
¢ Practices that might put individuals or the environment at risk
How should .In the first instance workers should raise concerns with their line manager, or a
concerns be senior HR manager in the Post Office. They will either act on the information
raised? given to them, or pass it to the relevant person who can deal with it.
It is recognised that sometimes raising a concern directly with the business will
not be possible, for example, if the worker considers that the line management
may be involved in the issue or if they have a concern about confidentiality.
In such instances workers should contact the “Speak Up” confidential reporting
line, which is run by InTouch MCS Ltd, an independent company. Access to the
reporting line can be made by phone or via an on-line web service. InTouch will
treat concerns in complete confidence and the worker does not have to provide
contact details.
The worker will be requested to provide information about their concern, for
example the history of the concern, relevant individuals and the reason why they
are particularly concerned about the situation.
There is no requirement to provide contact details. However, not providing details
may reduce the business’ ability to make a thorough investigation into the
concerns raised. All calls to the Speak Up line will be acknowledged within five
working days.
How will Details of the concern raised will be forwarded to the Post Office who will act on it
concerms be in the most appropriate way. Any resulting investigations will be made by people
dealt with? with appropriate authority who have the technical and professional knowledge
needed for the particular case.
It is possible that the business may wish to directly contact the worker to request
additional information. This will be done only where the worker has given
express consent and are happy for a representative from the Post Office to
The Post Office.V1 30/04/2012
POL00030609
POL00030609
speak directly to them. In all cases the individual's concern will be treated
sensitively and in confidence.
Where concerns about serious malpractice are raised through other routes, such
as other business helpdesks, and the concern would appear to be sufficiently
serious to be covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act, this should be
investigated and managed in line with this policy.
Investigation The Post Office does not have to inform a worker who raises a concern the
outcome outcome of any investigation and in some cases the Post Office may need to
protect confidentiality or rights of other individuals and workers. However, the
Post Office may provide an update on progress where this is deemed
appropriate.
Responsibilities Executive Team
e Approval of the Speak Up Policy
e Ensuring that resources are made available within the Post Office as required
Risk and Compliance Team
e The development and maintenance of the Speak Up Policy
e The development and maintenance of the framework and associated high
level processes
* Coordinating the receipt of cases from the Post Office’s helpline provider and
reporting back on progress and outcomes
« Reporting incidents and outcomes to the Audit and Risk Committee and to
CEC
¢ Chairing a working group consisting of the subject matter experts, to ensure
that serious claims are effectively investigated
e Contractual management of the 3rd party helpline provider
Where to go for Speak Up (whistleblowing)
more
information To report a concern:
e and choose to either speak to an operator, or
« Alternatively leave a message using the confidential on-line web based
service using www.intouchfeedback.com/royalmail
If clarification is required as to whether or not a claim raised by a colleague is
relevant to the Speak Up Policy, email riskandcompliancei
contact the Risk and Compliance team.
Bullying & Harassment Helpline
A free helpline, operated by an independent company, to offer confidential advice
relating to bullying or harassment concerns:
The Post Office.V1 30/04/2012
Forms
Related
documents
The Post Office.V1
Grapevine
To report ai
Telephone:
There are no forms relevant to this policy.
There are no related documents to this policy.
30/04/2012
POL00030609
POL00030609