The webpage Support guide - Social safety is based on three scenarios: you have a complaint, you want to report inappropriate behaviour, or a complaint has been filed against you. Medendorp: ‘Conversations and evaluations kept showing that there was a need for one central place for reports concerning socially unsafe situations, including from the Executive Board. We have confidential advisers, an ombudsperson, and all kinds of support structures, but who should you contact in your specific case and how do you even get there? This structure makes that clearer.’
Medendorp says the guide needs to be as simple to use as possible. ‘We have created a decision tree. Based on no more than five questions, you are guided in an empathetic way to the right contact person.’
Anonymity
In some cases, people can also file a report anonymously. ‘We introduced this because, for many people, reporting something is still quite a barrier. They see that something is wrong, misconduct, bullying, or discrimination, and they want something to be done, but they do not dare to report it because they are afraid they will be blamed themselves. We hope to remove that barrier.’ At the same time, there is also attention for those who are accused of something: ‘Often, people who are accused are unaware they have done anything wrong. That can be very lonely. In that case too, you should be able to receive help and support.’
A small point of criticism, which Medendorp himself also acknowledges, is that this creates another layer on top of the existing reporting structure, without directly solving the internal problems themselves. ‘It also means the responsibility still lies with the victim to take the first step and file a report. But we are now making that step as small as possible.’
