Sabona Code of Conduct

General

The Sabona Board is responsible for developing and maintaining systems that eliminate exploitation and discrimination of our partners in Zimbabwe, including Sabona Trust and its beneficiaries. The Board's mission is to be a neutral party to Sabona and Sabona Trust.

Sabona is founded on open and democratic processes. We work to eliminate long-term poverty and promote equality through positive development assistance based on the principle of “help to self-help.” Sabona is an independent organization with no political or religious affiliation.

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to ensure that Employees and Associates work in an ethically responsible and legally compliant manner. They shall comply with Sabona’s Code of Conduct at all times and embrace Sabona’s core values.

Core Values

· We believe that it is our humanitarian duty to help people in need.

· We are HUMBLE – we respect others and want to learn, which enables us to establish trusting bonds between different nations, cultures and people.

· We are TRANSPARENT - we are open and honest in our decision-making and communication.

· We are ADAPTABLE – we find solutions to unexpected problems and are never afraid to try. We accept failure as both a great teacher and an inherent part of human nature. We support  each other and never chastise anyone for having made a mistake.  

· We acknowledge Sabona’s core principle of living in the same manner (room & board) as our local hosts and will not make any claim for compensation for ourselves or our relatives.

· We have zero tolerance for corruption.

· We have zero tolerance for discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation.  

Ethical Guidelines

Income-generating work and fundraising:

• Sabona’s fundraising complies with the Norwegian Collection Control’s ethical guidelines.

• Sabona strives to ensure that at least 80% of generated funds are channelled directly to our grassroots projects in Zimbabwe. Sabona’s good reputation along with its organizational systems and culture contribute to meeting this goal.

• Sabona does not accept donations from organizations that violate our core principles e.g. promoting guns, tobacco, xenophobia or exploiting human trafficking (modern slavery).

• Sabona shall communicate important and correct information on Zimbabwe to Norway.

Sabona Employees and Associates:

The Board has the overall responsibility to ensure that Employees and Associates comply with the core values and have clear guidelines on how they should perform in the field.

• Employees and Associates must respect and understand Zimbabwe’s political situation, culture and religion.

• Employees and Associates in the field must be familiar with and respect the local culture, values, norms and rules. Violation of human rights should be reported to the Field Manager. Employees and Associates are aware of that there are topics and areas that need to be discussed with Sabona Management before reporting to a higher authority.

• Sabona has no tolerance for the use of alcohol or drugs when on duty for the organization. Sabona is a drug-free workplace. No intoxicating substances shall be taken when driving a car or when operating machinery on behalf of Sabona.

• Employees and Associates on field trips must understand Sabona’s core principles and should not distance themselves from the locals. They should endeavour to blend with the community and create a rapport by, for example, staying in local accommodation.

• Employees and Associates in the host country shall under no circumstances make use of purchased sexual services. This applies to the exchange of services or receipt of gifts in the form of sexual favours. The country's current penal policy will apply.

• Employees and Associates shall under no circumstances misuse funds through exchange services that serve or strengthen their own position or assist their own private actions or activities.

• Employees and Associates on field trips shall respect the host country’s traditional system and the interaction and cooperation between the Chief, Kraals and villages. Sabona’s Employees and Associates shall not act contrary to the traditional system, which is based on respect. Employees and Associates shall have an understanding of the way of communicating, built over centuries, and respect the relation to the local community. There are clear lines between this and how to avoid corruption, human rights violations and discrimination.

• Sabona Employees and Associates shall not act, comment or render a statement in a manner that can damage the locals as an individual or aggregate group, either while living abroad or in Norway. All contact with the press / media or statements in the media shall run through the press officer if no other contact person or details are specified.

• It is not acceptable to use social media privately for updates from the field without the consent of the organization. This applies to both statements and images that may harm the political situation in the country, the organization's work or frame individuals.

Sabona expects all Sabona Employees and Associates to treat colleagues, clients, partners and business associates with respect.