Care's global policy against discrimination, harassment and sexual harassment

The following policy, entitled CARE POLICY AGAINST DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND
SEXUAL HARASSMENT covers all CARE staff (national and international) and CARE Country
Offices.
Consistent with CARE's vision, mission and core values of respect and integrity, as well as our
commitment to diversity, we seek to create and maintain an organizational environment that is free of
discrimination and harassment. This is critical to our effectiveness as an organization and to ensuring
that each CARE employee has the opportunity to contribute fully to CARE's mission in a work
environment that is free from all forms of social discrimination. Therefore, CARE expressly prohibits and
will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, or sexual harassment based upon race, colour,
religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or military status.
DEFINITIONS
Following are definitions that will assist each employee in understanding and adhering to this policy.
Discrimination means exclusion of, treatment of or action against an individual based on race, colour,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, national origin, disability, or military status.
Discrimination includes harassment as defined below.
Harassment is a form of discrimination. Harassment means any unwelcome comment or behaviour that is
offensive, demeaning, humiliating, derogatory, or any other inappropriate behaviour that fails to respect
the dignity of an individual within the scope of his or her employment. Harassment can be committed by
or against any employee, vendor or other individual visiting or doing business with CARE. Examples of
harassment include, but are not limited to:
Verbal conduct such as threats, derogatory or offensive remarks, name calling, innuendo, epithets,
slurs, jokes or degrading words used to describe an individual or individual characteristics in general, or
any other demeaning or inappropriate comments;
Visual conduct such as leering, gesturing, displaying or distributing offensive objects or pictures,
cartoons, graffiti, posters or magazines;
Offensive remarks in writing (letters, memos, emails, etc.);
Threats or insinuations that could affect an employee's terms and conditions of employment; or
Actual or threatened physical abuse or conduct.
Sexual Harassment means any unwelcome sexual advances, comments, expressed or implied sexual
demands, touch, joke, gesture, or any other communications or conduct of a sexual nature, whether
verbal, written or visual, by any person to another individual within the scope of CARE's work. Sexual
harassment may be directed at members of the same or opposite sex and includes harassment based on
sexual orientation. Sexual harassment can occur between any one or more individuals regardless of their
employment relationship.
Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
Offering employment benefits in exchange for expressed or implied sexual favours;
Threats or insinuations that an employee's refusal or willingness to submit to sexual advances will affect
the employee's terms or conditions of employment;
Verbal conduct such as sexually derogatory remarks, graphic verbal commentaries about an individual's
body or dress, sexually degrading words used to describe an individual, sexually suggestive or obscene
letters, notes, email or invitations, demeaning or inappropriate comments, name-calling, innuendoes,
epithets, slurs or jokes, sexual advances or propositions;
Visual conduct such as leering, sexual gestures, displaying or distributing sexually suggestive objects or
pictures, cartoons, graffiti posters or magazines; or
Actual or threatened physical contact or conduct, such as patting, pinching, blocking movements, or
any other offensive touching.
Consensual, social relationships in the workplace are not considered to be sexual harassment. However,
CARE discourages supervisors from directly or indirectly supervising an employee with whom there is a
romantic relationship. It is expected that all employees will exercise discretion, professionalism and good
judgment when there is a romantic relationship between CARE employees.
Myths and Realities of Sexual Harassment
Sexual Harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other
verbal physical conduct of sexual nature, according to Webster. The following are some of the myths and
realities of sexual harassment.
Myth 1: Men can only sexually harass women.

