CioF maintains four allegations of sexual harassment against Fellow

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The investigation into sexual misconduct at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising confirmed four allegations of sexual harassment against a member of the CioF.

The investigation, led by consultancy firm Tell Jane, was launched in March this year to investigate complaints against the fellow and allegations that the CIOF had been made aware of his behavior and failed to act.

The full investigation report has still not been released, but a summary report was released by the CioF board today. He says there were “obvious organizational and governance failures in our culture and processes” that let the survivors down and allowed a man accused of multiple sexual harassment to continue to participate in events and events. formations.

The report concluded that the organization’s former chief executive, Peter Lewis, bore some responsibility for these failures, and revealed that he had commissioned a new independent review into whether the CioF had failed. not acted on broader sexual harassment concerns and complaints.

According to the report, the allegations against the fellow include sexual harassment at regional group events, sexual harassment at special interest group events, sexual harassment of an individual CioF member (not during ‘an institute event) and sexual harassment at the 2014 fundraising convention.

The report states that investigators concluded that “on a balance of probabilities” the behavior described by several complainants was “likely to have taken place and to have constituted sexual harassment.”

The man, who has not been named, was permanently stripped of his CioF membership, withdrawn as a member and banned from all future CioF events.

“The ban will be enforced through the new central selection process for attendees of Chartered Institute events and activities,” the report said.

The report also acknowledges that former CIoF chief executive Peter Lewis, who resigned in June, “bears responsibility, along with other directors and staff, for not taking action earlier to remedy the situation. these cultural and organizational failures “.

The CioF had previously issued a statement claiming that the investigation found “no wrongdoing” on Lewis’s part, but later admitted that it should not have released the statement and apologized.

The report states: “The board wishes to clarify that the statement released in June 2021 was not intended to suggest that the former CEO was not responsible for the deficiencies identified in the governance and management of the Chartered Institute.”

As to whether Lewis was aware of the complaints against the fellow, the directors concluded that “there was not enough evidence available at the time to definitively conclude what had happened.”

Survivors and witnesses had previously raised concerns about whether their evidence had been included in the investigation into Lewis and the fellow, and that the investigation into Lewis had too narrow a mandate.

The report appears to acknowledge this, saying the council “has decided that the evidence provided for this investigation should be reviewed.” The review “would be part of a new, larger independent review we are commissioning into the issue of sexual harassment concerns, reports and complaints not being addressed appropriately by the Chartered Institute.”

The shortcomings identified by the report included an emphasis on formal written complaints rather than verbal disclosures, a lack of action when complaints were made, a lack of understanding of anonymity and a failure to take action. notes from some meetings discussing the harassment allegations.

The investigation also highlighted the fact that where there were models of behavior, as in this case, the managing director or a trustee could himself have lodged a complaint under the existing rules.

Investigators recommended more training for staff, volunteers and group chairs on how to handle complaints, and educate members and staff on how to raise a concern or complaint.

They called on the CIOF to remove the requirement for a first written complaint, providing opportunities for anonymous complaints and ensuring that notes are taken of all formal meetings.

Investigators also requested the appointment of an administrator to oversee harassment complaints and investigations.

In the report, CIOF Trustees said all of the recommendations had already been accepted and implemented or would be implemented by the new Safeguarding the Organization Working Group.

“The board would like to reiterate our apologies and thank the survivors and allies who have fought so hard on these issues for many years,” the report said.

In a statement, Peter Lewis said: “I would like once again to express my sincere apologies to all the women who have been disappointed with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. “

He said he had “always taken and acted upon seriously all complaints brought to my attention” and that “in 2019, as soon as I realized that our processes and policies were not providing adequate support “to complainants,” we have set up the Task Force on Sexual Harassment, led by two directors, and made changes to allow anonymous complaints and hearsay evidence. “

Lewis also pointed out that he commissioned the 2020 Learning Review, which informed the further development of the organization’s action plan.

He added: “The allegation that a complaint was brought to my attention in 2014 and that I failed to act on it has been investigated twice. Both investigations cleared me of any wrongdoing.

Beth Upton, one of the plaintiffs in the case, welcomed the news of the independent review, but accused the report of “gaslighting” and said she had lost faith in the CIOF.

(More soon.)

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