Code of Conduct
Activity – Session notes
Core Learning
September 2008
Page number
1. Welcome and introduction
3
2. Test your attitude and perceptions
5
3. What is a code of conduct?
11
4. Save the Children’s Global Policies and how they link to the Code
of Conduct
24
5. The impact of our actions on vulnerable beneficiaries – the
importance of Save the Children’s Code of Conduct
41
6. Scenarios – what would you do if it were you?
44
7. Explaining the Code of Conduct to our partners
57
8. The Code of Conduct in practice - what does it mean to me?
60
9. Event review & evaluations
63
2
1. Welcome, opening
Aim: Introduce trainers, learning aim and objectives, each other, housekeeping, outline
of the day and group learning agreement
Time: 30 minutes (approx.)
Methodology: Trainers choice
Handouts: N/A
Activity Sheets / Resources: The 4 values, Vision and Mission statements, Posters of
Code of Conduct, the UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Right of the
Children) should hang on the walls if possible.
Flip chart: Car park/ Concern board
Slide/s:
- Aim
- Learning objectives
Learning points:
 Introduce each other
 Domestics
 Outline of day & what we will cover
Note for the facilitator
Trainers will need to welcome learners and cover the following using your own
techniques and methodology. Ensure that you introduce the day and cover the areas
of: housekeeping, aim, objectives, outline of the day and group learning agreement
(ground rules).
The opening activity should ideally allow learners to introduce themselves and feel
comfortable with each other.
You should run through the programme of the day and the various sessions in order
to clarity expectations of participants in regards to what you are going to cover in
the workshop.
You could introduce the car park/concerns board where you can put up the
questions or concerns that the learners raise, which you are not able to answer. You
could promise the participants that you will look into the questions and come back
with an answer to them after the workshop. By introducing this aid (the car
park/concerns board) you do need to have an answer to every question the group
asks.
3
Confidentiality: It is also important to highlight that as a trainer and employee of Save
the Children you also have a mandatory responsibility to pass on any concerns or
self-reports of breaches of the Code of Conduct and particularly in the area of child
safeguarding to your manager. As such you may need to pass information on to
your manager if there is a report of abuse during the session or if you have any
concerns. You should introduce that you will discuss any concerns you will have
with the person concerned before passing on the information to your manager, if it
is thought relevant.
Method:
Trainer’s choice
4
2. Test your attitude and perceptions
Aim: For learners to begin to explore their own attitudes and perceptions in regards to
acceptable behaviour and conduct within their role as an employee at Save the Children
Time: 15 – 20 minutes
Methodology: Individual work
Handouts: Vignettes (to be found in Handouts)
Activity Sheets / Resources: perhaps you could play some gentle music in the
background while the learners do their exercise.
Slide/s: n/a
Learning points:
 It can be very difficult to decide whether or not a certain behaviour is acceptable
 A person’s own values and moral compass often needs to be aligned to Save the
Children’s values and principles, as expressed in the Code of Conduct, to find it easy
to accept the behaviour prescribed by the Code.
Note for the facilitator
The purpose of this exercise is for the individual to start the exploration of what it
means to work for Save the Children, and what the organisation expects of
behaviour from their employees. This is very important session. The idea is that no
answers are given, and that at the end of the workshop the learners revisit the
vignettes again, to see if any of their ratings would have changed.
As trainer you can decide which vignettes you want the learners to focus on. You do
not need to cover all of them. You are also very welcome to adapt and add
vignettes/situations that are relevant to your local context. Perhaps you can ask your
regional HR Manager for input on this exercise, if you think it is relevant.
Method:

Introduce exercise, saying this is to get us thinking about everyday
situations and our behaviours and our colleagues’ behaviours. Learners
are meant to complete the first part of the exercise by themselves, and
they will have 10 minutes to complete it.
5

Provide instructions on how to complete the task; it is only the first part
of the task that the learners should do, as we will be doing the second
part of the exercise at the end of the day.
o Rank the statements from 1 - 5
o 1 represents behaviour which you think is fine
o 5 represents behaviour which you think is totally unacceptable
o The individual rating should be completed quickly
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Hand out the vignettes and let the learners complete the task.
Keep an eye on the group and help learners that seem to be struggling.
Be careful not to be drawn into discussions or arguments about what
rating is correct or not. Tell learners that we will revisit the exercise at
the end of the day where we will discuss more in detail.
Give indications of time when there is 3 minutes left, gauge if the group
needs more time to complete the exercise.
Once the time is up, ask learners to put their exercise sheet away and
move on to the next session. Ensure that the learners understand that we
will discuss this exercise more in detail later on in the workshop.
6
Activity Sheets / Resources:
Code of Conduct – Vignettes
What is acceptable to you?
Task Instructions:
Rank your answers 1 to 5

1 represents behaviour which you think is fine

5 represents behaviour which you think is totally unacceptable

The individual rating should be completed quickly
Once you have completed your ratings, get into a pairs/small groups:

Compare your individual ratings

Discuss why you have chosen particular ratings

Discuss your ratings with reference to the Save the Children Code of Conduct

Share your discussion points with rest of group
Vignette
1
A manager shouts at a junior member of staff for being late for work
in the open office
2
You are sent a free calendar from a supplier and keep it
3
At the end of a Save the Children UK event for young people aged
15 - 18, a group of the young people invite you to join them for a
drink
4
A consultant on assignment to a Save the Children UK field office
uses the office computer out of office hours to access pornography
on the internet
5
A local driver uses the Save the Children UK vehicle for taxi driving
at weekends
6
An office manager is employing friends and family in Save the
Children UK jobs
7
At the end of a Save the Children UK work trip, a visiting member
of staff’s partner joins them in the field for a holiday
8
A member of staff calls in sick because they have a hangover
9
At a Save the Children UK regional meeting, a group of staff go out
into town after curfew time
Ranking 1 to
5
7
Vignette
10
Save the Children UK staff attend a workshop organised by a
partner organisation and at which lunch is provided. On returning to
the office they put in an expenses claim for lunch
11
Save the Children UK expatriate staff are known to visit a bar
frequented by prostitutes
12
A member of staff, with strong religious beliefs, spends time in office
hours trying to convert others
13
A male member of staff at a residential school often takes showers
with the boys after football
14
One of your colleagues informs you that a woman’s place is in the
home …and Save the Children should not be employing women in
the programme
15
A female member of staff wears a jilbab to work and another
member of staff insists that this is a sign of female oppression
16
A member of the office services team is constantly taunted for being
overweight
17
Residential staff tolerate the use of foul language by their teenage
charges
18
You use a Save the Children vehicle to take a sick relative to hospital
19
A large and expensive hamper arrives in the office for you from
someone who is tendering for Save the Children business
20
A member of staff pays a small consideration to an embassy official
to speed up a work permit for a critical position
21
A member of staff smokes cannabis at weekends ….and keeps a
small amount for personal use at home
22
You pay in cash for some building work in the office …….suspecting
that taxes will not be paid
23
You ask builders working on the office to do some building work at
your home
24
You are to visit a field programme and find that you are expected to
travel in a vehicle with no seatbelts
25
A staff member instantly spanks her 4 year old daughter when she
runs into the road
26
You are travelling to the field to run a training course and are asked
to carry lots of heavy stuff with you
27
You are travelling overseas for Save the Children and are asked to
take a sealed package with you ….you do not know what is inside
28
You are visiting a country programme and change your personal
Ranking 1 to
5
8
Vignette
Ranking 1 to
5
money on the black market
29
A disgruntled member of staff leaks sensitive information to a
journalist
30
You get together socially with a friend who is a journalist and moan
about some sensitive issues at work
31
A member of staff is seen coming out of a local building which is
known to be a brothel/lap dancing club
32
You are aware that in the local refugee camp there are rumours that
sex is being demanded for food ….you do not report it as it is only
rumour
33
After an office party a member of staff goes home signing and
dancing in the streets in a very noisy manner
34
A colleague makes a joke about a disabled person
35
You work in a multicultural office, but one of your colleagues
constantly sounds off about 'the Muslim menace'
36
A member of staff takes their same sex partner on R and R with
them to a country where homosexuality is illegal
37
A 19 year old member of staff lives with his 17 year old girlfriend
38
A 35 year old member of staff lives with his 17 year old girlfriend
38
You are invited to a contractor’s Christmas party at a very
expensive venue
39
You know that your brother-in-law is a partner in a company that it
bidding for Save the Children business
40
Your whole team goes out to lunch leaving every filing cabinet
unlocked
41
You occasionally work from home, and run several pieces of
equipment from one socket at the end of a faulty extension lead
42
When travelling to visit a project, your Save the Children driver
drinks several beers
43
You overhear a telephone conversation in which a colleague is
telling another NGO what your latest funding strategy is, even
though this has not yet been approved
44
The husband of an International staff member gets very drunk in a
local bar popular with ex pats making a spectacle of himself
45
A senior staff member buys diesel illegally on the black market –
there is no receipt – but this is the only way to access fuel to keep
the programme running
9
Please remember to rank your answers 1 to 5
 1 represents behaviour which you think is fine

5 represents behaviour which you think is totally unacceptable
10
3. What is a code of conduct?
Aim: To explore what a Code of Conduct is and to get to know Save the Children’s
Code of Conduct
Time: 80 minutes (let the learners take tea/coffee/water during the exercise)
Methodology: Group work and discussion
Handouts: Code of Conduct in full
Activity Sheets / Resources:
Pairing up Code of Conducts
Chocolates/sweets for winners of exercise
Upbeat music for exercise
Slide/s:
- Definitions – Code of Conduct
- Key elements of the Code of Conduct
Learning points:
 Companies uses Code of Conducts for various reasons
 Learners will be introduced to the key elements of Save the Children’s Code of
Conduct
 The Code of Conduct is a statement of how we want others to perceive us and feel
confident we are the best to work for and with children.
 The Save the Children Code of Conduct is a clear expression of our values and
principles.
 The Code of Conduct protects our reputation, the children we work with and
ensures a personal and professional conduct we can be proud of.
Note for the facilitator
The idea is to make this a positive and engaging session.
As this exercise is meant to clarify learners understanding and interpretation of what
a Code of Conduct is, it is important to let all reflect and share their points of view.
However, at the end of the exercise you should ensure all the learners have
understood the reason for having a Code of Conduct and what Save the Children’s
intention is with our Code of Conduct. It is important to focus on the positive
11
aspects of the Code of Conduct and how our values, vision and mission all underpin
the Code of Conduct.
Perhaps you can share your personal view of the Code of Conduct and why you find
it such a positive and empowering Code for Save the Children
Method:

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Introduce session, explain we will be exploring what a Code of Conduct is, and
what our Code of Conduct means to us as Save the Children
Clarify that there is one Code of Conduct in operation in Save the Children. The
former Child Protection Code of Conduct has been changed its name to “Child
Safeguarding Policy: Rules for staff” in the roll out of the global Child Safeguarding
policy. It explains more in detail what type of behaviour we want from our staff
in relation to children and is the one we are all legally bound by, as we sign up to
it when signing our job contracts.
Ask the group what they think a Code of Conduct is and why organisations have
them. Just get 3-4 inputs from the group and move quickly on to exercise. Inform
learners that you will pick up on this discussion after the exercise.
Divide group into groups of 3-4.
Explain exercise: Pair up the names of the companies with their Code of
Conducts within the next 10 minutes, and that there will be a prize for the group
who gets the most pairings correct.
Keep an eye on time and give countdown: 5 min left, 2 min left, 1 min left to
create a high energy feel in the room. You could also play some upbeat music in
the background to support the build up of energy.
When time is up, stop the exercise and get the group back together. Let each
group give one answer at a time and move on to the next group for their
answer, and move on till you have managed to get all the pairings done. Give the
winning group their prize.
Ask the group: what impressions did you get of the company by reading their
Code of Conduct? Listen to the answers. If a discussion arises be aware that this
can be a helpful reflection and learning process for the group, so do not disencourage it though you should keep an eye on time.
You could ask further questions to stimulate group discussions, some suggestions
are:
o What impressions did you get of the company by reading their Code of
Conduct?
o Why do you think the companies have the Code of Conducts that they have?
o Did the Code of Conducts of some of the companies surprise you?
o Do you feel their Code of Conduct is sincere? Do you trust the company?
Why/why not?
Show the slide with the definitions of what a code of conduct. Read out the
definitions and ask the group if that changes their way of looking at a Code of
Conduct. Ask if the group agrees with the definitions on the slide. Keep the
discussion short and sharp.
Introduce Save the Children’s Code of Conduct. Let learners spend 5-7 minutes
reading the full version of the Code of Conduct, which they can find in their
handouts.
Go through slide “Key elements of the Code of Conduct”. Highlight the
following points under each element:
12
o Respect for each other and those we work with is also fundamental to being
effective as an organisation. Our diversity is something to be proud of and is
a strength we should encourage and promote - any form of disrespect or
discrimination diminishes us and will not be tolerated.
o Our Child Safeguarding policy already makes clear the responsibilities we all
have for the prevention of abuse and protection of children - the code
reinforces these commitments.
o Maintaining high standards of behaviour both in the personal and professional
realm obviously a critically important element - this section deals with a range
of conduct issues that relate to work and non-work situations (though
impacting on the realm of work) and also looks at conflict of interest issues.
o Ensuring the safety and well being of oneself and others is essential and
covers health and safety and security matters, for example, as is protection of
assets and resources…misuse of Save the Children UK funds, equipment and
intellectual property is clearly prohibited.
o And there is a clear requirement to report any issues, incidents and concerns
that suggest or constitute a breach of the code
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Ask the group the same question as at the opening of the session; What is a code
of conduct and why do companies have them?
Write down the answers on a flipchart. Keep flipchart for the end of the
workshop for the learners to revisit and reflect upon. Ensure the following points
are covered:
o Code of Conducts provides a guide to staff on how the organisation
expects them to behave
o Code of Conducts are very powerful way of communicating with an
external audience about what you stand for as an organisation
o Save the Children’s Code of Conduct can inspire trust from our
beneficiaries, children, by communicating to them how we will keep
the safe from harm and treat them respect and in a dignified manner,
ensuring their rights are not breached
o Code of Conducts can be used as a way of advertising to potential
new staff, who are looking into joining genuine organisations with
strong credibility
o For INGOs, our Code of Conduct is a way of showing how we keep
our promises, both to children and how we live up to our promises
to the UN.
Get the group to work in pairs and get them to discuss how our 4 values, vision
and mission fits in with the Code of Conduct/are expressed in the Code of
Conduct. Inform learners where they can find the Code of Conduct in their
handouts.
Give the pairs 5 minutes to discuss and get each pair to feed back to the group.
Inform the group that you will only want to hear new points, so if a pair’s point
has already been made there is no need to repeat it (this is for the trainer to
keep the momentum going and the energy high)
13