Reality 1: Both men and women are capable of sexually harassing, both physically and verbally.
Myth 2: Bad intent is a reason for sexual harassment.
Reality2: A man's behavior can be perfectly harmless to his own point of view, but may be viewed as
offensive to women.
Myth 3: The woman, either by the way se dresses, looks, or behaves, generally provokes most incidents
of sexual harassment.
Reality 3: Looks, dress, and behaviors are not a reason for sexual harassment. Some say that women
will dress differently for a sort of promotion.
Myth 4: If you ignore it, it will go away.
Reality 4: The more you pretend it is not happening, the more pursued you may be. It may then be seen
as an agreement or encouragement. Harassers generally don't stop on their own.
Myth 5: Illegal conduct must be sexual.
Reality 5: Sexual harassment can either be physical or verbal. It is usually gender-based.
REPORTING DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION
Employees have an obligation to report discrimination, sexual harassment or other harassment, if they
believe that discrimination or harassment has occurred---either against another employee or themselves,
if they observe such conduct, or if they receive any information about such conduct. Discrimination,
harassment, or sexual harassment must be reported to at least one of the following individuals:
The employee's immediate supervisor;
The supervisor of the employee's immediate supervisor;
Any Human Resources Manager
The Country Director, or Assistant Country Director; or
The report may be verbal or in writing, and should provide details of what happened, including date,
location and the names of any witnesses.
The initial report and all subsequent information developed will be held in the strictest confidence and will
be disclosed only on a need-to-know basis in order to investigate and resolve the matter.
Investigations of Complaints
A confidential, thorough, impartial and prompt investigation of every allegation of discrimination,
harassment, or sexual harassment will be conducted. The investigation may consist of interviews with
witnesses and others as appropriate, collection of information about the alleged conduct, gathering of
documentation, or other procedures as appropriate. The individual alleged to have violated this CARE
policy will have the opportunity to present his or her view of the events in question. CARE will hold its
determination until the investigation is completed. Within a reasonable period after the investigation is
completed, both complaining employee and the employee alleged to have violated this policy will be
informed as to the results of the investigation. All records of the investigation will remain confidential.
Retaliation
CARE will not tolerate any form of coercion, intimidation, reprisal or retaliation against any employee who
reports discrimination, harassment or sexual harassment, provides any information or other assistance in
an investigation.
Penalties for Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation
Anyone subject to this policy who is found to have discriminated, harassed, coerced, intimidated or
retaliated against another in violation of this policy will be subject to prompt and appropriate disciplinary
action, up to and including termination.
CARE Code of Conduct
Every employee of CARE occupies a position of trust. In varying measure, each employee represents the
organization in his or her relations with others, whether clients, suppliers, other employees,
governments, or the general public. Whatever the area of activity and whatever the degree of
responsibility, the organization expects each employee to act in a manner that will enhance CARE's
reputation for honesty, integrity and the faithful performance of its undertakings and obligations.
With this in mind, the CARE has adopted the following rules constituting a Code that sets forth the
minimum standards of behavior required.

This policy applies to all CARE Personnel and Consultants

A Code of Conduct

The provisions of this Code, as set forth in Sections A to H, are mandatory and full compliance is
expected under all circumstances. The Code affirms the organization's commitment to uphold high moral
and ethical standards and specifies the basic norms of behaviour for those who are involved in
representing it.
Failure to comply with the Code can have severe consequences for both the employee and CARE. The
organization will impose appropriate discipline which may include termination for violations of the Code.
Furthermore, conduct that violates the Code may also violate federal, provincial or third country laws and
can subject both CARE and the employee to prosecution and legal sanctions.
Every employee who receives a copy of this Code is responsible for complying with it. Any employee who
becomes aware of a violation of the Code must report that information immediately to his or her superior
or a senior officer of the organization. It is a violation of this Code to discriminate or retaliate against an
employee for reporting such information.
A. CARE and its employees shall comply fully with all lawful requirements, both domestic and foreign,
applicable to the work of the organization.
Note: Many of CARE 's activities are subject to complex and changing laws, in and in other countries.
Whenever an employee is in doubt about the application or interpretation of any legal requirement, the
employee should refer the matter to his or her superior who, if necessary, should seek the advice of the
organization's legal counsel.
B. Employees shall not furnish, directly or indirectly, on behalf of CARE , expensive gifts or provide
excessive entertainment or benefits to other persons.
Note: Employees, whose duties permit them to do so, may furnish modest gifts, favours and
entertainment to persons, other than public officials, if all of the following conditions are met:
(i) they are not in cash or other negotiable instruments;
(ii) they cannot reasonably be interpreted as a bribe, payoff or other improper payment and are of
nominal value;
(iii) they are made as a matter of general and accepted business practice;
(iv) they do not contravene any law and are made in accordance with generally accepted ethical
practices; and
(v) if proper accounting is made; and
(vi) if subsequently disclosed to the public, their provision would not in any way embarrass the
organization or their recipients.
Since the furnishing of even an inexpensive gift or a modest entertainment or benefit to a public official
may be open to the interpretation that it as furnished illegally to secure the use of his or her influence as
a public official, no such gift, entertainment or benefit may be furnished by an employee unless he or she
is authorized by the Board of Directors to do so and complies with the conditions prescribed by the Board
in that regard and with the conditions set out immediately prior to this paragraph.
C. All dealings between employees of CARE and public officials in or overseas are to be conducted in a
manner that will not compromise the integrity or impugn the reputation of any public official or CARE or
its affiliates.
Note: Even the appearance of impropriety in dealing with public officials, is improper and unacceptable.
Any participation, whether directly or indirectly, in any bribes, kickbacks, illegal gratuities, indirect
contributions or similar payments is expressly forbidden. Maintenance of a high standard of integrity is of
the utmost importance to CARE .
Where payments made directly to public officials in a country of assignment are necessary to facilitate
the legitimate operations of CARE , this will be done only by employees specifically authorized to do so by
the Board of Directors and each such payment shall be reported without delay to the Board, together
with the reason therefore.
D. Employees shall not use their employment status to obtain personal gain from those doing or seeking
to do business with CARE .

