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Cooperation Policies and Strategies

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POLICY MANUAL & CODE OF CONDUCT

Article 1: Executive and Strategic Decisions

Founder and Executive Director of the Actions for Integrated Nutrition, Health and Home Economics Organization (AINHE-O) Dr. Mohibullah Wahdati holds the authority to take executive and strategic decisions to align and direct the organization’s operations towards its vision and mission. Dr. Wahdati provides key oversight and inputs to the organization’s technical and administrative activities and is the primary contact for all decisions related to technical operations, human resources, financial management, partnerships and programs.

Article 2: Team Structure and Management

General Team:

Team members who work for the organization on an open-end contract not restricted to the timeline of a specific program constitute the general team. General team consists of the technical, administrative, finance and support staff that provide needed support to all the programs implemented by the organization.

Project Team:

Team members who work for the organization on a specific project at the central or provincial levels constitute the project team. Project teams work closely with the general team to ensure that the project’s goals and activities are delivered with good quality within the agreed timeline.

 

AINHE-O will brief all team members about their specific roles and responsibilities during the onboarding stage and conduct regular individual and group briefing sessions on need-based circumstances. AINHE-O will also conduct thorough performance evaluations of all team members on a regular basis. Findings of these evaluations will be used to guide the human resource and finance team to suggest staff members’ promotions or demotions, incentives or penalties, retention or dismissal to the executive director.

Article 3: Code of Conduct

AINHE-O expects all team members to strictly abide by its code of conduct showing highest level of professional ethics and behavior during its day to day operations. All employees should work towards establishing and maintaining a respectful, friendly and productive work environment where appreciation, learning and coexistence can thrive.

Our Code of Conduct consists of the following major components:
  1. Compliance with Law: All employees must abide the law and abstain from practices that fall outside the legal premises. Compliance with the law should be shown at all times when dealing with matters related to the organization’s finances, products, partnerships and representation. Any events or incidents where the employee jeopardize the organization’s legal status or standing will be strictly and quickly dealt with.
  1. Respect in the Workplace: Employees should show respect towards all colleagues regardless of their rank, race, gender or qualifications.
  1. Confidentiality of Information: Employees should abstain from sharing confidential information both within or outside the organization. As part of the work, employees will receive or handle personal or private information about the organization, its employees, clients and partners, it’s a responsibility of each employee to ensure that this information is well-protected. Common examples of confidential information are;
  • Data of clients, partners or vendors;
  • Unpublished financial information;
  • Technical or financial proposals, concepts or reports not intended for people outside the organization;
  • Documents and processes explicitly marked as confidential

When uncertain about the confidentiality of a specific information, document or process, kindly consult with the relevant member of the team. In case of incompliance with the organization’s confidentiality policy, strict disciplinary or legal action will be taken. This policy is binding even after the employee’s end of employment tenure or association with the organization.

  1. Conflict of Interest: Employees should avoid engaging in any personal or professional activity that can cause a conflict of interest with the organization’s operations. In events where the employee is not certain whether his/her involvement in a certain activity or process can cause a conflict of interest with the organization’s operations, he/she should consult with the relevant person at the organization in advance. 
  1. Protection of Organization’s Property: Employees should treat organization’s property, whether tangible or intangible, with care and attention. Tangible property includes the organization’s building, equipment (computers, printers, camera, cars, furniture etc.). Intangible property includes trademarks, legal documents, official emails, reports or other information.
  1. Appearance and Representation: Employees should ensure professional appearance during work hours and while representing the organization at professional events or occasions. 
  1. Environmental Policy: The organization aims to leave minimum environmental footprint. To achieve this goal, we will be striving to operationalize environment friendly strategies in our day to day activities, which will mean a reduction in printing and generation of plastic waste, and replacing fuel generated energy with solar energy.

The organization will take disciplinary action against employees who repeatedly or intentionally fail to follow the code of conduct.