Close the exercise by making the below points and introduce the next part of
the workshop, which will be focusing on how our global policies links to the
Code of Conduct.
o Companies uses Code of Conducts for various reasons
o The Save the Children Code of Conduct is a statement of our
commitment to children’s rights and humanitarian principles, so
others feel confident we are the best to work for and with children.
o The Save the Children Code of Conduct is a clear expression of our
values and principles
o Our ability to achieve our aims, often in complex and insecure
environments, is linked to our reputation
o The Code of Conduct protects our reputation, the children we work
with and ensures a personal and professional conduct we can be
proud of.
o If all our staff and everyone who works for us, uphold the standards
set out in the Code of Conduct, it helps to ensure we do not abuse
the position of power and trust we often find ourselves in.
o The Code of Conduct keeps us safe, and should protect us from harm
by emphasising high standards of personal and professional conduct by
focusing on safety and well-being of staff
o Individual staff members and the organisation as a whole will be
protected if everyone is clear about what is acceptable and what is
not acceptable.
o It guides us in our behaviour and all interactions with colleagues,
children, beneficiaries, volunteers, partners and donors
o The Code of Conduct empowers us, and puts the onus on us to
report breaches of the Code of Conduct.
14
Activity-Session – handout: Pairing up of Code of Conducts
Instructions: Make enough sets to provide one whole set for each group. Cut the headings from the
main text of the specific company’s Code of Conduct and mix up the headings and texts before giving
them to the groups.
Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement
1: The Humanitarian imperative comes first
2: Aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and
without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated on the basis of
need alone
3: Aid will not be used to further a particular political or religious standpoint
4: We shall endeavour not to act as instruments of government foreign policy
5: We shall respect culture and custom
6: We shall attempt to build disaster response on local capacities
7: Ways shall be found to involve programme beneficiaries in the management of
relief aid
8: Relief aid must strive to reduce future vulnerabilities to disaster as well as meeting
basic needs
9: We hold ourselves accountable to both those we seek to assist and those from
whom we accept resources
10: In our information, publicity and advertising activities, we shall recognise disaster
victims as dignified humans, not hopeless objects
15
LEGO
The XX Code of Conduct is intended to create and encourage commitment to
responsible production and business principles around the world. The purpose is to
ensure that vendors and their subcontractors produce components and supply
services to the XX in a manner that respects the rights of their employees and the
environment. In this way XX also wishes to promote and support the principles in
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Acceptance of and compliance with this Code of Conduct form an integral part of
every Business Agreement with the XX. The Code of Conduct establishes a
minimum requirement and the XX urges its vendors to strive for continued
improvement within all areas covered by this Code of Conduct, in furtherance of
human rights, labour standards and to the protection of the environment and
refrainment from corruption.
Human rights
• Support and respect the protection of international proclaimed human rights within
their sphere of influence;
• Make sure their own corporations are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Labour rights
• Freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective
bargaining;
• The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour;
• The effective abolition of child labour;
• The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment
• Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
• Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility;
• Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.
Anti-Corruption
• Work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.
16
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS
XX is one of the world’s pre-eminent professional services organisations. As
professional advisers we help our clients solve complex business problems and aim
to enhance their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance. As
business advisors we play a significant role in the operation of the world’s capital
markets. We take pride in the fact that our services add value by helping to improve
transparency, trust and consistency of business processes. In order to succeed, we
must grow and develop, both as individuals and as a business. Our core values of
excellence, teamwork and leadership help us to achieve this growth.
We conduct our business within the framework of applicable professional standards, laws,
and regulations together with XX policies and standards. However, we also acknowledge
that these standards, laws, regulations and policies do not govern all types of behaviour. As a
result, we also have a Code of conduct for all XX people and firms. This Code is based on
our values and it takes them to the next level—demonstrating our values in action and
contributing to the XX Experience. The Code also provides a frame of reference for XX
firms to establish more specific supplements to address territorial issues.
Each of us at XX has an obligation to know and understand not only the guidelines contained
in the Code, but also the values on which they are based. Knowing and understanding are
not enough. We also have an obligation to comply with the letter and spirit of this Code and
to help others do the same. As individuals we are encouraged to raise any issues and
concerns through appropriate channels.
While the Code provides a broad range of guidance about the standards of integrity and
business conduct, no code can address every situation that individuals are likely to
encounter. As a result, this Code is not a substitute for our responsibility and accountability
to exercise good judgment and obtain guidance on proper business conduct. We are
encouraged to seek additional guidance and support from those designated as responsible
for business conduct matters. The strength in our organisation is the strength in our
collective knowledge and the sharing of that knowledge and experience.
17
United States Military Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct is the legal guide for the behaviour of XX members who are
captured by hostile forces.
The Code of Conduct, in six brief Articles, addresses those situations and decision
areas that, to some degree, all XX personnel could encounter. It includes basic
information useful to XX POWs in their efforts to survive honourably while resisting
their captor's efforts to exploit them to the advantage of the enemy's cause and their
own disadvantage. Such survival and resistance requires varying degrees of
knowledge of the meaning of the six Articles of the CoC.
1. I am an XX, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
2. I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never
surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to
resist.
3. If I am captured, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make
every effort to escape and aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole
nor special favours from the enemy.
4. If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will
give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my
comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful
orders of those appointed over me, and will back them up in every way.
5. When questioned, should I become a prisoner of war, I am required to give
only name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering
further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written
statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause.
6. I will never forget that I am an XX, fighting for freedom,
responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my
country free. I will trust in my God and in XX
18
UN Code of Conduct
Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
1. “Sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers constitute acts of
gross misconduct and are therefore grounds for termination of employment.
2. Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) is prohibited
regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief
regarding the age of a child is not a defense.
3. Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual
favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour is
prohibited. This includes exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries.
4. Sexual relationships between humanitarian workers and beneficiaries are
strongly discouraged since they are based on inherently unequal power
dynamics. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of
humanitarian aid work.
5. Where a humanitarian worker develops concerns or suspicions regarding
sexual abuse or exploitation by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency
or not, he or she must report such concerns via established agency reporting
mechanisms.
6. Humanitarian workers are obliged to create and maintain an environment
which prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the
implementation of their code of conduct. Managers at all levels have
particular responsibilities to support and develop systems which maintain this
environment.
19
IKEA
XX believes that good working conditions and the protection of the outside
environment at our suppliers is a prerequisite for doing good business. Our code of
conduct , "The XX Way on Purchasing XX Products", was introduced in 2000.
The XX code of conduct sets out the requirements expected of suppliers regarding
social and working conditions, child labour and the outside environment. The XX
Group believes in long-term relationships with suppliers who share our commitment
to promote good practices, and who want to grow and develop with XX. We
expect them to respect fundamental human rights, and to treat their workforces
fairly and with respect. They are also obligated to strive continuously towards
minimizing the environmental impact of their operations.
XX does not accept child labour, and works actively against it. Our ambition is to
make sure no child labour is involved in the manufacturing of XX products. This
applies to all our suppliers and their subcontractors worldwide.
Support and monitoring
For some of our suppliers, living up to the minimum XX Group demands is a big
challenge. In these cases, XX and the supplier work out an action plan. How long it
takes depends on the nature of the issue. If the supplier is unable or unwilling to
make changes, the relationship will come to an end.
The XX Group helps suppliers improve operations through a network of Trading
Service Offices. An internal support and monitoring group follows up developments
on a global basis. This work is verified by KPMG, Intertek Testing Services (ITS) and
PricewaterhouseCoopers.
20
The Walt Disney Company
Code of Conduct for Manufacturers
At XX, we are committed to:
 A standard of excellence in every aspect of our business and in every corner
of the world;
 Ethical and responsible conduct in all of or operations:
 Respect for the rights of all individuals; and
 Respect for the environment
We expect these same commitments to be shared by all manufacturers of XX
merchandise. At a minimum, we require that all manufacturers of XX merchandise
meet the following standards:
Child labour
Manufacturers will not use child labour1
Manufacturers employing young persons who do not fall within the definition of
children will also comply with any laws and regulations applicable to such persons.
Involuntary labour
Manufacturers will not use any forced or involuntary labour, whether prison,
bonded, indentured or otherwise
Coercion and Harassment
Manufacturers will treat each employee with dignity and respect, and will not use
corporal punishment , threats or violence or other forms of physical, sexual,
psychological or verbal harassment or abuse.
Non-discrimination
Manufacturers will not discriminate in hiring and employment practices, including
salary, benefits, advancement, discipline, termination or retirement, on the basis of
race, religion, age, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender,
political opinion or disability.
Association
Manufacturers will respect the rights of the employees to associate, organise and
bargain collectively in a lawful and peaceful manner, without penalty or interference.
Health and Safety
Manufacturers will provide employees with a safe and health workplace in
compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, ensuring at a minimum,
reasonable access to potable water and sanitary facilities, fire safety, and adequate
lighting and ventilation.
Manufacturers will also ensure that the same standards of health and safety are
applied in any housing that they provide for employees.
1
The term child refers to a child younger that 15 (or 14 where local law allows), or, if higher, the
local legal minimum age for employment or the age for completing compulsory education.
21
Compensation
We expect manufacturers to recognize that wages are essential to meeting
employee’s basic needs. Manufacturers will, at a minimum, comply with all applicable
wage and hour laws and regulations, including those relating to minimum wages,
overtime, maximum hours, piece rates and other elements of compensation, and
provide, legally mandated benefits. Except in extraordinary business circumstances,
manufacturers will not require employees to work more than the lesser of (a) 48
hours per week and 12 hours overtime or (b) the limits on regular and overtime
hours allowed by local lay or, where local law does not limit the hours of work, the
regular work week in such country plus 12 hours overtime. In addition, except in
extraordinary business circumstances, employees will be entitled to at least one day
off in every seven-day period.
[…]
Protection of the Environment
Manufacturers will comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations.
[…]
Publication
Manufacturers will take appropriate steps to ensure that the provisions of the Code of
Conduct are communicated to employees, including the prominent posting of a copy of this
Code of Conduct, in the local language and in a place readily accessible to employees, at all
times.
22
BBC’s code of conduct
Corporate social responsibility
As part of the tender process suppliers are evaluated in a number of ways. This may include
the supplier's approach to corporate social responsibility insofar as it is relevant to the
goods or services being tendered. The XX’s consideration of corporate social responsibility
falls under three headings.
Environmental responsibility
The XX’s Environmental Policy states: 'Through the XX's Purchasing Policy, we will influence
suppliers of services and resources to adopt best environmental practices. The XXcommits
to procure goods from sustainable sources and specifically to increase the proportion of
timber and paper products obtained from certified, well managed forests and through
recycling".
Social and ethical responsibility
The XX attaches great importance to its role as a corporate citizen. It seeks to meet the
highest standards of social, ethical and employment practice. The XX has a code of conduct
which challenges its suppliers to adopt similar principles. This applies to all direct suppliers,
as well as their sub-contractors, to observe best practice in the following areas: general
employment practices, the employment of appropriate workers, worker insurance, working
environment, respect for the individual worker; equal opportunities and freedom of
association.
Diversity and equal opportunities
The XX is committed to Equal Opportunities for all, irrespective of colour, race,
religious belief, ethnic or national origins, gender, marital status, sexuality, disability
or age. The XX is committed to the promotion of equality of opportunity and
diversity. The XX approach for the provision of goods and services is to look to
build business relationships with those suppliers who support and apply similar
principles.
Suppliers may be requested to provide a written statement of these policies and
details of how they are implemented.
23
4. Save the Children’s global policies and how they link to the
Code of Conduct
Aim: To make learners aware of how Save the Children’s global policies and procedures links to
the Code of Conduct
Time: 60 minutes
Methodology: Group work and discussion
Handouts: Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct
Activity Sheets / Resources:
Save the Children’s Code of Conduct and global policies jigsaw puzzle
Have all the global policies on display for the learners to acquaint themselves with.
Have the Global Policies and Procedures manual on display if you have one available.
Pre – prepared flip chart listing global polices and procedures: Safeguarding Children policy, Fraud,
Security, Whistle blowing, Security, Procurement, Health and Safety, Corporate engagement, SOs and
SFIs,
Pre-pared flip with the heading: How to report a concern: put the contact detail of CEO, Director of
Global HR and Trustee and country director’s contact details.(The flip chart should not be revealed
until you are in the part of the session where staff have to confirm how and to whom they can
report at concern
Slide/s:
- And the answer is….(1)
- And the answer is…(2)
- Scenario
- I should have learnt this….
Learning points:
 Learners can list all the global policies
 Learners can tell the difference between the Child Safeguarding Policy and the Code
of Conduct
 Learners can link the sections from the Code of Conduct to the relevant global
policies
 Learners know and can act in line with their responsibility to report breaches of the
code of conduct
 Learners can report an incident/suspected incident using the Whistle blowing policy
24
Note for the facilitator
This session is where some key learning points are made, so ensure that all learners
do know their responsibility for reporting breaches of the Code of Conduct and
that they know how to report them. If you do not have access to the intranet and
your country programme has not yet received the Global Policies and Guidelines
manual, get in touch with your Regional HR Manager who will be able to provide you
with a set of the global policies and guidelines.
Check the Whistle-blowing policy and put the current contact details for reporting a
concern on a pre-pared flip chart. Furthermore, ensure with the Country Director
that you can put her/his contact details on the flipchart as well.
Some of the Global policies might appear very UK centric, i.e. the Health & Safety
policy. However, it does not take away the importance of staff’s wellbeing and safety
while at work for Save the Children, so country programmes should either adopt a
similar policy or develop their own.
The answers to the jigsaw puzzle are the pairing on the activity sheet/resources on
page 33-40. The idea is to cut up all the jigsaw puzzle pieces and mix them up before
giving them to the learners. The last 4-piece jigsaw puzzle are additional pieces and is
meant to be added to the mix in order to make the exercise a little more
challenging.
Method:





