Ombuds Office as Safe Place to Raise Issues

An ombuds office is designed to be independent, confidential, informal and impartial. It is an alternate communication channel for an organization by providing a safe space to bring issues forward. A recent article by International Ombudsman Association (IOA) Executive Director, Charles (Chuck) Howard in Bloomberg News highlights this aspect while considering all the whistleblower considerations in the news.  After outlining some of the risks for a whistleblower, Chuck asks and answers: “How can we provide a safe place for people to discuss their concerns without having to become a whistleblower? There is a mechanism that can help—an organizational ombudsman (ombuds) program.”  Check out the article – Avoid being a Whistleblower with Safe Place Ombudsman Programs.