Article 4: Human Resource Policy

The organization aims to set and implement a human resource policy where all employees get equal opportunities to grow and produce quality work and leverage the benefits of team work, independence and leadership. Important factors for consideration by our employees are given below;

  1. Probation Period: All employees are subjected to a 3-month probation period where both the organization and the employee assess the suitability, competency and delivery of assigned tasks and responsibilities. The organization will provide needed support to the employee during his/her probation period to understand and deliver the assigned tasks and responsibilities with highest standards. In case of failure to abide to the working standards of the organization, a decision will be taken regarding the employee’s role and future work engagement at the organization. 
  1. Working Hours: Official work hours at the organization are from 08:30 am – 4:30 pm from Saturday to Wednesday and from 08:30 am – 01:00 pm on Thursdays. The organization will strive to ensure that all official activities are conducted during these hours, but on exceptional and need bases, the employee can be asked to work outside these hours for any urgent tasks or deliverables assigned to the employee. On instances where the employee cannot report to work on time due to a specific reason, the organization will accommodate it without any disciplinary action unless repeated late reporting for work by the employee. The employee should always ensure to inform his/her direct supervisor when he/she expects to be late for work, unless the communication is not possible. The organization will not compensate any additional hours of work contributed outside the official hours. 
  1. Leave Policy: All employees are entitled to an annual leave of 20 days that equals to a monthly leave of 1.7 days. The employee should plan his annual leave in mutual agreement with his/her supervisor and ensure that the work streams are not affected during his/her absence. An employee wishing to take annual leave must fill in the leave form signed by the employee and the HR. The organization will not compensate for unused annual leave by the employee. In case of sickness or an emergency, the employee should notify his/her supervisor as soon as possible. The organization, at its discretion, may request evidence such as a medical record to show that the employee was entitled to take personal leave during that period.
  1. Promotion, Increment and Bonuses: Based on the employee’s satisfactory performance and positive contribution to the organization’s work portfolio, the organization will consider him/her for promotion of role, salary increment or additional bonuses, these will be dependent on availability of funds. 
  1. Travel Policy: Employees can be asked to travel for work purposes to cities or provinces outside the employee’s work station. Travel must be authorized by the employee’s line supervisor. Reasonable travelling expenses, where incurred in the performance of an employee’s duties, will be reimbursed, provided that all claims are made on the appropriate form, signed by his/her line supervisor and supported with the necessary substantiating documents. In cases where the employee has to stay overnight or multiple nights at a field site that is outside the vicinity of the employee’s work station, the organization will provide prorated accommodation (per diem) costs to the employee for the number of days of stay.
  1. Whistleblowing: A whistleblower is an employee who reports an activity that he/she considers to be illegal or dishonest to the organization, its employees or partners. The organization through its assigned team will conduct a rigorous investigation into the event or incident reported by the whistleblower. Examples of illegal or dishonest activities include violation of laws, billing for services not performed or goods not delivered, or any other fraudulent activity. Whistleblower will be provided protection in terms of keeping his/her name confidential and safeguarding him/her from any retaliation. All employees must exercise sound judgement to avoid baseless allegations, in case of false allegations, the whistleblower will be subject to disciplinary action including termination.

Article 5: Child Protection Policy

Introduction

Some of the projects have so far required activities with children and in the future, this trend is expected to continue. The term “activities” can be construed as questionnaires with children, focus groups, consultations on training and documents, piloting a training course or other activity, workshops, school visits, participation in meetings/conferences, etc. Against this backdrop, this Child Protection Policy has been prepared:

  1. to give children/young people and parents useful information about how AINHE-O handles activities in which they are involved, how it guides its employees in their daily work,
  2. to show how AINHE-O makes itself accountable in such activities,
  3. to lay a reference in guiding to the staff, including volunteers, on how to deal with activities that foresee activities with children, and thus protect them.

What is Child Abuse?

Child abuse is considered to be any form of physical, emotional or sexual abuse and includes exploitation of children, commercial or otherwise. Abandonment and neglect of a child which results in actual or potential damage to a child can also be considered abuse. Abuse may be deliberate, or a result of a lack of preventative action and protection. Below are several definitions that will clarify what constitutes abuse.

Negligence is carelessness or neglect by a responsible adult, individual or guardian. Neglect may involve an absence or lack of care negatively affecting a child`s education, emotional development, nutrition, housing and access to safe living conditions. A lack of adequate supervision and protection from any kind of harm is also considered neglect.

Physical abuse occurs when physical harm, real or potential occurs against a child while under the care of parents, responsible individuals or institutions.

Sexual abuse is any sexual activity between a child and a person at a more advanced stage of psychosexual development. This also includes forcing or prompting a child to participate in sexual activities without physical contact (not necessarily including penetration). Sexual abuse also consists of depicting children in pornographic material, whether children have been used in the production of pornographic material or material has been altered for inappropriate sexual behavior.