Ask learners, in pairs, to list all the global policies. Give them 2 minutes.
Get them to share their list with their neighbouring pair and reveal the preprepared flip chart with all the policies. Ask if everybody got the full list of the
policies. If no, which one did they miss out? If learners are not familiar with some
of the global policies you can provide an overview of them (see Additional
Trainer’s notes)
Get learners to find the Child Safeguarding Policy and the full Code of Conduct
in their handouts.
Ask them to compare and contrast – what are the main differences? (Main
difference is Child Safeguarding Policy is focused on specific behaviour in relation
to children and is aimed at keeping children safe. The Code of Conduct is an
umbrella statement and is aimed at our behaviour at all times and is an
expression of our way of working, values and principles, it ensures protection of
vulnerable adults, deals with issues of sexual exploitation that are not in the Child
Safeguarding Policy – i.e using prostitutes – and incorporates the UN IASC Task
Force Core Principles (see additional trainers notes)
Input the following which give the background and reasons for the development
of the Code of Conduct in addition to the already existing Child Safeguarding
Policy:
o The reason, and background for the development of the Code of
Conduct is, that in the ‘sex for food’ scandal in West Africa (Feb 02)
which Save the Children UK exposed and in which we were also
implicated (this was where humanitarian workers were reported to be
sexually exploiting refugee and internally displaced women and children).
25
Save the Children UK alerted the international community to the
problem of this kind of ‘abuse of trust’ and raised the question of
accountability - how do international agencies govern their interventions
and specifically the action of their staff?
o Immediately after the scandal became known, the UN Inter Agency
Standing Committee established a Task Force, lead by Save the Children
UK, aimed at developing means of preventing sexual exploitation and
abuse by humanitarian workers. Agency codes of conduct were seen as
an important element of this response and all UN agencies and many
International NGOs signed up to 6 core principles that were to be
embodied in codes that they also undertook to develop.
o Also as part of the response to West Africa, SCHR (a network of
International NGOs focused on humanitarian response) introduced a
system of Peer Review as a way of examining agency measures for the
protection of vulnerable women and children.
o SC UK was reviewed by Oxfam and ICRC - they recognised the value of
the Child Protection Policy (now Child Safeguarding) Code of Conduct
but strongly recommended a wider code that addressed protection of
vulnerable adults, dealt with issues of sexual exploitation, and
incorporated the UN IASC Task Force Core Principles – and this is why
the Code of Conduct was development and why we have two Code of
Conducts.
o Save the Children UK rolled out the Code of Conduct in 2005, first to
the UK in April and globally in June.








Who does the Child Safeguarding Policy apply to? (ALL staff, no matter which job
they have in the organisation, which means cleaners and drivers etc, partners,
volunteers, board of trustees,
Who does the Code of Conduct apply to? (ALL staff, no matter which job they
have in the organisation, which means cleaners and drivers etc, partners,
volunteers, board of trustees, accompanying dependants of international posts)
Explain that we will now do a quick quiz where the aim is to pair up the different
sections of the Code of Conduct to the global policies.
Divide group into trios and hand out a set of jigsaw puzzles and give the groups
10 minutes to complete.
Walk around the groups and field any questions there may be.
Reconvene group and reveal answers to the jigsaw puzzle, using the slides. Get
groups to share how many correct answers they had.
Field any questions in regards to the pairing up. Be aware that some sections of
the Code of Conduct could apply to more than one global policy and clarify that
the linking was based on the actual Code of Conduct statement.
Do a short input on the mechanisms of the roles and responsibilities of
individuals and the Whistle blowing policy and:
o The code is clear that managers have a particular responsibility to uphold
the code and to model the high standards that it describes.
26
o Managers also have responsibility for implementing the code and ensuring
that everyone is made aware of it, understands it and demonstrates their
commitment to it through their work and their conduct generally.
o Everyone must take responsibility for their own behaviour, although staff
conduct issues are ultimately a management issue - managers have the
responsibility to ensure staff know what is expected of them and are
supported in achieving these high standards
o In addition, breaches of the code must be dealt with fairly and
appropriately
o The Code of Conduct links into the organisation’s disciplinary procedures
and breaches will be dealt with accordingly
o However there may be times when people feel that the Code of Conduct
is not being observed. In such circumstances staff should talk in
confidence to their line manager (or to a more senior manager if the line
manager is implicated) so that the alleged breach of the Code can be
investigated.
o It is important to ascertain at the outset whether the Whistleblowing
Policy is the best one to use in relation to any given disclosure of a
breach of the Code of Conduct, most disclosures are dealt with using
the disciplinary procedures. Perhaps another policy might be more
appropriate, for example;
-
Corporate Child Safeguarding Policy
Corporate Fraud Policy
Local Harassment Policies
Local Grievance Policies
Corporate and Health and Safety Policy
o If after investigation there is a case to answer, this will be dealt with
through the appropriate disciplinary process.
o In extreme cases, where no action seems to have been taken, staff should
use the Whistle-blowing Policy
o The key aspect of the Whistle-blowing policy is the fact that you can raise
a concern anonymously. This is to ensure you feel safe in raising a
concern.
o You can raise a concern when abuse, serious malpractice or professional
misconduct has taken place, is taking place or is likely to take place.
o A neutral 3rd party investigates all concerns, so whoever is accused will
have a fair investigation.
o If, after investigation, there is a case to answer, this will be dealt with
through the appropriate disciplinary process.
o Concerns can be made to the CEO or Director of Global HR or a
trustee on the Board. Currently that is Jasmine Whitbread (CEO) and
Derek Manuel (Director of Global HR) and David Bryer. (Names are
current from July 2008)
o Concerns can also be made to your line manager, or if your line manager
is involved, to his/her line manager and so forth. These can also be done
anonymously.
o However, when a concern or incident has been reported, an investigation
will have to be launched and the fact that the concern has been raised
27





anonymously might make it much more difficult to do the investigation
properly
Ask the group what they believe their responsibilities are under the Code of
Conduct. Make sure the following points are made:
o We must apply the standards set out in the Code of Conduct in our lives,
both at home and at work
o We must bring to the attention of relevant management within Save the
Children any potential incident, abuse or concern that we witness or are
made aware of which appears to break the standards contained in the
Code of Conduct.
o Managers have a specific role in ensuring all staff are familiar with the
Code of Conduct and know what is expected of them – and what the
sanctions for not abiding by the Code of Conduct are.
Ask the group what they believe the consequences will be of not raising any
concerns or if continuous breaches keep happening? Make sure the following
points are made:
o Somebody might be getting hurt, or could potentially die (if the breach is
about physical abuse)
o Undermining of Save the Children’s reputation and trust of beneficiaries
(children, communities, governments). This has the further implications of
not being able to work effectively and safely in our programmes
o Withdrawal of funds from donors
o Loss of access to most vulnerable children if communities/governments
do not see us as a trustworthy partner.
o If the individual knows about gross misconduct taking place and does not
act on it and inform their line manager, they might be held accountable
and could be dismissed.
Show the group the slide with the scenario and ask them, in pairs, to answer the
question: what is your responsibility and how would you respond to this
situation? Give learners 5 min to discuss with the person sitting next to them.
Ask one pair to feedback to the group, make sure the answers covers the
following points:
o The male member’s behaviour is completely unacceptable. It is against the
section of the Code of Conduct “I will respect others…..”
o You have a responsibility to report the situation to your line manager
who should then follow up with the staff member and the group doing
the bullying/harassment.
o The line manager, together with HR, should use the disciplinary
procedures to address the staff members involved. Depending on the
discussions with the female staff member and the male staff members,
they might be given an oral or written warning which goes on their
personal files.
Ask the group how they would report this incident if it was their Country
Director doing the harassment? Make sure the correct answers are given:
o By contacting someone in the regional office or contacting the
CEO/Director of Global HR/Trustee member. That contact can be by
telephone, email, fax, Skype, face to face – whichever way that relays the
information to a senior member of staff.
28


Conclude the session by revisiting the learning points. Show slide “I should have
learnt this…”
Ask group how confident they feel in regards to being able to do all the things
listed in the learning points. If there is any uncertainty in regards to roles and
responsibilities and how the reporting mechanisms work, make sure your
address these before moving on the next session.
o Learners can list all the global policies
o Learners can tell the difference between the Child Safeguarding Code of
Conduct and the Code of Conduct
o Learners can link the sections from the Code of Conduct to the relevant
global policies
o Learners know and can act in line with their responsibility to report
breaches of the code of conduct
o Learners can report an incident/suspected incident using the Whistle
blowing policy if they do not feel able to report suspected incidents to
line management or if learners have reported concerns and are not
satisfied that their concerns have been acted on.
Additional Trainer’s notes:
The Code of Conduct covers anyone acting as a representative of Save the Children.
Where international posts are accompanied, the Code of Conduct also applies to
the post holder’s accompanying dependants
Condensed overview of global policies
Safeguarding Children Policy
Save the Children UK's safeguarding children policy covers all contact with children across the world
and ensures that staff, volunteers, other representatives and partners:




are aware of the problem of child abuse
safeguard children from abuse through good practice
report all concerns about possible abuse
respond appropriately when abuse is discovered or suspected.
The safeguarding children policy document also includes:



a statement of commitment to safeguard children from abuse and to ensure that action is
taken to support and protect children whenever and wherever abuse is suspected
a Code of Conduct for all staff and others in contact with children, describing expectations
and standards in working with children
procedures for raising and reporting concerns.
Whistleblowing
This policy covers everybody working with Save the Children UK. The purpose is to provide an
effective procedure for people to raise their concerns when they believe that:



abuse
serious malpractice (criminal activity, illegality, miscarriage of justice, danger to health and
safety or the environment, victimisation or the cover up of any of the above)
professional misconduct
29
has taken place, is taking place or is likely to take place. You can report an incident or concern
anonymously.
Security
The purpose of this policy document is to define basic security principles, roles and responsibilities
applicable to all Save the Children UK staff and programmes.
The security policy is intended to attain the maximum safety for staff while affording them the
greatest possible freedom to implement their work. Staff security ranks among our highest and most
immediate considerations in that it challenges our ability to achieve our goals for children.
As well as the policy document, we have a self-learning module on Save the Children’s e-learning portal called
'Personal safety and security awareness' that learners can enrol in.
Fraud
All staff and volunteers have a duty to protect the assets of Safe the Children.
Staff and volunteers found guilty of fraud will:


