SCOOP’s Whistleblower Policy

The SCOOP Foundation (SCOOP) is determined to ensure that stakeholders who engage with SCOOP in any way are knowledgeable of their rights and responsibilities in relation to raising a concern, providing feedback and escalating formally any protected disclosures in relation to any programme, event or engagement which they have a concern over Our SCOOP Stakeholders are;

Beneficiaries of our Programme Services
SCOOP Donors both individuals, corporations, sponsors and grant aid providers
SCOOP Crew volunteers, supporters and customers
SCOOP Team employees, contractors providing services and Trustees
SCOOP Suppliers, third party partners and service providers

In line with legislation, all SCOOP Stakeholders who make a protected disclosure of relevant information will have legal protection from being penalised as a result of making that disclosure. In order to benefit from this legal protection, the Stakeholder must show that they had a reasonable belief that a relevant wrongdoing had occurred, or was likely to occur, and that this relevant wrongdoing came to their attention during the course of their engagement with SCOOP.

Relevant Wrongdoings

Certain disclosures afford Stakeholders some protection under law, definitions of relevant wrongdoings for the purposes of this are;

that an offence has been, is being or is likely to be committed;
that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation, other than one arising under the a formal contract of employment or other contract whereby the person undertakes to do or perform personally any work or services for SCOOP;
that a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur;
that the health or safety of any individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered;
that the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged;
that an unlawful or otherwise improper use of funds or resources of a public body, or of other public money, has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur;
that an act or omission by or on behalf of a public body is oppressive; and
discriminatory or grossly negligent or constitutes gross mismanagement, or that information tending to show any matter falling within any of the preceding paragraphs has been, is being or is likely to be concealed or destroyed.

Disclosure Criteria

The disclosure must be where the Stakeholder believes:

that the disclosure relates to a relevant wrongdoing as defined in the section ‘Relevant Wrongdoings’ above.
that the information disclosed, and any allegation contained in it, are substantially true.

If these criteria are fulfilled, the individual is not liable for damages by making a protected disclosure and nor shall they be penalised by SCOOP for having done so.

Procedure for Making a Disclosure

If you wish to raise any issue that amounts to a protected disclosure then you must in the first instance report any concerns you may have by completing the SCOOP Whistleblower Form. Once this form has been submitted, it will be escalated to the Board of Trustees of The SCOOP Foundation who will treat the matter with complete confidence, and your identity will remain protected.

If the problem has not been resolved by SCOOP, you should bring the matter in writing to the attention of the relevant regulatory body;

Only where you reasonably believe that the relevant wrongdoing which the disclosure tends to show relates solely or mainly:

to the conduct of a person other than a person employed by SCOOP , or
to something for which a person other than SCOOP has legal responsibility for

you should raise the matters with a person not affiliated with our Organisation, e.g., the Gardai, a Legal Advisor, Revenue Commissioners, Health and Safety Authority or Social Services Department.

General Notes

We encourage you to use the procedure if you are concerned about any wrongdoing that occurs during your engagement with SCOOP. However, if the procedure has not been invoked in good faith (e.g. for malicious reasons or in pursuit of a personal grudge), then it will make you liable for potential legal action by SCOOP in recovering costs, termination of our engagement with you as a partner, sponsor, supplier, contractor or employee or such sanction as may be appropriate in the circumstances.