om-buds-man: a safe place to voice concerns

I N D E P E N D E N T

C O N F I D E N T I A L

N E U T R A L

I N F O R M A L

OUR PLEDGE TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS COMMUNITYWe are committed to work with integrity and to employ the highest professional standards while handling your concerns in a neutral, informal and confi dential manner. The Ombudsman Offi ce will not disclose or discuss any confi dential matter without your knowledge and permission, to the extent permitted by law. This includes not revealing:

• The identity of individuals who come to our offi ce.

• The identity of contacts made by the Ombudsman Offi ce in resolving an issue.

• Specifi c details and circumstance of matters handled.

We will preserve confi dentiality except for threats of “imminent risk of serious harm.”

HOW TO CONTACT USYou can reach the Ombudsman Offi ce at (202) 303-5399 or 1-866-667-9331 (toll-free) to schedule an appointment. You can also reach us by fax at (202) 639-9825 or by e-mail at ombudsman@usa.redcross.org. Please remember that given the nature of electronic communications we cannot ensure the absolute confi dentiality of e-mail communications.

Our offi ce is located at 1730 E Street, N.W., Suite 113, Washington, DC 20006.

Learn more about our offi ce at www.RedCross.org/governance.

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PROTECTING OUR RELATIONSHIP The Ombudsman Offi ce was created to be an alternate channel of communication that people can use on a purely voluntary basis. As a member of the American Red Cross community, you acknowl-edge that you will respect and abide by the principles under which we operate: the Ombudsman Offi ce will not disclose individually identifi able information or keep any permanent records of such information; we will not accept notice of claims against the American Red Cross; we will not testify or participate in any formal proceeding; communications with the Ombudsman and staff are confi dential and privileged; and this privilege is held by the Ombudsman Offi ce and cannot be waived by others.

Your agreement to protect our relationship consistent with these tenets fosters confi dentiality and helps provide a safe, informal, independent and neutral place for discussing your concerns.

© 2009 The American National Red Cross. The American Red Cross name and logo are registered trademarks of the American Red Cross.

The Ombudsman Offi ce

WHAT IS AN OMBUDSMAN? The word “ombudsman” (pronounced “ahm-buhds-man”) comes from a Swedish term now used worldwide to designate independent, impartial and confi dential offi ces that receive inquiries and complaints from individuals or designated groups of people and work to achieve fair and equitable solutions.

CONTACT US WHEN . . . ■ You are unclear about Red Cross policies, processes, and procedures and

how they apply to you.

■ You are uncertain where to take a problem involving the Red Cross.

■ You want an independent facilitator to assist you in working through a problem.

■ You feel that you have been unfairly treated, or that a Red Cross policy has been applied unfairly or erroneously, or is itself unfair.

ESSENTIALS

We Are Confi dential

■ The Ombudsman Offi ce is an off-the-record, confi dential resource for any Red Cross employee or volunteer or anyone affected by the programs and mission of the American Red Cross.

■ Talking to us does not put the American Red Cross on legal notice of anything because we are an independent offi ce that is not part of American Red Cross management.

■ What we talk about, even the fact that you have contacted our offi ce, will remain strictly confi dential.

■ The only exception to confi dentiality is “imminent risk of serious harm,” meaning situations in which a person is threatening himself or someone else, or is clearly in physical harm’s way.

■ The American Red Cross affi rms the right of individuals to seek assistance from the Ombudsman Offi ce without fear of retaliation.

We Are Neutral

■ As designated neutrals, we advocate for fair process, consider the rights and interests of all parties and do not take sides.

■ We have no personal stake in the outcome of any situation and do not judge, discipline or reward anyone.

■ We work with people to help them clarify issues and identify and assess for themselves various options that may be available for raising, addressing and resolving a concern.

We Are Informal

■ Use of the Ombudsman Offi ce is not a substitute for formal procedures, such as fi ling an offi cial complaint or requesting an investigation.

■ We have no managerial authority and cannot compel action or compliance.

■ If you wish to place the Red Cross on notice or to request an investigation or any other management action, we can provide you with relevant information about how to do so.

■ We do not participate in any formal complaint or investigation process and do not follow a prescribed or rigid sequence of steps.

We Are Independent

■ To ensure our independence and objectivity, the Ombudsman Offi ce is not aligned with any other Red Cross organizational unit.

■ We report directly to the president and CEO, and make regular trend reports to the Audit and Risk Management Committee of the Board of Governors. We also issue an annual report to Congress.

The American Red Cross is a singular institution that intersects lives in direct and critical ways—collecting and distributing blood, providing emergency and other services to our armed forces and their families, and assisting people to prevent, prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters. Congress and the American people entrust us every day to assist people in their hour of need. The Offi ce of the Corporate Ombudsman, a cornerstone of the deep commitment the Red Cross has to excellence in public service and high ethical standards, provides a confi dential, neutral place for people to voice their concerns with the Red Cross, its programs or policies or its ability to meet its mission. We are charged under the Modernization Act of 2007 to enhance dispute resolution at, and to identify trends and patterns confronting, the Red Cross.

The Red Cross is a large and complex organization, and it can feel overwhelming to fi nd a way to make your voice heard. I encourage you to contact us if you are unsure where or how to start addressing a concern or if you are uncomfortable seeking assistance from other offi ces. We will help you clarify the issues, identify options and think strategically about how you can best raise and most construc-tively resolve the issues of concern to you.

Informal resources like the Ombudsman Offi ce are critical because in any organization people will be reluctant to bring diffi cult issues forward because they are uncertain about how to do so, or because they are concerned about being perceived as “diffi cult” or even about outright retaliation.

I look forward to serving the entire Red Cross community. Whether you are an employee or a volunteer, a partner who helps us to provide services, a blood donor or a blood recipient, or a recipient of any Red Cross service, my offi ce is open to you. We will encourage openness, act as an early warning system and serve as a relief valve for the inevitable tensions and confl icts that arise when people are working diligently under demanding and complex circumstances to serve people in need.

For more information on our offi ce, please visit the Governance section of RedCross.org. I look forward to working with many of you and pledge to work hard to build an offi ce that is worthy of your confi dence, candor and trust.

Sincerely,

Kevin Jessar, J.D., Ph.D.

A MESSAGE FROM THE OMBUDSMAN