# Charity Commission sets out scope of Oxfam inquiry

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/02/16/charity-commission-sets-scope-oxfam-inquiry/
- Published: 2018-02-16T09:28:20+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The Charity Commission has now set out the scope of its inquiry into Oxfam, which
it opened on 12 February following allegations of sexual misconduct by employees
of the organisation in Haiti.**

The [Commission](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission)
has concerns that Oxfam may not have fully and frankly disclosed material details
about the allegations at the time in 2011, its handling of the incidents since, 
and the impact that these have both had on public trust and confidence.

**The statutory inquiry’s purpose is to:**

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 1. examine the charity’s governance (including leadership and culture), its management
    and its policies and practices with regard to safeguarding, in the context of the
    applicable law, good practice and its obligations as a charity, both generally 
    and particularly in relation to

 * its response, general handling and disclosure to the Commission, statutory funders
   and other key donors, agencies and stakeholders in relation to serious safeguarding
   incidents which have taken place since 2011 including its Haiti programme
 * its responsibility to provide a safe environment for its beneficiaries, staff
   and other charity workers in the delivery of its overseas programmes and generally
 * its recruitment and supervision of its employees, volunteers and other charity
   workers
 * maintaining its reputation as a major aid charity which can be entrusted with
   international, governmental and public support and the confidence of its beneficiaries,
   staff and volunteers

 2. scrutinise and review the charity’s progress with implementing the requirements
    in the action plan agreed with the Commission in 2017 and ensure such other actions
    that may be required to address the findings from the inquiry’s work are undertaken

Michelle Russell, Director of Investigations, Monitoring and Enforcement at the 
Charity Commission said:

> “Acting in the public interest as regulator, this inquiry must and will establish
> the facts about what the charity knew about events in Haiti in 2011, and how it
> responded at the time and since. The inquiry will also help us, and the public,
> understand Oxfam’s overall approach to safeguarding those who come into contact
> with the charity – whether they be beneficiaries, staff, volunteers, or the wider
> communities in which they work. Resolving this is key to upholding public and 
> donor trust and confidence in charity.
> This week Oxfam’s Chair Caroline Thomson has given us an unequivocal commitment
> to co-operating fully with the inquiry to ensure our work progresses thoroughly
> and speedily and to resolving the issues faced by the charity to restore public
> trust and confidence in Oxfam”.

**The inquiry is expected to examine:**

 * case records to test and verify assurances on the charity’s handling of cases
 * the charity’s handling of the allegations in Haiti; the extent of the charity’s
   knowledge of similar allegations against its staff which predated Haiti (including
   Chad and Liberia); and the matters or risks arising from its handling and subsequent
   decision making
 * the charity’s reporting and communications with law enforcement and other agencies
   and donors, including DFID and DEC

The inquiry will assess what additional actions will need to be taken by the charity
in order to address the findings from the inquiry’s work and to assist in restoring
public trust and confidence in Oxfam. The scope of the inquiry will include the 
charity’s trading division and may be amended if other issues emerge during the 
course of the investigation which raise additional regulatory concerns.

Anyone with information that could be relevant to the inquiry is advised to contact
[OxfamInquiry@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/02/16/charity-commission-sets-scope-oxfam-inquiry/Ox**********@***********************ov.uk).

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