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Code Of Ethics

Whistleblowing Policy

  1. Purpose
    This policy serves to encourage staff to make good-faith reports of suspected fraud, corruption, malpractice, impropriety, statutory non-compliance or any other wrongdoing or health and safety concerns within the organization.The objectives of the policy are:

    1.  To enable all staff to express concerns internally in an effective manner when wrongdoing is discovered or suspected.
    2.  To describe the process for proper investigation and evaluation of the reported wrongdoing.
      This policy is open to all staff of PPIS.
  2. Scope
    This policy is open to all staff of PPIS.
  3. Policy Managed By HROD
  4. Policy Approved By PPIS Board
  1. Introduction
    1.  Every accountable organisation needs to create an environment and a mechanism to enable staff and outside parties, such as suppliers, beneficiaries, contractors and other stakeholders to express their concerns in the strictest confidence to the management in a responsible, orderly and civil manner when wrongdoing is suspected or discovered.
    2.  Staff and external parties may use the procedures set out in this Policy to report any concerns or complaints regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters, internal controls, disclosure matters, conflict of interest, collusion with competitors, serious breaches of policies, unsafe work practices or any other matters involving fraud, corruption and employee misconduct.
  2. Definition of Whistleblowing
    1.  Whistleblowing is the confidential disclosure of information to the management during the course of an employee’s time at the workplace or other parties’ involvement in the organisation.
    2.  In expanded form, it is about providing vital and critical information to the management so that investigation can commence and action be taken against anyone involved in wrongdoing. Even if the possible complainant suspect something is wrong but do not have any concrete evidence, the complainant is encouraged to bring it up, in good faith, to the management via this whistleblowing policy.
    3.  The difference between whistleblowing and making a complaint is a whistleblower expresses concern in the interest of others or the organisation. The whistleblower may not be the direct party affected, which means she has no personal interest in consequence of the investigation. This policy permits the staff to avoid the limelight and to keep his or her identity unknown. In comparison, a complaint is normally about an issue that concerns the staff directly; having a vested interest in the issue and the outcome of this complaint. In this case, the complainant’s identity is subject to potential disclosure.
  3. Categories of Wrongdoing
    1.  The following are examples of wrongdoings that should be reported.
      1.  Immoral, illegal, corrupt or unethical conduct
      2.  Misappropriation of funds and classified documents
      3.  Corruption and bribery
      4.  Conflict of Interest
      5.  Racial, sexual or any forms of harassment and discrimination
      6.  Wilful intent to cause irreparable damage or bring disrepute to the
        organisation
      7.  Engaging in conspiracy with others to undermine the name and honour of the
        organisation
  4. Applicable Parties
    1.  This policy is applicable to the following parties.
    2.  All employees
    3.  Strategic partners
    4.  Contractors and sub-contractors 4.1.4. Vendors
    5.  Volunteers / Board members
  5. Safeguards
    1.  PPIS shall not tolerate discrimination, retaliation, threats or harassment of any kind against a whistleblower who submits a complaint or report in good faith.
    2.  If a whistleblower believes that he or she is being subjected to discrimination, retaliation, threats or harassment for having made a report under this Policy, he or she should immediately report those acts to the CEO; or another member from the Senior Management team whichever is appropriate.
    3.  PPIS HR shall ensure that all staff are protected from victimisation, harassment or disciplinary action as a result of any disclosure, provided the disclosure is made in good faith and it is not malicious or retaliatory in nature.
  6. Disclosure of Whistleblower
    1.  All disclosures will be promptly and properly investigated with the parties involved.
    2.  Protection of anonymity is guaranteed internally provided the whistleblower does not share this information with a third party about the alleged misdemeanor.
    3.  Disclosure of the identity of the whistleblower will be surrendered to the relevant authority if this investigation leads to legal or criminal proceedings.
  7. Reporting of Suspected Wrongdoing
    1.  The whistleblowing cases should be reported to HR Manager/Director or CEO via email or telephone.
    2.  If the concern is about the CEO, staff should forward the concern to the Board.
    3.  If the concern is about any of the Board members, staff may forward it to the HR Manager/Director via email for his guidance.
    4.  Reporting by external parties can be done via email to whistleblowing@ppis.sg which will be put up on the website. For such matters, the appointed investigating officer may contact the complainant to ascertain the allegations.
  8. Information Required
    1.  Ideally, supporting evidence for the allegations must be provided as this would assist in the investigation.
    2.  In the absence of such evidence, the whistleblower must provide as much details as possible to support this allegation or expose this allegation and gather evidence.
  9. Intervention
    1.  PPIS will handle the concern prudently, expeditiously and confidentially. Management shall assess and decide the initial action to be taken as a stopgap measure while investigation is ongoing.
    2.  We will inform the whistleblower of the person that would be addressing the matter and update the whistleblower on the outcome of the case.
    3.  When the case is proven to be true, subsequent disciplinary process will be initiated.