Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (SALAM DHR)

Code of Ethics and Conduct

  • Date: 1 August 2024
  • Revision and/or renewal date: 1 August 2026
  • Person responsible for policy: Director

1- Overview and Background

  • 1.1 – Organisational purpose and context of this policy – Founded in 2013, Salam for Democracy & Human Rights (SALAM DHR) is a human rights NGO. Its mission statement can be found on its website. The organisation undertakes research & advocacy in order to bring about socio-political reform and ever-improving adherence by states to international human rights standards & practices.
  • 1.2 – Organisational aspiration – For a decade following its inception, SALAM DHR was a largely grassroots and crowd-funded initiative that relied to some degree on volunteers and interns to advance its mandate. As the organisation becomes increasingly established, it seeks to develop policies in line with its mandate and aspirations, such as this Code of Ethics and Conduct. SALAM DHR supports and seeks to uphold the standards set out in, for example, the April 2019 Code of Conduct of the Conference of International Non-governmental organisations of the Council of Europe. SALAM DHR is likewise a supporter of the The World Association of Non-Governmental Organisations’ (WANGO) own Code of Ethics and Conduct. In the coming months and years, SALAM DHR aspires to develop policies on, amongst other things, data handling and security, sexual harassment, child safeguarding, privacy, non-discrimination and in relation to the environment. The current Financial Guidelines Manual (see below) seeks to address money laundering and corruption.
  • 1.3 – Overall behavioural framework – All employees and anyone engaged to conduct work on behalf of SALAM DHR, including volunteers, advisors, and interns, must conduct themselves in the spirit of the international human rights standards that shape the work of the organisation. They will seek to convey values relating to diversity and inclusion; commitment and responsibility; social and environmental awareness and responsibility, and to treat all people, whether within or outside the organisation, with respect and dignity and endeavour to communicate with everyone in a way that is compatible with such standards so as to advance the organisation’s overarching objectives. They must behave with integrity at all times and wherever they may be.

2 – Code of Ethics and Conduct

  • 2.1 – Diversity and inclusion, including gender – In keeping with the spirit and letter of international human rights standards, every person engaged with SALAM DHR must endeavour to conduct themselves in as inclusive manner as reasonably possible, and seek to promote diversity to the extent it is possible. The organisation and all those engaged with it will seek to promote and implement an intersectional approach to diversity and gender equity. The organisation will arrange, on an ad hoc basis, training in this regard.
  • 2.2 – General behavioural conduct – All employees and anyone engaged to conduct work on behalf of SALAM DHR, including volunteers, advisors, and interns, must not engage in any illegal activity. To do so violates the organisation’s code of conduct. Anyone engaged with SALAM DHR must not harass or bully any other person, whether within or outside the organisation. For the purposes of this policy, this is defined as conduct that could be expected from any reasonable person.
  • 2.3 – Administration of activities generally considered as part of human resources – SALAM DHR’s Director will oversee the administration of matters that could reasonably be understood as being ‘human resources’ and is responsible for the implementation of this policy. All grievances or any other matters of concerns relating to matters that could reasonably form part of a human resources concern will be dealt with by the Director, with a right of appeal to the designated team from organisation’s Advisors, who will form a panel for the purposes of hearing an appeal. In respect to a grievance against the Director, the first assessment will be conducted by the designated team of the Advisors, while another, independent panel will be formed for the purpose of any appeal . Anyone involved in a grievance procedure will have the right to accompaniment and/or representation.
  • 2.4 – Internal practices – Every person engaged with SALAM DHR will be provided with a contract and/or terms of reference for their engagement with the organisation. It will summarise pay, a job description or framework of expectations for the engagement; leave periods, if applicable; line management; benefits, if relevant and, if needed, any onboarding procedures.
  • 2.5 – Conduct as it applies to external parties – The spirit and general expectations set out above shape expected conduct with those who are outside the SALAM DHR organisation. Above all, those engaged with SALAM DHR, including its partners, must treat all those they encounter outside the organisation with courtesy and respect. In the conduct of research and advocacy, confidentiality must be guaranteed; if SALAM DHR wishes to draw upon and publicise the experience of any person, the relevant person must obtain informed consent. All those engaged with SALAM DHR will adhere to intellectual property rights and avoid conflict of interest.
  • 2.6 – Capacity building – The organisation will endeavour, on an ad hoc basis, to share examples of best practice in the area of conduct, say by way of disseminating audio-visual material, and encourage those engaged with SALAM DHR to seek their own knowledge in respect to the application of such standards, along with respect and awareness towards the environment and the principles of sustainability that inspire and inform the conduct that SALAM DHR expects of its members and supporters towards all people and at all times.

3 – Health and Safety

  • 3.1 – Framework – All employees and anyone engaged to conduct work on behalf of SALAM DHR must adhere to reasonable measures in respect to health and safety.
  • 3.2 – Online safety and data handling – In respect to computer and online safety, all those engaged with SALAM DHR must use the highest possible online or cyber security standards including strong passwords and, where possible, two-step verification. Any data collection, no matter where it takes place, must adhere to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), no matter where it is carried out.
  • 3.3 – Workplace safety – All persons engaged on behalf of SALAM DHR must take all reasonable precautions in relation to workplace safety, notably by knowing the location of the first aid kit (or kits) and fire extinguisher or extinguishers.

4. Compliance

  • 4.1 – Framework – All employees and anyone engaged to conduct work on behalf of SALAM DHR will be provided with this Code of Conduct. The line or project manager will arrange within one week of starting the engagement with SALAM DHR to ensure that the employee or contractor has read and understood the terms of this policy. Compliance training will be arranged as and when more than one employee or contractor expressions concern or a misunderstanding of the policy.
  • 4.2 – Evaluation and reporting – The Director and a designated team from the organisation will review, on an annual basis, all matters relating to implementation of this policy. Its findings will be reflected in the organisation’s annual report, redacted for confidentiality but focusing on process and its adherence to the standards set out in this policy.
  • 4.3 – Financial Code of Conduct – See the Financial Guidelines Manual for standards relating to financial practices and conduct.