PBG Foundation is committed to protecting the dignity, safety, and wellbeing of every person we serve; especially children and people in vulnerable circumstances. Our work is guided by clear ethical standards and proactive safeguarding practices. We believe doing good is not enough; it must be done safely, respectfully, and responsibly. Below we outline how we approach safeguarding and ethics in our operations.
Our commitment to safeguarding
We are committed to:
- Child safeguarding: Protecting children from all forms of harm, abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Children involved in or affected by our programs must be kept safe at all times.
- Vulnerable person safeguarding: Ensuring that any adults at risk (such as the elderly or people with disabilities) are treated with dignity and protected from harm in our activities.
- Safe program delivery: Designing and operating our projects in ways that minimize risk and actively promote safety. This includes conducting risk assessments and implementing safety measures for all events and program sites.
- Respectful engagement: Working with communities in a culturally appropriate and trauma-informed manner. We seek first to listen and understand local contexts, and we avoid any actions that could cause further distress or disrespect.
We take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, exploitation, or misconduct. This means if any staff member, volunteer, or partner were to violate our safeguarding standards, immediate action would be taken, up to and including termination of relationship and reporting to authorities. Keeping people safe is a non-negotiable priority.
How we put safeguarding into practice
PBG Foundation embeds safeguarding into the way we plan and deliver work. Some of the concrete steps we take include:
- Upfront Risk Assessments: Before and during projects, we assess potential risks to participants (especially children) and implement strategies to mitigate those risks.
- Clear Behavioural Expectations: All our directors, staff, contractors, and volunteers are bound by a Code of Conduct that sets strict expectations for behaviour. This includes rules on interactions with children, use of images, and prevention of exploitation.
- Appropriate Supervision: Activities involving children are supervised by vetted adults, and child-safe procedures are in place (for example, never one-on-one without visibility, etc.).
- Safe Photography & Storytelling: We obtain consent when taking photos or sharing someone’s story. We do not identify children by full name publicly, and we ensure images are respectful. No humiliating or inappropriate images are used.
- Partner Standards: We communicate our safeguarding approach to partner organisations and expect them to uphold similar standards. We prefer to collaborate with partners who demonstrate a commitment to child protection and ethics.
- Incident Response: We have clear steps for escalation and reporting of any safeguarding concerns or incidents. Staff are trained on what to do if they observe or hear of misconduct, and we have designated officers to handle reports. If an incident occurs, we act swiftly to ensure safety and support the affected persons, and we report to relevant authorities as required.
Through these measures, safeguarding is woven into our daily operations; not an afterthought, but a core component of how we work.
Ethics and conduct
We commit to ethical conduct that reflects the public trust placed in charities. This includes:
- Acting honestly, fairly, and respectfully in all dealings. We hold ourselves to high standards of integrity, both internally and in the community.
- Avoiding conflicts of interest and managing any that arise with transparency. Board members and staff must declare potential conflicts, and we have policies to ensure decisions are made in the charity’s best interest.
- Using donations responsibly and only for our stated charitable purpose. Every decision about spending is guided by how it will benefit the people we serve.
- Refusing bribes, corruption, or improper influence. We do not offer or accept bribes, and we avoid any corrupt practices in procurement or partnerships.
- Truthful communications: We portray our work and its impact accurately. We don’t exaggerate results or promise what we can’t deliver. If challenges occur, we are honest about them.
We also abide by all relevant laws and industry codes that relate to ethical operation of charities. Our organisational culture encourages questions and accountability, anyone in our team can voice concerns if they feel something isn’t right.
Respect, dignity, and cultural care
We work in partnership with communities, not as saviours from outside. That means:
- Listening first: We take time to listen to local people about their needs, ideas, and feedback. Community voices guide our projects.
- Respecting local leadership and priorities: We collaborate with community leaders, elders, and local authorities. We support existing community plans where possible rather than impose our own.
- Avoiding “saviour” narratives: Our messaging does not depict us as heroic rescuers. Instead, we highlight the strength and resilience of communities and how we are supporting them.
- Dignity in representation: People are represented as empowered individuals, not helpless victims. We seek consent for stories and images, and we never use pity as a fundraising tool.
- Empowerment and ownership: We design initiatives to hand over ownership to the community in the long run. We involve community members in decision-making and incorporate training so that projects can be maintained locally.
Ultimately, we conduct our work with deep humility, recognising that we are guests in the communities we serve and that real change is achieved hand-in-hand with those communities.
Privacy and data responsibility
We handle personal information with care and only collect what is necessary for legitimate purposes (for example, collecting donor details to issue receipts, or gathering beneficiary info for program delivery and safety). We store personal data securely and restrict access to it. We do not sell or share donor information with third parties for marketing. We comply with Australian privacy laws in how we manage personal data. If at any point someone wants to know what information we hold about them or needs it corrected, we have processes to accommodate that.
Raising concerns or making a complaint
If you have a concern about safeguarding, ethics, or conduct connected to PBG Foundation, we encourage you to report it. All concerns are treated seriously and handled respectfully. Where appropriate, matters will be investigated internally and may be escalated to relevant authorities (for example, if a child is in danger or fraud is suspected).
Contact: info@pbgphilanthropy.org
Subject line: “Safeguarding/Ethics Concern”
Or use any other contact method on our site with a clear indication that you are raising a sensitive concern. You may remain anonymous if you wish. We will acknowledge receipt of the complaint and take appropriate action. (If someone is in immediate danger, please contact local emergency services first before contacting us.)
Safeguarding is not a one-time statement; it is an ongoing practice. PBG Foundation is committed to building trust through transparent governance, ethical conduct, and community-centered work that protects dignity at every step. Every person we help has the right to feel safe and respected. By upholding that right, we not only do no harm, we actively contribute to healing and hope.