be dismissed for gross misconduct
lose the right to any terminal employment benefits.
The fraud will be reported to the police, where appropriate, and criminal proceedings will be
encouraged. Staff and volunteers have a duty to report any suspected fraud against Save the Children.
Non- reporting may be seen as a collusion and could result in disciplinary action and criminal
proceedings.
Procurement
More than £30 million of Save the Children's annual budget is spent on buying goods and services. It is
important that any purchases show the best possible quality at the least possible cost.
The procurement policy has been approved by Save the Children's Board of Trustees. It sets out the
responsibilities of all employees and volunteers who are involved in procuring goods and services.
Health and safety
A key responsibility of this policy is to ensure the well being of all staff, volunteers and visitors.
Everyone has an equal responsibility to ensuring a positive safety culture by taking care of their own
health and safety and for the health and safety of others who may be affected by their activities. The
Health and Safety policy provides for:
 a safe and healthy place of work
 a positive safety culture involving all staff
 appropriate responsibility at each level of the organisation
 appropriate training and instruction
 The Chief Executive and the Directors group are responsible for health and safety features in
the planning of all activities.
 The Director of Global Human Resources is delegated to lead on health and safety.
Save the Children's policies and procedures are developed to ensure compliance with all UK and
European Law as a minimum. Where SC operates outside Europe, procedures are developed to a
corporate standard and to ensure compliance with local country law as well as UK civil law where
relevant.
SOs and SFIs
SOs are Standing Orders, and SFIs are Standing Financial Instructions.
Standing Orders set out the overall way in which the organisation is governed. SFIs cover financial
control.
Corporate engagement
30
This is a policy on working with the corporate sector.
Save the Children is working to encourage more engagement between Save the Children and the
corporate sector and by recognition of the important role companies can play in reaching our
organisational goals for children.
Child Safeguarding Policy – rules for staff
It is important for all staff and others in contact with children to:
o be aware of situations that may present risks, and manage these
o plan and organise the work and the workplace so as to minimise risks
o as far as possible, be visible in working with children
o ensure that a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised and discussed
o ensure that a sense of accountability exists between staff so that poor practice or potentially abusive
behaviour does not go unchallenged
o talk to children about their contact with staff or others and encourage them to raise any concerns
o empower children - discuss with them their rights, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and what they
can do if there is a problem.
In general it is inappropriate to:
o
o
spend excessive time alone with children away from others
take children to your home, especially where they will be alone with you.
Staff and others must never:
o
o
o
o
hit or otherwise physically assault or physically abuse children
develop physical/sexual relationships with children
develop relationships with children which could in any way be deemed exploitative or abusive
act in ways that may be abusive or may place a child at risk of abuse.
Staff and others must avoid actions or behaviour that could be construed as poor practice or
potentially abusive. For example, they should never:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
use language, make suggestions or offer advice that is inappropriate, offensive or abusive
behave physically in a manner that is inappropriate or sexually provocative
have a child/children with whom they are working to stay overnight at their home unsupervised
sleep in the same room or bed as a child with whom they are working
do things for children of a personal nature that they can do for themselves
condone, or participate in, behaviour of children that is illegal, unsafe or abusive
act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade children, or otherwise perpetrate any form
of emotional abuse
discriminate against, show differential treatment, or favour particular children to the exclusion of others.
UN IASC Task Force Core Principles
Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
1. Sexual exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers constitute acts of
gross misconduct and are therefore grounds for termination of employment.
2. Sexual activity with children (persons under the age of 18) is prohibited
regardless of the age of majority or age of consent locally. Mistaken belief
regarding the age of a child is not a defense.
31
3. Exchange of money, employment, goods, or services for sex, including sexual
favours or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour is
prohibited. This includes exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries.
4. Sexual relationships between humanitarian workers and beneficiaries are
strongly discouraged since they are based on inherently unequal power
dynamics. Such relationships undermine the credibility and integrity of
humanitarian aid work.
5. Where a humanitarian worker develops concerns or suspicions regarding
sexual abuse or exploitation by a fellow worker, whether in the same agency
or not, he or she must report such concerns via established agency reporting
mechanisms.
6. Humanitarian workers are obliged to create and maintain an environment,
which prevents sexual exploitation and abuse and promotes the
implementation of their code of conduct. Managers at all levels have
particular responsibilities to support and develop systems which maintain this
environment.
32
Activity Sheets / Resources – Jigsaw puzzle
Cut out each jigsaw puzzle piece and mix up before handing to group. Make enough
sets for each group. (Ideally these activity sheets should be printed on thick
cardboard)
Code of Conduct
I will maintain high standards of
personal and professional
conduct
I will respect the basic rights of
others by acting fairly, honestly and
tactfully, and by treating people with
dignity and respect, and respecting
the national
law and local culture,
traditions,
customs and
practices that are in line
with UN conventions
Code of Conduct
33
Security Management
Policy
I will protect the safety and
well-being of myself and
others
I will report any matter
that breaks the standards
contained in this Code of
Conduct
Whistle-blowing Policy
34
I
will not exchange
money, employment,
goods or services for
sexual favours
Code of Conduct
Fraud Policy
I will not undertake business
for the supply of goods or
services to Save the Children
with family, friends or
personal contacts or use Save
the Children assets for
personal
benefit
35
Security
Management
Policy
I will not behave in a way
which threatens the security
of myself
or others
I will not have sex with anyone
under the age of 18, or abuse
or exploit a child in any way
Safeguarding Children
Policy
36
Fraud Policy
Safeguarding Children
Policy
I will not accept bribes or
significant gifts from
governments, beneficiaries,
donors, suppliers or others,
which have
been
offered as
a result of my
employment
I will work actively to protect
children by complying with
Save the Children’s
Safeguarding Children policy
and procedures
37
I will protect the
organisation’s assets
and resources
Fraud Policy
Health & Safety
I will not drink alcohol or use
any other substances in a way
that adversely affects my
ability to do my job or affects
the reputation of the
organisation
38
Code of Conduct
I will not be in possession of, nor
profit from the sale of, illegal goods
or substances
Safeguarding Children
Policy
I will not use the organisation’s
computer or other equipment to
view, download, create or
distribute inappropriate
material, such as
pornography
39
Procurement
Corporate
Engagement Policy
Safeguarding Children
Policy
Fraud
40
5. The impact of our actions on vulnerable beneficiaries – the
importance of Save the Children’s Code of Conduct
Aim: To show the impact of our actions on vulnerable beneficiaries if we abuse our position
of power and trust which is why our Code of Conduct is so important to guide us.
Time: 30 – 40 min with discussion (DVD is 22 min long)
Methodology: Input, watching a DVD, group discussions if relevant
Handouts/Display: No One To Turn To (report from Save the Children UK about the
under reporting of sexual abuse and exploitation by aid workers, 2008)
Activity Sheets / Resources: DVD – To Serve with Pride
Slide/s: n/a
Learning points:
 We can really inflict pain and suffering if we abuse our position of power and trust
 The reputation of Save the Children can be greatly jeopardised if staff do not conduct
themselves appropriately
 Children will not trust us
 Sexual abuse and exploitation is devastating for the victims
Note for the facilitator
The DVD can come across as very emotional, so maybe it will be a good idea to
introduce the DVD, the reasons for showing it (see learning points in grey box) and
then have a break after the DVD.
Save the Children UK has been key in initiating the making of this movie, see
additional trainer’s notes for more information of the background and involvement
of Save the Children.
The idea of showing this movie is to let learners see and hear what impact our
behaviours can have, if we abuse and exploit our position of trust and power with
vulnerable children, women and communities.
Method:


Introduce the session by saying you will show a DVD which is from the
UN.
The DVD is about the “Six Core Principles Relating to Sexual Exploitation
and Abuse” that a long list of INGOs has signed up to, Save the Children
included.
41










We have included the six core principles in our Code of Conduct
Remind learners that even though Save the Children is not credited in the
DVD, the UN IASC Task Force was lead by us (Paul Nolan, former head
of Child Protection) and that a former member of staff features in the
DVD (Stephen Blight, CD from DRC)
The reason for showing this DVD is because it conveys very well the
impact on vulnerable beneficiaries if we abuse and exploit our position of
power and trust
And that, hopefully, by the end of the DVD learners will understand why
our Code of Conduct so important to guide us
Watch the UN DVD
Check the feeling in the room; decide if you want to give the group a
break.
Reconvene the group and ask if anybody would like to share his or her
thoughts on what we just saw.
Perhaps it will be useful to make the following point:
o the Code of Conduct is all about making sure we are putting
our values in to practice, maintaining professionalism, high
standards and acting with integrity at all times
If the points have not been covered by the group – and you feel it is
necessary to reiterate the message from the DVD – close the session by
stating the learning points:
 We can really inflict pain and suffering if we abuse our
position of power and trust
 The reputation of Save the Children can be greatly
jeopardised if staff do not conduct themselves
appropriately
 Children will not trust us
 Sexual abuse and exploitation is devastating for the
victims
Close the session and introduce the next session, which will focus on
situations in the work place, and where learners will have to put their
learning into practice.
42
Additional Trainers notes
The ‘sex for food’ scandal in West Africa (Feb 02) which Save the Children UK
exposed and in which we were also implicated (this is where humanitarian workers
were reported to be sexually exploiting refugee and internally displaced women and
children) alerted the international community to the problem of this kind of ‘abuse
of trust’ and raised the question of accountability - how do international agencies
govern their interventions and specifically the action of their staff?
Immediately after the scandal became known, the UN Inter Agency Standing
Committee established a Task Force aimed at developing means of preventing sexual
exploitation and abuse by humanitarian workers -agency codes of conduct were seen
as an important element of this response and all UN agencies and many International
NGOs signed up to 6 core principles that were to be embodied in codes that they
also undertook to develop.
43
6. Scenarios – what would you do if it were you?
Aim: Learners can recognise and judge behaviour that are in breach of the Code of Conduct
Time: 75 min
Methodology: Group work and discussion
Handouts: Scenarios (can be found in handouts)
Activity Sheets / Resources: Pre-pared flip with the questions: “Is it a breach of the Code of
Conduct? If yes, what section of the Code of Conduct/policy does it relate to? What is my
responsibility? What sort of action should be taken?”
Slide/s: n/a
Learning points:
 We rely on our reputation in order to work effectively and safely in our programmes and
in order to bring in the necessary funds
 We all have a responsibility to uphold this reputation
 It is not always straight forward to judge what type of behaviour is a breach of the Code,
and what isn’t
 The context is the determining factor in regards to what behaviour is seen as acceptable
and not acceptable
 Cultural beliefs and norms can be hard to overcome when aligning the principles and
standards for personal and professional conduct and behaviours outlined in the Code of
Conduct
 The Code of Conduct is all about making sure that we are putting our values in to
practice, maintaining professionalism, high standards and acting with integrity at all times.
Note for the facilitator
Before doing the session you should already have chosen which scenarios you would
like the group to work on. The time allocated is based on the groups working on 10
scenarios all together.
This session is usually one learners really appreciate and mention as the most
effective session of the day as the groups usually get into very good discussions
where a lot of learning takes place.
In the run through of the scenarios, discussions might start where learners begin to
question the practices they currently have. You can either decide to have the
discussions there and then, or wait till the next session, where the focus is on
discussing current practices aided by the vignette exercise you did in the morning.
44
The learning points are meant to come out through the plenary discussions where
the groups share their answers to the scenarios.
If the some of the learning points are not mentioned please make sure you bring up
them in the closing of the session.
The scenarios and case studies are a mix of real cases that have taken place, and the
scenarios are realistic situations staff might encounter in their work for Save the
Children. The scenarios in the Activity/Resource section below contain the answers
to the scenarios and have been added as a support. In the handouts the learners will
only have access to the scenarios.
Method:










