Safeguarding Statement

Our approach

Everyone who works with Global Witness is expected and has a responsibility to maintain high professional standards.

This is supported by all staff receiving information and training on their responsibilities, with recruitment and staff management practices and policies embedding these standards.

We have arrangements in place to ensure that we contribute to a culture of respect, openness about problems, doing no harm and promoting safeguarding as a standard way of working.

We want everyone who works with Global Witness to know how to recognise, respond to and report a concern.

We believe our approach supports respect for the people we work with and positive collaborations which ultimately drives success in our work.

Our commitment

We are committed to:

• Safeguarding as a priority in all our policies, practices and work.
• Having a zero-tolerance approach to harassment, exploitation, abuse, bullying or victimisation of any kind, regardless of age, gender, culture, sexuality, disability, religion or ethnic origin.
• Taking all reasonable steps to ensure all those we serve and those working with, those working for and those representing the organisation are safe and free from exploitation and abuse.
• Promoting safeguarding and creating a culture of respect, transparency and support to empower each other.
• Ensuring there are robust procedures to prevent, protect and if unfortunately, a safeguarding incident does occur, to respond in an appropriate way and hold those responsible to account.
• Adopting a survivor centric approach that respects views, feelings and rights.

Safeguarding officers

Global Witness’s Safeguarding Officers lead on safeguarding arrangements within the organisation.

They are responsible for review of risks, appropriate training, appropriate action in the event of a safeguarding concern being raised and support to anyone who raises such a concern.

Our Board has overall responsibility and has a designated Safeguarding Lead.

Raising a concern

We encourage you to raise any safeguarding issues or concerns about Global Witness’s work regardless of the date when it occurred. This includes any instance you may have witnessed, experienced or instances you have been made aware of.

We also encourage you to raise a matter even if you are not sure it falls under a safeguarding concern. This does not compel people to reveal situations where they are the victim, or to breach another victim’s confidence, unless the safety of a child or vulnerable adult is in question.

You should not take any action that may put yourself or others at risk of harassment or harm.

Concerns should be raised using the dedicated safeguarding email [email protected] which will be directed to Global Witness’ Safeguarding Officers.

If you wish to discuss the progress or outcome of any report you make, please email your contact details to [email protected] for the officers to contact you.

We will ensure that:

• Any concerns will be taken seriously, acted on swiftly and appropriately and in confidence wherever possible.
• If someone is thought to have committed a crime, the police will be contacted. We will ensure we comply with local law if incidents occur outside of the UK.
• We will, where appropriate, make support available in response to the request of anyone who makes a report, as well as others involved.
• You will be treated with dignity and respect.

Contact [email protected] for further information about our Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Policy.

This statement was last reviewed and updated: 1 April 2025