Reporting Procedures: How and What to Report

Formal and Anonymous Reporting Channels

For a victim to take the step of reporting, the channel must be accessible and reliable.

Companies should have multiple channels available: dedicated email, ethical phone line, physical mailbox or digital platform.

It is essential to offer the option of anonymity in the initial stages to overcome fear, even if identification is required for the subsequent formal process.

The procedure should be written and public; every employee should know exactly who to go to if his or her immediate boss is the aggressor.

Clarity on "who to go to" removes the bureaucratic barrier that often deters victims.

Complaint Standards: Facts and Evidence

Efficient management requires that complaints be substantiated. Employees should be educated on how to report.

An effective complaint must answer: What happened (factual description of behaviors), When and where (time and place circumstances), Who was involved (perpetrator and witnesses) and What evidence exists (emails, messages, lawful recordings).

Differentiating between a subjective complaint ("he gives me dirty looks") and an objective one ("he shouted insults at me at the meeting on Tuesday at 10 AM in front of three witnesses") is vital for the committee to be able to act.

The quality of the initial information determines the agility of the institutional response.

Guarantee of Non-Retaliation

Fear of "retaliation" is the main obstacle to reporting. The procedure must include an ironclad retaliation protection clause.

This means that the company guarantees that those who report in good faith will not suffer negative consequences in their employment, such as unjustified transfers, dismissal or isolation, because they have reported.

This guarantee should also be extended to witnesses who collaborate in the investigation.

The organization should monitor the victim's situation post-reporting to ensure that the perpetrator (or his