Ethics involves an individual’s moral judgments about what they perceive is right and what is wrong.
At West Coast College, Management has committed to initiate a pro-active and precautionary approach in an attempt to counteract unethical conduct and practices within the working environment.
A Reporting Facility has been institutionalised with the aim of improving a truthful work ethic. Thus providing students, employees and stakeholders with a voice to report any suspected unethical conduct or practices within the College.
Safe Reporting is defined as raising a concern about wrongdoing within an organisation. The Protected Disclosures Act, No 26 of 2000 (PDA) was enacted to protect those that file such a report and to help combat unethical practises as well as corruption.
“No employee may be subjected to any occupational detriment by his or her employer on account, or partly on account, of having made a protected disclosure.”
Students, employees and stakeholders are able to report unethical practices to an email platform which will be treated with the strictest confidentially and anonymity.
Speak-up Hotline: wccethics@gmail.com 087 287 9003
The values of West Coast College
Stakeholders of West Coast TVET College undertake to recognize and respect the dignity of every person and the human rights of all involved. We will deal fairly and professionally with all stakeholders, irrespective of race, gender, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, political persuasion, conscience, belief, culture or language.
Stakeholders of West Coast TVET College are committed to openness, clear communication and accountability in our day to day operations.
West Coast TVET College stakeholders will act with integrity by being trustworthy and truthful in our everyday conduct and decision making
We undertake to be creative and responsive to our changing environment in order to satisfy the needs and expectations of our stakeholders.
With a strong focus on education, we want to pursue all tasks with excellence in mind and enhance continuous improvement by being quality-driven in order to achieve individual and West Coast TVET College goals.
Stakeholders of West Coast TVET College will exercise emotional and social intelligence and acknowledge our responsibility to manage the welfare and sustainability between ourselves, society and the environment.
FAQ:
- Favouritism – the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.
- Nepotism – the practice among those with power or influence of favouring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.
- Bullying – unwanted, aggressive behaviour that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
- Forms of Harassment:
- Psychological harassment – This is humiliating, intimidating or abusive behaviour which is often difficult to detect, leaving no evidence other than victim reports or complaints. Verbal comments.
- Racial harassment- The targeting of an individual because of their race or ethnicity.
- Religious harassment – Verbal, psychological or physical harassment is used against targets because they choose to practice a specific religion.
- Sexual harassment- It involves unwanted and unwelcome words, deeds, actions, gestures, symbols, or behaviours of a sexual nature that make the target feel uncomfortable.
- Workplace harassment – the offensive, belittling or threatening behaviour directed at an individual worker or a group of workers.
- Victimization: the action of singling someone out for cruel or unjust treatment e.g. silent treatment. A way of punishing someone.
- Intimidation: A threat made by a senior person to a less senior person in order to prevent or force them to do or to prevent them from doing something
It is a violation of the code to make false allegations, lie to investigators or interfere or refuse to cooperate with an investigation.
The College will protect any stakeholder who raises a concern honestly.
When you make a report to the Ethics Office or through Ethics-Hot-Line, you may choose to remain anonymous, although you are encouraged to identify yourself to facilitate communication.
If you make your identity known, the Ethics Office and appointed investigators will take every reasonable precaution to keep your identity confidential, consistent with conducting a thorough and fair investigation.
To help maintain confidentiality, avoid discussing these issues, or any investigation, with other stakeholders.
Because we strive to maintain strict confidentiality in all investigations, we may not be able to inform you of the outcome of an investigation.
• The Campus Manager
• Any Ethics Ambassador
• The Ethics Helpdesk
• The Ethics Officer
If an employee is not comfortable reporting an incident through their supervisor, the employee should report the matter directly to the Ethics Officer or Internal Auditor of the College.
Use good judgment and avoid the appearance of improper behaviour.
Consider Your Actions, and Ask for Guidance.
If ever in doubt about a course of conduct, ask yourself:
• Is it consistent with the Code of Conduct and the Code of Ethics?
• Is it ethical?
• Is it legal?
• Will it reflect well on me and the College?
• Would I want to read about it in the newspaper?
If the answer is “No” to any of these questions, don’t do it.
If you are still uncertain, ask for guidance at the Ethics Helpdesk.
The Code tries to capture many of the situations that employees will encounter, but cannot address every circumstance.
- Contributing to a positive working environment;
- Enhancing staff morale;
- Attracting students to conduct their studies at the College;
- Make employees want to stay with the business;
- Reduce labour turnover and therefore increase productivity;
- Attract more employees wanting to work for the business;
- Reduce recruitment costs;
- Enable the company to get the most talented employees