Emotional abuse is an emotional treatment that negatively affects children in relation to their perception of themselves and in their development. Abusive emotional behaviors include disregard, ridicule, threats, discrimination, bribery, degradation and any other hostile treatment towards a child.

Child Protection Policy

AINHE-O strongly condemns all forms of child abuse and exploitation of children both within and outside of the organization. In order to protect children in all our activities and those within consortia we are involved in, and to guarantee their respect and physical and emotional protection, the Child Protection Policy sets out rules and procedures for programs involving children.

AINHE-O’s Child Protection Policy (CPP) affirms the organization’s commitment to the prevention of threats and violations against children’s rights through the development and adoption of specific measures to ensure children’s rights.

The Child Protection Policy must be followed by all employees and staff regardless of whether they are working on a full-time, part-time or temporary basis. This includes staff, consultants, researchers, volunteers, interns, directors, counsellors and management. The Child Protection Policy also applies to projects and programs of partner and visiting organizations, their supporters, donors, partner organizations, associated media and other involved parties. The procedures outlined here should be followed at all times. 

Measures / Rules on How to Behave When Working with Children

The aim of the measures presented here is to prevent the occurrence of these risks and to guarantee the safety of all those children participating in AINHE-O’s projects. 

Management

Ensuring the implementation of the Child Protection Policy, AINHE-O is committed to:

  1. Providing employees with the resources and training to effectively use the Child Protection Policy. This is in order that all employees can, besides understanding the Child Protection Policy, its importance, and in which contexts it is to be used, also understand which actors make up this protection network in a given location and what their specific roles are in relation to it. The staff training must also stress the conception of children and adolescents as rights-bearing subjects, whose voices, desires and wishes must be respected.
  1. Preserving the image of children participating in programs, projects and research, including ensuring that employees and partner organizations know how to not violate children`s rights in relation to images, with special attention paid to not displaying children`s images without the consent of those responsible.
  2. Guiding visitors, journalists, partners, funders and other program and project stakeholders involved with AINHE-O’s work on not publishing photographs or videos of children or adolescents in any medium of communication or organizational material without prior authorization to do so from AINHE-O.
  3. Ensuring confidentiality on the child and family’s personal information.
  4. Adapting activities (whether they are physical or conceptual) to ensure the inclusion of children with disabilities to guarantee the rights of all children and enable unrestricted access to education, culture and sport and leisure independent of any physical limitations, including motor, sensory or cognitive challenges.
  5. Including in work plans a focus on activities for children that seek to increase child participation and spaces where their opinions are listened to, and their agency promoted.

Article 6: Office Security Policy

This policy applies to all employees, consultants, temporary employees, subcontractors and their employees working within AINHE-O’s office and projects.

6.1 The policy describes employee roles and the contribution that they make to ensuring the safe protection of AINHE-O’s assets and information

Purpose and Objectives

6.2 The purpose of this policy is to:

  1. provide a detailed description of the Office Security Policy implemented at AINHE-O; and ii. make all employees aware of how they can contribute towards ensuring that the office is a safe place.

6.3 The objectives of this policy are to:

  1. creates an open, safe and welcoming workplace;
  2. ensure the personal safety and wellbeing of all individuals;

iii. protect premises and physical assets to include personal property and vehicles;

  1. ensure that all confidential, restricted or sensitive data and all personal data held on AINHE-O premises is stored securely; and to
  2. promotes the reduction of incidents and the minimization of risk.

Considerations

  • AINHE-O ensures the safety and security of employees and visitors by implementing a variety of security measures.
  • The security of AINHE-O’s computing resources and information begins with physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access and theft.
  • AINHE-O’s head office in Kabul is a secure building using internal and external measures such as security cameras and physical security guards 24/7 at the premises.

Entry Outside Normal Office Hours

  • Access is only to be made by Company Directors and authorized key holders.
  • All authorized key holders must have had training in unlocking/locking the external and internal doors and monitoring the security cameras system.
  • Those accessing the building must advise another director or authorized key holder that they intend to access the building out of hours.

Staff Entry During Normal Office Hours (08.30 to 4:30 hours)

  1. Employees are expected to ensure office doors are locked, every time they enter and leave the building.
  1. Employees are advised to lock car doors and windows when entering or departing for their safety.

