Report Corruption, Misappropriation, Misuse, and Losses - the Compliance Office is at your service

Mission

The Compliance Office is entrusted with the task of receiving SDC-intern and external notifications on cases of corruption or misuse of assets which have been discovered in any SDC-financed activities. Your notification to the Compliance Office can be dealt with as confidential should you so desire, meaning that only criminal investigation authorities will be able to have the anonymity lifted.

Whom am I to report to?

You may choose to make contact from among any of the following ways:

by e-Mail: compliance@deza.admin.ch
by post addressed to:
DEZA, Compliance,
Freiburgstrasse 130,
CH-3003 Bern
by telephone +41 31 325 92 54 (languages; Eng., Frn., Ger.)
by fax +41 31 324 00 16

What details are to be reported?

In your notification of suspicions, please be as precise as possible in your description of the events and elements so as to facilitate the SDC's investigations. The following points should be covered to a maximum degree in the notification of suspicion reported:

What type of wrongdoing is concerned (cf. above list)?
When, where, and in what programme/project did it allegedly take place?
What is the exact modus operandi of the person or company under suspicion?
Why do you believe that this action or activity was dishonest, improper, or illegal?
What is your estimate of the financial damages incurred?
What documents or statements can confirm your suspicions?
Are there any other witnesses who are able to back you up and confirm your suspicions?

What can be reported?

Active or passive bribery (giving bribes or accepting bribes)
Accepting or proposing gifts and entertainment possibilities
Granting or accepting undue advantage (nepotism, influence peddling)
Conflicts of interest
Unfair dealings with third-parties (illicit discounts, kickbacks, payoffs, buying off middlemen, deceitful agreements, coercion, etc.)
Fraud, deceitfulness, cheating (in the implementation of projects, in drawing up reports, or in providing information to auditors, assessors, etc., price-fixing and manipulation; use of unauthorized or defective products, falsification of accounts and bills, abusiveness, etc.
Theft, misappropriation of funds, malversation, embezzlement, damage to the interests of the SDC, etc.
in the event that SDC programmes/projects or those financed by the SDC are concerned.

We rely on your support and information in order to counter corruption. This is of assistance to us in avoiding damages and at the same time contributes to ensuring that the SDC's assets are used according to the regulations, for the intended purpose, and in conformity with the fixed objective.

Consequences

If subsequent investigations confirm that corruption or misuse of assets has indeed taken place, the consequences must be drawn and appropriate measures taken. The SDC's Legal Affairs Division will undertake to clarify if criminal proceedings are to be initiated with the competent authorities and how to go about doing so.

The SDC will sanction corrupt practices among its members by imposing disciplinary measures that can extend to termination of employment. In accordance with the gravity of the violation committed, criminal charges may also be filed. (The criminal prosecution authorities are empowered, according to Swiss Law, to demand that the Compliance Office release the data that is being held confidential.)

In cases where SDC partner organizations have violated regulations, not respected contractual stipulations, or manifestly misused SDC assets, the SDC reserves the right to modify the programmes or projects concerned, or even to terminate them. Furthermore, It also reserves itself the right to initiate criminal proceedings.

Given that the notification was made in good faith, but upon further examination it turns out that it was based upon a misunderstanding, the matter is dropped. Should it later emerge, however, that the person reporting had acted maliciously, intentionally distorting reality, the Compliance Office will be unable to guarantee that the date will be treated confidentially.