Note: Except as hereinafter provided, employees should neither seek nor accept for themselves gifts,
payments, services, fees, special advantage not available to other members of CARE or members of the
general public, special valuable privileges, pleasure or vacation trips or accommodations or loans from
any person (except, in the case of loans, from persons in the business of lending and then only on
conventional terms) or from any organization or group that does, or is seeking to do business with CARE
or any of its affiliates. However, employees may accept modest gifts, favours or entertainment provided
that in so doing, standards consistent with the tests relating to the furnishing of gifts set forth in Section
B are met.
E. Employees must avoid all situations in which their personal interests conflict or might conflict with
their duties to CARE .
Note: Employees should seek to avoid acquiring any interests or participating in any activities that would
tend to:
(a) deprive the organization of the time or attention required to perform their duties properly; or
(b) create an obligation or distraction which would affect their judgment or ability to act solely in the
organization's best interest.
In certain instances, ownership or other participation in a competing or complementary enterprise might
create or appear to create such a conflict. Employees are required to disclose in writing to their
supervisors all business, commercial financial interests or activities that might reasonably be regarded as
creating an actual or potential conflict with their duties of employment. Every employee of the
organization who is charged with executive, managerial or supervisory responsibility is required to see
that actions taken and decisions made within his or her jurisdiction are free from the influence of any
interests that might reasonably be regarded as conflicting with those of CARE . Employees must act in
such a manner that their conduct will bear the closest scrutiny should circumstances demand that it be
examined. Not only actual conflicts of interest but the very appearance of conflict should be avoided.
F. CARE considers certain records, reports, papers, plans or proposals as being strictly confidential in
nature and employees are forbidden to reveal this information to individuals or groups apart from the
organization without receiving proper authorization.
Note: CARE is a publicly funded organization. It is the practice and belief of the organization that
employees, private donors and outside funding institutions should have access to normal information
concerning the organization's operations, both programmatic and financial. As a result, it has developed
comprehensive and responsible methods of disclosure. However, the organization maintains as strictly
confidential, information that may impair its ability to operate effectively in a competitive environment,
or which might infringe upon the private rights of individuals, enterprises or institutions. Employees are
therefore prohibited from divulging confidential information to anyone, except as required in the
performance of their duties, without receiving prior authorization. Whenever an employee is in doubt as
to whether certain information is confidential, or whether such information should be divulged, no
disclosure should be made without first consulting Management.
G. CARE 's books and records must reflect, in an accurate, fair and timely manner, the transactions and
disposition of assets of the organization.
Note: All transactions must be authorized and executed in accordance with the instructions of
Management and must be recorded so as to permit the accurate preparation of financial statements and
to maintain accountability for assets.
Access to assets is permitted only in accordance with the authorization of Management. All assets and
funds are to be recorded and disclosed. The use of the organization's funds or assets for any unlawful or
improper purpose is strictly prohibited and those responsible for the accounting and record-keeping
functions are expected to be vigilant in ensuring enforcement of this prohibition.
H. Employees must adhere to the policy of CARE which is to provide a work environment free of
discrimination and harassment in which individuals are accorded equality of employment opportunity
based upon merit and ability.

Note: Discriminatory practices based on race, sex, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, marital
status, family status, age, sexual orientation or disability will not be tolerated. Employees are entitled to
freedom from sexual and all other forms of personal harassment in the workplace.
It is not a discriminatory practice to make a distinction between persons based on bona fide occupational
requirements. Since bona fide occupational requirements are narrowly defined, such distinctions should
not be undertake without first obtaining express authorization from Management.
Distribution
All employees of CARE will be provided with a copy of this Code. To ensure a proper understanding of the
Code, any questions as to its application to the area of responsibility and jurisdiction of the employee will
be explained by the employee's superior.
At commencement of employment and at least once a year thereafter, each such employee shall sign the
prescribed form of acknowledgment, which will be retained by the head of the department, who shall
confirm annually to senior management that each such employee under his or her jurisdiction has
completed the required form acknowledging having read or reread, as the case may be, the current
version of the Code of Conduct.
In addition, in cases where, as an alternative to employment, an individual is engaged under contract to
provide services to the organization and that individual has managerial or supervisory responsibilities or
deals on the organization's behalf with government officials, or has access to confidential information,
such individual will be provided with a copy of this Code and shall sign the prescribed form of
acknowledgment, and in connection with the provision of services to the organization, this Code shall
apply to such individuals fully as if he or she were an employee of CARE.