Visitor Access

  1. All visitors to the organization may gain entry to the office via an intercom system next to the door at the front of the building.
  2. No one should allow anyone who they are unfamiliar with access through any security locked doors without first checking their identity or purpose.
  3. Authorized visitors will be permitted entry via an intercom system and the door will be physically opened by a member of security staff.
  4. Visitors must not be allowed to let anyone else into the building.

Exiting the Building – End of the Working Day

  • On leaving the office all staff must ensure that all filing cabinets that hold sensitive information/material and all desk pedestals are locked and keys placed in the key safe.
  • The last member of staff to leave the premises each evening is to ensure that:
  • the key safe is locked;
  • they inform a key holder that they are leaving the building; and
  • they do not leave the building until authorized to do so by the authorized person.

The last authorized key holder to leave the premises should ensure (whilst remaining in the building) that:

  • all other members of staff and any authorized visitors have justifythe building;
  • the front door is locked from the inside;
  • the key safe is locked;
  • all internal security doors are locked; and
  • the security camera systems is primed and functioning normal.

Security of Equipment & Possessions

  • No equipment such as laptops should be justifyunattended.
  • Staff are provided with a key lockable drawer or cabinet in which to keep valuables.
  • Personal possessions are the responsibility of the individual and if a staff member or visitor brings an item of value into the office, they must ensure that it is appropriately stored in a safe place.
  • AINHE-O is not responsible for personal possessions that go missing unless there is proof of forcible entry.
  • Any thefts or losses must be reported immediately to the Director and to the Police if appropriate.

Physical Data Security

  • All hard copy data must be stored in a safe place.
  • Where practically possible, paper and computer media should be stored in suitable locked safes, cabinets or other forms of security furniture when not in use, especially outside working hours.
  • Where lockable safes, filing cabinets, drawers, cupboards etc. are not available, office / room doors must be locked if left unattended.
  • The reception area can be particularly vulnerable to visitors. This area should be kept clear at all times and no personally identifiable information should be left on desks within reach or sight of visitors.
  • Keys used for access to confidential, restricted or sensitive information must not be left in or on an unattended desk. Keys for desk drawers, cabinets and other secure areas must be stored in the dedicated key safe.
  • Hard copy documents containing any personal data, or confidential, restricted or sensitive information should only be stored if necessary. e.g. original legal papers which must be served. Original paper copies should be securely stored in confidential shredding bags for destruction, in the locked room.
  • Upon disposal, any document containing any personal data or confidential, restricted or sensitive information should be placed in the confidential shredding bags which are stored in the locked room. Confidential waste must not be left on desks, in filing trays or placed in regular waste bins.
  • AINHE-O’s network servers and other IT equipment are securely stored in a locked bespoke server cabinet within the locked room.
  • All staff must immediately report any deficiency, incident or area for improvement.

Article 7: Gender Policy

We are committed to providing a secure and enabling work environment to our employees, a place of work that is gender sensitive and recognizes the role of men and women as equal players, agents and leaders of change in their families, communities and society.

The objectives of this gender policy are:

  1. To promote the cause of the right to gender equality and right to dignified livelihood.
  2. To foster a social, physical and psychological environment that will enable employees to work productively.
  3. To strive for gender justice at organizational level programmatic level.

AINHE-O defines gender policy guidelines at both: organizational level and programmatic level. 

  1. Organizational level
  2. Staff Policies: All staff policies, rules and regulations shall be gender sensitive and will be reviewed periodically.
  3. Recruitment: AINHE-O seeks gender balance in staffing. Women candidates will be encouraged to apply for all vacancies including management and leadership positions both at the field and head office.
  4. Performance reviews: Gender sensitivity will be one of the performance indicators for assessing employees.
  5. Capacity building for gender sensitization: We will organize workshops, training programs and discussions for promoting and enabling a gender sensitive work culture.
  6. Harassment: AINHE-O has a zero tolerance policy on gender harassments.
  7. Programmatic level
  8. Building skills and capacities on gender perspectives to enable greater participation of all sections of community in our programs will be one of our objectives in all programs.
  9. All programs will promote equal participation of all stakeholders.

Applicability

This policy applies to all regular and contractual staff of AINHE-O. In case of a complaint as a result of an act by a third party, management will take the necessary preventive and reasonable action to support and assist the affected party.

APPROVED BY:

 Dr. Mohibullah Wahdati

Executive Director (AINHE-O)