Divide group into trios (use a different combination than before)
Ask each group to work on 3-4 scenarios. The scenarios are in the
handouts. Divide the 10 scenarios you have chosen among the groups, so
they are not working on the same ones.
Give the group 30 minutes to look at the scenarios and come up with the
answer to the following questions:
o Is it a breach of the Code of Conduct?
o If yes, what section of the Code of Conduct/policy does it relate
to?
o What is my responsibility?
o What sort of action should be taken?
Walk around the groups and field any questions.
When there is 10 minutes left, find out how far the groups have got and
decide if you want to give them more time
Reconvene group and the groups to give the answers to the scenarios the
worked on
Be aware that at the end the energy levels can drop, so keep the tempo
up and don’t let learners dis-engage.
In the run through of the scenarios, discussions might start where
learners begin to question the practices they currently have. You can
either decide to have the discussions there and then, or wait till the next
session, where the focus is on discussing current practices aided by the
vignette exercise you did in the morning.
Close the session by re-iterating the learning points (see below) if you
feel that is necessary. Make sure the following point is made:
o The Code is also very clear that we all have responsibility to uphold
our reputation…if we fail, the organisation fails.
o It is therefore very important that Save the Children is clear with staff
on what behaviours it wishes to promote and those it prohibits and
we hope the group work with the scenarios has clarified this.
Learning points of session:
o We rely on our reputation in order to work effectively and safely in
our programmes and in order to bring in the necessary funds
o We all have a responsibility to uphold this reputation
45
o It is not always straight forward to judge what type of behaviour is a
breach of the Code, and what isn’t
o The context is the determining factor in regards to what behaviour is
seen as acceptable and not acceptable
o Cultural beliefs and norms can be hard to overcome when aligning the
principles and standards for personal and professional conduct and
behaviours outlined in the Code of Conduct
o The Code of Conduct is all about making sure that we are putting our
values in to practice, maintaining professionalism, high standards and
acting with integrity at all times.
46
Activity/ resource sheet
Code of Conduct – Scenarios w. answers
1. Scenario: An allegation is made against a senior manager, who is seen to be a
favourite of the Country Director; the senior manager is reported to have behaved
in ways that are suspicious. The allegation is that the person concerned is arranging
deals with suppliers to Save the Children and is receiving a percentage of the deal in
exchange for securing the contract with Save the Children.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Bringing Save the Children into disrepute (I will maintain high standards of
professional and personal conduct and I will not behave in a way that
undermines my ability to do my job or is likely to bring Save the Children
into disrepute).

The allegation is also related to the same area of the Code of Conduct
….”I will maintain high standards of professional and personal
conduct….” by NOT accepting bribes or significant gifts (except small
tokens of appreciation)2 from governments, beneficiaries, donors,
suppliers or others which have been offered as a result of my
employment
Barriers to reporting:

Fear of the senior manager and the repercussions for the individual i.e.
fear of standing up and being courageous by pointing out potential wrong
behaviour committed by a senior manager

Guilt over having perhaps aided behaviour that is in breach of the Code
of Conduct.

An office culture where the leader is seen as never being wrong.

Fear of speaking out against the senior manager who is seen as being the
favourite of the Country Director
Action:







2
Suspend the staff member until investigation has taken place. This is to
protect the staff member from accusations of tampering with evidence.
Line manager/Country Director has to put together investigation team
Do 3rd party investigation to collect evidence.
Depending on findings of investigation either have hearing or drop
allegations
Country Director/3rd party to chair the hearing, if it is decided to proceed
with the disciplinary process.
Find panel to for the hearing
Undertake Code of Conduct training with all staff to ensure individuals
feel confident about raising issues of breaches of the Code of Conduct
and knowledgeable about what behaviours constitutes a breach.
You should notify your line manager if you are offered or receive gifts of any kind
47
2. Scenario: A staff member has downloaded and saved pictures of dubious content
onto a Save the Children office computer.
This is discovered and when asked about it, the person explained it was a mistake
and that he/she had forgotten to erase the files from the Save the Children
computer, as the pictures were for home use.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

I will not ‘use the organisation’s computer or other equipment, to view,
download, create or distribute inappropriate materials, such as
pornography.’
Barriers to reporting:

As the use of the pictures is for private use, the behaviour may not seen
as a breach of the Code of Conduct by the individual and other staff.

No knowledge of the Code of Conduct, and the fact that it applies to our
conduct both professionally and personally
Action:




Put together a panel for the disciplinary hearing.
Hold a disciplinary hearing – such a breach of the code may result in
dismissal or action short of dismissal, depending on the facts of the case.
Ensure managers are aware of what authority they have in regards to
disciplining/dismissing staff when they breach the Code of Conduct.
Undertake Code of Conduct training with all staff to ensure individuals
feel confident about raising issues of breaches of the Code of Conduct
and knowledgeable about what behaviours constitutes a breach.
3. Scenario: The whistle is blown on a senior management member. It is alleged
that the staff member has developed a longstanding partnership with an organisation
that is lead by a family member. Save the Children gives money to this organisation
as part of the work with children we do in the country.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

This might not be a breach of the Code of Conduct. If all procedures
have been followed and the work has been fairly tendered with more
bidders and with impartial decision making, then this does not constitute
a breach

If not, then it is a breach in line with nepotism (I will not do unauthorised
business with family and friends).
Barriers to reporting:

The culture of the country could be a factor; in some places retribution
could mean death.

Respect for the specific senior management member.

Staff members afraid they might be implicated and accused of breaching
the Code of Conduct too, and little knowledge of what behaviour
constitutes a breach of the Code of Conduct.
48
Action:






Suspend the staff member until investigation has taken place. This is to
protect the staff member from accusations of tampering with evidence.
Do 3rd party investigation to collect evidence
Depending on findings of investigation either have hearing or drop case.
Country Director/3rd party to chair the hearing, if it is decided to proceed
with the investigation.
Find panel to for the hearing
Undertake Code of Conduct training with all staff to ensure individuals
feel confident about raising issues of breaches of the Code of Conduct
and knowledgeable about what behaviours constitutes a breach.
4.Scenario: Important documents and some money go missing whilst in the care of
a staff member.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

This is not a breach of the Code of Conduct. if the documents and money
were lost due to negligence and not ill intent.
Barriers to reporting:

The staff member does not know his/her responsibilities under the Code
of Conduct,

Staff generally do not know the Code of Conduct and the emphasis on
protecting Save the Children’s assets and resources.
Action:


Provide Code of Conduct training for all staff or have 1:1/team
conversations about the Code of Conduct and the behaviour expected of
staff.
Discuss actions and behaviours with staff member who lost the
documents and money to ensure learning will come from he experience
5. Scenario: In a big country programme the relationship between the national staff
and international staff groups seems to be deteriorating. It is two members of
national staff who keep on experiencing a specific behaviour from a group of
international staff, who mainly focus on an ongoing emergency in the country. The
staff members find the international group to be rude, arrogant, racist and
patronizing towards them, particularly when they have to cooperate around the
health programme that the two national staff are managing. During a meeting you
notice one of the national staff members being very quiet and withdrawn. You
encounter her just by the bathrooms where she is crying. She tells you she is
thinking of resigning due to the international team’s continuous insinuations and
patronizing behaviour towards her. She starts crying and begs you not to tell
anybody.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Code of Conduct: I will respect the basic rights of others by acting fairly,
honestly and tactfully, and by treating people with dignity and respect, and
49

respecting the national law and local culture, traditions, customs and
practices that are in line with UN conventions
Health & Safety: I am responsible for the well-being of my staff
Barriers to reporting:

The staff members are afraid to report the situation.

Their line manager might be afraid of the international staff group too

The person involved has asked you not to tell anyone
Action:

You should talk to the person involved and explain the behaviour they are
experiencing our out of line and not acceptable. Suggest to the person that
they bring it up with their line manager or HR manager, and in case the
person is not interested in doing that, may you take action on their behalf?

The international emergency group members should receive a warning in
accordance with the disciplinary process, and if behaviour does not improve,
potential dismissal.
6. Scenario: In a country where the government has come into power by a military
coup, a big demonstration is taking place. The Country Director is watching the
news and suddenly notices two staff members in red Save the Children t-shirts. The
staff members have not informed the Country Director of their intentions of
participating in the demonstration. Furthermore, Save the Children’s work in the
country is only possible by keeping a good relationship with the government and by
not speaking out publicly against the regime.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct

Bringing Save the Children into disrepute (I will maintain high standards of
professional and personal conduct and I will not behave in a way that
undermines my ability to do my job or is likely to bring Save the Children
into disrepute).

