Whistleblowing - IXAfrica Data Centre
Our Commitment
IX Africa Data Center is an organization with strong values of responsibility and integrity. It is committed to an environment where open, honest communications are the expectation, not the exception. We, therefore, want you to feel comfortable in reporting malpractices or instances where you believe there have been violations of IXADC policies or standards.
You have the option to make a Report related to the following areas:
- Breaches of law or regulations.
- Breaches of the Company’s policies.
- Acts of fraud, for personal, another’s, or the Company’s gain.
- Criminal offences.
- Failure to comply with legal / financial obligations.
- Miscarriages of justice.
- Dangers to the health and safety of individuals.
- Damage to the environment.
- Bribery and corruption.
- Infringement of intellectual property rights.
- Conflicts of interest.
- Discrimination
- Sexual or psychological harassment.
- The professional integrity of the Company’s Directors and Employees or counterparties.
- The life and health or wellbeing of individuals.
- Irregularities in accounting, internal accounting control or auditing.
- Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information (including the mishandling or inadvertent disclosure of the Company or customer confidential information).
- Systems problems (serious weaknesses or flaws in the Company’s operations or systems);
- Third party misconduct (material misconduct by vendors, clients or other entities doing business with the Company);
- Money laundering, terrorist financing or sanctions breaches (activities suggesting money laundering or similar suspicious activities, or unauthorized activity involving sanctioned countries, entities or individuals); and
- Attempts to conceal any of the concerns listed above.
After you complete your report, you will be assigned a unique code called a “report key.”
Write down your report key and password and keep them in a safe place.
After 5-6 business days, use your report key and password to check your report for feedback or questions. Phone reporting is currently unavailable.
1. It is my understanding that any report I send from a company computer generates a server log that shows every web-site that my PC connects with, and won’t this log identify me as a report originator?
IXADC does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC. If you feel uncomfortable making a report on your work PC, you have the option of using a PC outside our work environment (such as one located at an Internet café, at a friend’s house, etc.) through the website.
2.Can I file a report from home and still remain anonymous?
A report from home, a neighbour’s computer, or any Internet portal will remain secure and anonymous. An Internet portal never identifies a visitor by screen name.
3.I am concerned that the information I provide IXADC will ultimately reveal my identity. How can you assure me that will not happen?
The IXADC system is designed to protect your anonymity. However, if you wish to remain anonymous, you -as a reporting party -need to ensure that the body of the report does not reveal your identity by accident.
4.What if I want to be identified with my report?
There is a section in the report for identifying yourself if you wish.
- I am aware of some individuals involved with unethical conduct, but it doesn’t affect me. Why should I bother reporting it?
Our company chooses to promote ethical behaviour. All unethical conduct, at any level, ultimately hurts the company. You only have to consider what happened in recent corporate scandals to see the disastrous effects that a seemingly harmless lapse in ethics can have on an otherwise healthy company. So, if you know of any incidents of misconduct or ethical violations, consider it your duty to report it. - I am not sure if what I have observed or heard is a violation of company policy, or involves unethical conduct, but it just does not look right to me. What should I do?
File a report. We’d rather you report a situation that turns out to be harmless than let possible unethical behavior go unchecked because you weren’t sure. - What if my boss or other managers are involved in a violation? Won’t they get the report and start a cover-up?
The IXADC system and report distribution are designed so that implicated parties are not notified or granted access to reports in which they have been named. - What if I remember something important about the incident after I file the report? Or what if the company has further questions for me concerning my report?
Every report is handled independently, The best approach is to report additional information afresh with initial facts included. - Are these follow-ups on reports as secure as the first one?
All correspondences are held in the same strict confidence as the initial report, continuing under the umbrella of anonymity. - Can I still file a report if I don’t have access to the Internet?
You can file a report from any computer that can access the Internet. You can file from home. Many public locations, including the public library, have Internet computers.