It goes without saying that we aim to carry out our business in a safe, honest and ethical way, at all times and for the majority of the time most of us do. There are times though when things do go wrong for example policies are breached colleagues are discriminated against or criminal activity takes place.
This isn’t okay. When you see or suspect some wrong doing we want you to tell us about it.
In the first instance, we want you to feel confident in raising any concerns with your line manager or other managers. But we realise sometimes you may not feel comfortable doing this. Your ‘speak up’ whistleblowing service provided through Safecall is here to help.
Kate Allum
Co-op Interim Chief Executive Officer
When should I “Speak Up”?
At Co-op we take whistleblowing very seriously and are committed to independently investigating any allegations raised. If you do see or suspect any malpractice or wrong-doing we want you to tell us about it. You don’t need to have any proof that these things are happening – if you have a reasonable belief, you should report your concerns.
You should use this independent “Speak Up” service if you see or suspect:
- Bribery, fraud or other criminal offence
- A miscarriage of justice
- A risk to anyone’s health and safety
- Sexual harassment
- A risk or actual damage to the environment
- Modern Slavery
- A breach of any other legal, regulatory or professional obligation
- Someone is covering up wrongdoing
The “Speak Up” service is not for grievances. A grievance is usually a complaint about something that impacts a colleague as an individual, like how they feel they’re being treated at work. Please see the ‘Frequently Asked Questions?’ section below for more information.
How do I “Speak Up”?
You can contact your, free and confidential, “Speak up” service 24/7 by calling Safecall on 0800 915 1571 or online through the ‘Share a Workplace Concern’ option below. Your report won’t be traced and Safecall has trained operators to support you.
As part of your report please think about:
- Providing clear details about where and when the issue occurred. This should include Co-op location (for example, name and address of Food store / depot / office / Funeralcare home etc), dates and any colleagues involved / aware. This will make our investigations a lot easier.
- You have the opportunity to remain anonymous. While doing so may help you feel more comfortable raising a concern, it may also impact our ability to successfully investigate and resolve the matter. You can also remain partially anonymous, whereby Safecall won’t share your name with Co-op. Making yourself available to be contacted may help the investigator to fully understand the issue and take appropriate action.
Frequently Asked Questions
My concern is relating to bullying, harassment or other HR grievance. What should I do?
The “Speak Up” service is not for grievances. It’s important to understand that whistleblowing is different to a grievance. Both are equally important and need to be investigated. A grievance is usually a complaint about something that impacts a colleague as an individual, like how they feel they’re being treated at work.
We have a separate Grievance Process to manage these concerns. The Co-op also has a confidential colleague helpline for bullying and harassment, please call: 0800 640 9088 or [email protected]. If you need emotional or practical support or financial advice you can call the Colleague Support Programme for free on 08088 021 122.
How will my concern be investigated?
Whether you contact Safecall through the online ‘Share a Workplace Concern’ option above, or by phone (0800 915 1571), your report will be managed in confidence. Safecall will pass all the information you give, apart from your name if you wish, to the Internal Audit team who will make sure your concern is looked into thoroughly, confidentially and independently.
If we need more information to help progress our investigation, we’ll post a request on the Safecall website which you can access using the username and password provided during your original report. You can provide further information, or request feedback on your concern, via both the Safecall website and the above telephone number. Please leave 5 working days to allow us to make preliminary enquiries.
Will I find out the outcomes of my report?
It’s important that we keep things confidential, so we may not be able to tell you about any investigations or actions we take in relation to the issue you’ve told us about. But any updates we are able to provide to you, we trust you treat the information we give you as confidential.
Report a new incident
If you’d like to make a report click below:
Review an ongoing case
Login to the Safecall platform to check for an update from The Co-op Group, or, to give feedback about an ongoing investigation:
You can also contact Safecall by phone. Safecall’s phone lines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You will speak directly with one of Safecall’s call handlers. If English is not your first language you can request an interpreter.
All international freephone numbers are available here: www.safecall.co.uk/freephone.