I will not behave in any way which creates unnecessary risk to my security
or the security of others.
Barriers to reporting:

All staff members have the right to express their political opinions
according to the UN Human Rights.

This should therefore not be a breach of the Code of Conduct, however,
there are questions around the risk to the security of other Save the
Children staff members if Save the Children employees comes under
suspicion by the government. It could also hamper the work that Save the
Children is doing in the country.
Action:

Discuss situation with entire staff group in the country. Agree what
behaviours could pose as risk to others and self, and come to a shared
understanding of what is acceptable behaviour and what is not when
representing Save the Children, as we will always be seen as ambassadors
of Save the Children and have a responsibility to uphold the reputation of
the organisation.
50


Do risk assessment in regards to current political climate and take
appropriate actions
Run Code of Conduct training for entire staff group
7. Scenario A staff member is due to attend a global meeting in the London Office.
She has to travel from a remote village where she is currently working and leaves
the village early in the morning. Before she leaves she calls the country head office
and notifies them she is leaving and heading for the international airport, a 10 hour
drive on a road in good condition. A colleague who is meeting her at the airport
calls the country head office as the staff member has not turned up, and she is not
answering her mobile phone either. The driver too cannot be reached. A search
group sets out from the head office to look for the staff member. The search team
does not come across any incidents on the first part of the road and decides to turn
back as it is getting dark as there is a curfew in the country due to the fragile nature
of the relationship between two tribal groups in the area. The search group does not
make it back to the city on time and encounters a rebel group. One search member
is taken hostage by the group.
Later it emerges the missing staff member had convinced the driver to take a de-tour
to a remote village to check on a project she has started up where it was rumored a
strange illness has begun killing off children.
Potential Breach(es) of the Code of Conduct

I will not behave in any way which creates unnecessary risk to my security
or the security of others

But also potential breach of Security Policy/procedures in country …and
potentially failure to obey reasonable management instruction
Action:


The staff member should be given a warning, either oral or written, for
not following the security procedures in line with the disciplinary
procedure at Save the Children.
All staff should be given training in personal safety and security and Code
of Conduct training if relevant.
8. Scenario: A senior staff member lets her brother get access to some financial
information from the Supporter Relations and Fundraising department as part of his
research for his dissertation. It is found out when a national newspaper runs an
article with the headline “So this is where our money goes” insinuating Save the
Children is not being truthful about its actual spending figures to the public.
There are a number of high profile donors who, based on the newspaper article,
decide to pull their funding from Save the Children.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct
51

Bringing Save the Children into disrepute (I will maintain high standards of
professional and personal conduct and I will not behave in a way that
undermines my ability to do my job or is likely to bring Save the Children
into disrepute).
Barriers to reporting:

It is a senior member of staff so colleagues might feel afraid of reporting
her
Action:


The staff member should be disciplined, depending on the disciplinary
procedure she should either be dismissed or receive a final written
warning.
Run Code of Conduct training with staff group to ensure all have a
common understanding of what behaviour is acceptable and what is not
acceptable.
9. Scenario: A cleaner overhears a conversation between two finance managers
one late evening. They are discussing how to ensure the money isn’t being traced to
their accounts and how dangerous their ‘business’ has become. The cleaner doesn’t
really understand clearly what they are talking about.
Two weeks later she overhears, by accident, another conversation between the two
finance people where they are openly discussing the sale of grossly indecent pictures
of children that are beneficiaries of Save the Children to a pedophile ring. Again the
cleaner does not report anything and 8 months later, when the crimes are reported
by another staff member, the cleaner steps forward and acts as witness.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct

Breach of Safeguarding Children policy

Fraud (I will not use Save the Children’s assets for my own benefit);

For the cleaner a potential breach is that he/she did not report the
incident. (I will report any matter that breaks the standards contained in
the Code of Conduct).
Barriers to reporting:

Cleaner not knowing the standards and principles of the Code of
Conduct, and their responsibilities outlined in the Code.

Cleaner not understanding the actions that are going on and therefore
does not think he/she has a responsibility

Cleaner afraid of loosing their job

Cleaner does not think anybody will take any allegations he/she makes
seriously
Action:
52



Following the investigation and hearing the two staff members will be
dismissed immediately and reported and handed over to the relevant
bodies (police, social services, registers etc).
The cleaner should technically receive a warning for not reporting the
incident in the first place, but this will need to be a management
judgement as to whether this is the right cause of action given the power
dynamics involved.
Training in the Code of Conduct for all staff to ensure all understand
their responsibilities and learn how to report incidents.
10. Scenario: A female member of staff confides in you when you are out on a field
trip together, that one of her male colleagues has been touching her and speaking to
her in a manner she does not like, she finds it creepy and that he is overstepping the
line. She tells you that she has noticed he does this with other female members of
staff who just seem to be laughing it off. She doesn’t know what to do and asks you,
if you think she is being over sensitive. She begs you not to tell this to anyone;
particularly as this member of staff is in a very senior position and that she is worried
she might loose her job if she speaks out.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Sexual harassment: (I will respect the basic rights of others by acting fairly,
honestly and tactfully, and by treating people with dignity and respect, and
respecting the national law and local culture, traditions, customs and
practices that are in line with UN conventions).
Barriers to reporting:

The female staff member thinks that the behavior of her colleague is
acceptable and that it is her fault

The staff member is afraid of loosing her job if she speaks out
Action:


The senior member of staff needs to be told that his behaviour is in
breach of the Code of Conduct and that he should stop it immediately.
If his behaviour does not improve the disciplinary procedure kicks in, and
he will either get a final warning or ultimately be dismissed.
11. Scenario: You are on a field trip and the local staff members have arranged a
fantastic trip for you to experience the local culture and customs after your visit to
one of our field programmes. The evening begins by having some drinks in a bar in
the small town where you are staying. You are all having a good time and really
enjoying the experience. At some point later in the evening, when all have had plenty
to drink, you notice your host having a quiet word with a young boy, and suddenly a
group of young women appears by your table, wearing skimpy clothes and moving
their bodies in suggestive ways. You become embarrassed but your hosts seem to be
enjoying the situation and engage with the group of young women. There is a lot of
laughter and banter, where your colleagues seem to be discussing which of the girls
53
are the prettiest. You are almost certain one of the girls is part of the project you
visited earlier in the day, but you are not sure. What do you do?
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Sexual exploitation

Safeguarding Children policy
Barriers to reporting:

Cultural barriers and the person not knowing who to contact

Fear of misjudging the situation due to lack of cultural understanding
Action:



The staff member should tell his colleagues that this behaviour is in
breach of the Code of Conduct and that you will report this to their line
managers
He should leave the bar and try and find a way of contacting the Country
Director or other Senior Leadership Team member.
The staff members involved should be disciplined and warned that further
behaviour like that will result in dismissal.
12. Scenario: You visit a senior international member of staff in their home, and
notices that one of the domestic staff is a very young girl, who you see fall a sleep
over the clothes she is washing. You notice a big bruise on her cheek and some lines
on the back of her legs. When you point it out to your colleague, he dismisses it in a
light tone by saying the old kitchen staff thinks the girl is lazy.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Breach of Safeguarding Children policy (I will protect children by carrying
out my special responsibility for children to whom Save the Children has
a duty of care,3 and creating a safe environment for children to prevent
their physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect)
Barriers to reporting:

It is a senior member of staff and the staff member could be afraid of
losing their job if they take any further action.

The staff member who notices this might not be clear if the Code of
Conduct applies to domestic staff working for Save the Children staff.
Action: The matter should be mentioned to the country director or the line
manager of the senior manager. It is not acceptable that a child is being abused in the
household of a Save the Children staff member. The senior manager has a
responsibility for the safety of the child, and this situation leans towards a disciplinary
action where the staff member will either receive a final written warning or be
dismissed if corrective action is not taken towards safeguarding the child.
13. Scenario: An International member of staff is in bar which is notorious for
drugs and wild partying. Your friend’s friend informs you that she was there and
3
The term 'child' is used to refer to anyone under the age of 18.
54
seemed to “be having a good time” and that “she seemed pretty out of it”. You are
not quite sure what that means. A few days later it emerges that a person was knifed
in the bar and that all the people who were at the bar at the time of the knifing will
be taken in for questioning. The papers are making a big fuss of it and you are really
worried Save the Children’s name will be dragged into it. Your international staff
member is well known and has a high profile in the country. She has not told you
about being at the bar or the knifing incident.
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

Code of Conduct (I will not drink alcohol or use any other substances in
a way that adversely affects my ability to do my job or affects the
reputation of the organisation)

Bringing Save the Children into disrepute (I will maintain high standards of
professional and personal conduct and I will not behave in a way that
undermines my ability to do my job or is likely to bring Save the Children
into disrepute).

Code of Conduct (I will maintain high standards of personal and
professional conduct)
Barriers to reporting:

It might only be a rumor, the staff member implicated has not mentioned
anything herself

It is in her personal time she was at the bar, so she should be allowed to
enjoy herself

Save the Children can not infringe the Human Rights of their staff
members
Action:



The staff member should be confronted with the rumour and should be
given the chance to explain the situation.
If she was present at the bar, remind her about the standards set out in
the Code of Conduct and our obligation to maintaining the reputation of
Save the Children. Explain she has got a high profile and her actions could
reflect badly on Save the Children
Inform her that if it is known she is behaving out of line with the Code of
Conduct, she will be disciplined (written warning or dismissal).
14. Scenario: A staff member has begun to show signs of fatigue and losing weight
rapidly. There is whispering going on behind the staff member’s back that he is ill
with HIV. You have heard the rumours too and have noticed a particular group of
staff members beginning to avoid touching and being close to the staff member in
question. The groups’ behaviour is becoming more and more obvious and you notice
your colleague is affected by the treatment. What do you do?
Potential breaches of the Code of Conduct:

The potential breach is “I will respect the right of others, treating
them fairly, honestly with dignity and respect”

Potentially this might not be a breach of the code of conduct.
However, the behavior of the group should be addressed and training
55
on HIV and AIDS Awareness should be done to tackle stigma and
discrimination
Barriers to reporting:

Staff members are embarrassed to talk about HIV and AIDS

Staff members do not know how to handle work place issues relating
to HIV and AIDS.

