SWS Whistleblower Policy and Process

SWS Council (the “Council”) adopted this updated version of the 2018 Whistleblower Policy in April 2025.

Section 1 – Purpose

Sociologists for Women in Society (the “Association”) is committed to integrity as a fundamental guiding principle for all of its operations and affairs. The purpose of this Whistleblower Policy (this “Policy”) is to encourage and enable Council members, officers, employees, and volunteers (each a “Representative” or, collectively “Representatives”) to make “good faith” reports of possible or suspected violations of law or of the Association’s Code of Ethics and/or Bylaws so that the Association (SWS Council or the Executive Office) can address any possible inappropriate or unethical conduct and actions. This Policy applies to all Representatives.

Section 2 – Policy

1. “Reporting” a Concern. Any Representative who reasonably believes that conduct by another Representative is illegal or in clear violation of the Association’s Code of Ethics and/or Bylaws has an obligation to notify the SWS President via email (sws.pres@socwomen.org) concerning the alleged violation as soon as possible. If the concern involves the SWS President, the concern should be shared with the Executive Officer. 
   
   When emailing to share a concern about a Representative, DO NOT include detailed information in the initial email. You’ll be invited to a meeting to discuss the matter in detail. After the meeting, you’ll be asked to submit a Confidential Intake Form. The Confidential Intake Form will ask for the following information: description of the serious concern, including the name(s) of those involved; the date(s) of the occurrence, and any supporting documentation, if any.
   
   Such violations may include, but are not limited to, the following:
   
   a. Dishonest activity in which a Representative causes actual or potential financial loss to the Association or is otherwise detrimental to the non-financial interests of the Association.
   b. Acting contrary to the interests of the Association and/or abuse their position of trust.
   c. Contributes to an unsafe or insecure work environment.
   d. Other serious improper conduct, such as sexual harassment.
   e. Repeated instances of breach of administrative procedures, such as engaging in actions that expose the Association to risk after being warned about concern. 
2. Investigation. The Association will investigate any reported or suspected violation as follows:
   
   a. Once a Confidential Intake Form is submitted, the President or the Executive Officer will begin the process of a preliminary investigation, which includes determining if probable cause exists to substantiate the reported complaint.
   b. The SWS President or the Executive Officer will establish an ad hoc group of SWS Council members (the “Ethics Review Group”) to investigate the reported complaint fully.
   c. The Ethics Review Group will investigate the reported or suspected violation, which may include interviewing the reporting Representative, individuals who allegedly engaged in the reported misconduct, and other applicable individuals.
   i. The Ethics Review Group may determine the situation is of significant risk and requires the hiring of a professional ombudsperson and/or attorneys to investigate the complaint and/or investigations. The Ethics Review Group would then not oversee the investigation. 
   d. If the Ethics Review Group is overseeing the investigation, this ad hoc group will prepare a written report, including findings on the allegation and their investigative process, and recommended actions to SWS Council or the Executive Office to prevent the conduct from continuing or reoccurring, and any recommendations regarding the prevention of any retaliation or interference.
   i. The written report and recommendations should be presented to the  SWS Council, which is the entity responsible for taking appropriate corrective action if necessary. 
   ii. If a Member of Council is involved, they are required to recuse themselves from any and all discussions on the matter.  e. Findings may be communicated to the reporting Representative, but this step is not required and will be dependent on the type of case. 
3. No Retaliation. The Association prohibits retaliation of any kind against any Representative who, in good faith, reports a violation or suspected violation of law or the Association’s Code of Ethics and/or Bylaws. Retaliation refers to intentionally engaging in behavior that seeks to negatively impact the person’s career or life (e.g., harassing the individual on social media or reporting them to their workplace supervisor). 
   
   A Representative who retaliates against someone who has reported an alleged violation in “good faith” is subject to immediate dismissal from a volunteer and/or fiduciary position or termination of employment.
4. Acting in Good Faith. Anyone filing a report concerning a violation or suspected violation of law or the Association’s Code of Ethics and SWS Bylaws must be acting in “good faith,” which means they must have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates such a violation. Any false allegations that prove to have been maliciously made or without regard to the truth will result in dismissal from the Association or termination of employment.

Confidentiality.  Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential  to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation. Disclosure in violation of this Policy could result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from a volunteer and/or fiduciary position or termination of employment. The expectation is that SWS matters are kept confidential even after a Representative is no longer in their role.