Fear of how the staff member in question might feel singled out and
discriminated against if the issue was raised.
Action:


Address the behaviour of the group, refer to the Code of Conduct
and what behaviours are acceptable.
Run HIV and AIDS Awareness training if appropriate.
56
7. Explaining the Code of Conduct to our partners
Aim: Save the Children often work through partners and they are bound by the Code
of Conduct too, so we must ensure they abide by the standards and principles set out
in the Code.
Time: 20 min
Methodology: Exercise – role play
Handouts: n/a
Activity Sheets / Resources: Two cards per person with the message “I am
convinced” “I am not convinced” on them.
Slide/s: n/a
Learning points:
 I am responsible for explaining the Code of Conduct to the partners and volunteers
Note for the facilitator
This is meant as a quick, fun exercise where the learners try to verbalise the values
and principles in a manner, where they have to either convince or inform a fellow
colleague who is pretending to be a partner or volunteer involved with Save the
Children of the Code of Conduct.
Have two cards per person in the inner circle with the messages: ”I am convinced”,
“I am not convinced”
Method:



Ask learners to set up their chairs in two circles, so people in the inner circle
will be facing the people in the outer circle.
Explain the learners that the inner circle will
represent a partner/volunteer who is going to
begin work with Save the Children, and that
the outer circle are Save the Children staff,
who has to inform the person they are facing
about the Code of Conduct, and what
obligations the partner has under the Code of
Conduct
Explain that each person in the outer circle
will have 2 minutes to explain the Code of
57







Conduct to the person they are facing in the inner circle, and when the 2
minutes are up, the person in the inner circle has to hold up one of the two
cards indicating whether or not they are convinced that they, as a
partner/volunteer, should adhere to the Code of Conduct
Let the exercise begin. Shout time when the two minutes are up.
Get the people in the outer circle to move one seat to the right
Do the exercise again
Get the people in the inner circle to swap places with the group in the outer
circle
Do exercise again (so the people who were previous in the role of
volunteers/partners get an opportunity to verbalise the standards and
principles of the Code of Conduct)
Repeat exercise as many times as you think necessary
Finish the session by asking group to share learning points from the exercise
and if you have time, you could ask the group to give you the arguments that
were the most convincing and you can put them up on a flipchart so the
group can share some valuable and convincing arguments to use with
partners and volunteers.
58
Activity Sheets / Resources
Cut out both statements and stick onto coloured stiff cardboard
I AM CONVINCED
I AM NOT CONVINCED
59
8. The Code of Conduct in practice– what does it mean to me?
Aim: To discuss current practices and the standards set out in the Code of Conduct and to
look at what it means to us in very practical terms - in and outside work
Time: 60 min
Methodology: Work in small groups and discussion
Handouts: We can Work it Out
Activity Sheets / Resources:
-
Vignette exercise from earlier session
-
Pre-prepared flipchart with the instructions: “Compare your individual ratings, Discuss why
you have chosen particular ratings, Discuss your ratings with reference to the Save the
Children Code of Conduct, Share your discussion points with rest of group”
Pre-prepared flipchart with the discussion questions:
o What are the areas that we all clearly agree on?
o What are the challenges and areas of contention?
o How do we resolve these?
o How do we make sure that everyone hears about the code, that they all have a
chance to discuss it etc? (question might not be relevant
o Are there current practices that we need to revise in the light of the code?
Slide/s: n/a
-
Learning points:
 The standards set out in the Code of Conduct are what we should all be adhering to
 If current practices are not in line with the Code of Conduct, we must take practical steps
to address this
 I am responsible for my own behaviour and I am the only one who can change my
behaviour
Note for the facilitator
This is the key session of the whole workshop, this is where all the different learning
points of the sessions come together and should make the learner understand and
60
accept the values and principles for behaviour set out in the Code of Conduct – and
take appropriate action if behaviours are not in line with the Code of Conduct.
As trainer you are there to facilitate this realisation process, so it is important not to
be afraid if there are silences in the room, learners are probably just reflecting and
internalising the points you are making/the group is making.
The vignette exercise does not have any right or wrong ratings, the idea is for the
exercise to stimulate discussions about our current practices and the standards set
out in the Code of Conduct.
Ensure you feel confident to guide learners in regards to the vignettes, for example,
which vignettes are a clear breach which would involve instant dismissal4? And which
are a bit more complicated and should perhaps have disciplinary implications5? Be
aware of that the context in which the country programme is operating is a
determining factor is deciding whether or not a certain behaviour demands a
discussion with the staff member or if the action requires further escalation of the
disciplinary process (an oral warning, a written warning, final written warning etc.).
For example, perhaps vignette no. 45; it is only possible to get access to diesel via
the black market, hence the senior staff member buying it there.
For the learners to share their ratings and discuss their ratings trust it is very crucial,
also to maintain confidentiality about the discussions, as people are potentially
revealing something very personal about themselves.
If you are not from the country programme where you are running this exercise, it is
advisable to have the Country Director or other senior leadership team member
present to hear what the learners bring up (even if it changes the dynamic of the
group) and perhaps provide guidance to questions where you might not have the
contextual understanding or knowledge.
Ensure you are not pointing fingers at anybody when going through the vignettes and
standards of the Code of Conduct, particularly in a situation where you might have
staff members who have married child brides and later joined Save the Children and
others in similar situations.
Occasionally running this workshop it might uncover problems with sexual
harassment and other behaviours, which might need to be addressed outside of the
workshop.
Method:
 Introduce session - To discuss current practices and the standards set out
in the Code of Conduct and to look at what it means to us in very
practical terms - in and outside work
 Ask learners to find their vignette exercise from the morning.
4
5
No. 4, 6, 8, 31, 42
No. 5, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 21, 24, 29, 32, 38, 40, 43, 44
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 Introduce the exercise that we will now look at the vignettes again from
this morning and share with our colleagues the ratings we each gave the
vignettes.
 State clearly and firmly, that confidentiality was one of the group learning
agreements, so learners should not be afraid to discuss their ratings with
their colleagues.
 Get them to look at their answers again, individually and without talking,
before moving into their designated group. Give them 5 minutes to run
through their individual ratings of the vignettes.
 Divide group into small groups (2-3), ask them complete the exercise, use
the pre-pared flipchart to give instructions on how to complete the
exercise.
 Give the groups 25 min.
 Walk around and check progress with the groups. Give them more time if
you think necessary.
 Reconvene group and get them to share their discussion points with rest
of the group.
 You could ask, if you think relevant, if anyone who had changed their rating
significantly would feel comfortable sharing with the group, what made
them change their rating.
 Highlight the little red booklet “We can Work it Out” which can support
parents in adopting a positive discipline approach to their children, without
having to smack or be abusive.
 Ask the following questions and facilitate the discussions that will arise
from them. Perhaps let the Country Director/senior leadership team
member co-facilitate the discussions with you. The questions are about the
standards set out in the Code of Conduct and whether or not our current
practices are aligned with those – and also to agree on what behaviour we
see as acceptable/non-acceptable given the situation in which we are
operating.
o What are the areas that we all clearly agree on?
o What are the challenges and areas of contention?
o How do we resolve these?
o How do we make sure that everyone hears about the code, that they
all have a chance to discuss it etc? (question might not be relevant
o Are there current practices that we need to revise in the light of the
code?
 Make a note of all the action points that might arise from this discussion
 At the end, summarise the agreed outcomes on the discussion questions
if possible.
 Close session by saying that we have now come to the end of the
workshop.
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9. Event review & evaluations
Aim: to provide an opportunity for learners to highlight their main reflections from the day
(review) and to give constructive feedback on the learning event
Time: 10 – 15 min
Methodology: trainers own method
Handouts: Little laminated overview of the Code of Conduct as certificate of attendance
Activity Sheets / Resources: course evaluation forms, flipchart from session “2. What is a
Code of Conduct?”
Slide/s:
- Learning objectives
Learning points:
 Review main learning points
Note for the facilitator
Remember to revisit the flipchart from the session where we discussed what a code
of conduct could be. Get learners to look at the written statements and share
reflections with rest of group.
If it has been possible to make little laminated overviews of the Code of Conduct,
you could hand them out to participants as a certificate of completing the workshop.
Method:
Trainers should use own methods to review the event, carry out evaluation forms
and close the event.
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Activity-Session – handout: Code of Conduct
Cut out and laminate back to back and use as course certificate for the participants at the end of the
workshop (The certificate should be double sided with text on each side).
Code of conduct
Code of conduct
Working for Save the Children means I will not
Working for Save the Children means I will










Have sex with anyone under the age of 18
Abuse or exploit a child in any way
Exchange money or anything else for sex
Abuse alcohol or other substances
Possess or profit from selling illegal items
Accept bribes or gifts
Do unauthorised business with family and
friends
Use Save the children’s assets for my own
benefit
Threaten my own or other people’s security
Access, create or distribute pornography






Respect the rights of others, treating them
fairly, honestly with dignity and respect
Protect children
Maintain high personal and professional
standards
Keep myself and others safe
Protect Save the Children’s assets and
resources
Report any breaches of the Code of
Conduct
Code of conduct
Code of conduct
Working for Save the Children means I will not
Working for Save the Children means I will










Have sex with anyone under the age of 18
Abuse or exploit a child in any way
Exchange money or anything else for sex
Abuse alcohol or other substances
Possess or profit from selling illegal items
Accept bribes or gifts
Do unauthorised business with family and
friends
Use Save the children’s assets for my own
benefit
Threaten my own or other people’s security
Access, create or distribute pornography






Respect the rights of others, treating them
fairly, honestly with dignity and respect
Protect children
Maintain high personal and professional
standards
Keep myself and others safe
Protect Save the Children’s assets and
resources
Report any breaches of the Code of
Conduct
64