Making a complaint

We will acknowledge all complaints within 2 working days, often sooner, other than in exceptional circumstances. Our acknowledgement will include a date by when you can expect to either be informed about the outcome of your complaint and/or the process that will be followed to handle the issue you’ve raised.

Depending on its nature, the time frame for handling a complaint and the way in which it is investigated will vary.  Our complaints and response procedures ensure reasonable confidentiality and security of all relevant records and documents. To ensure transparency of the complaints management process, you will be kept informed throughout and advised of the outcome.

A Fundraising complaint is one that relates to any of our fundraising activities.  An HR (non-staff) complaint is about issues like harassment, bullying, discrimination, unfair treatment or safety concerns. A Data Protection complaint is one relating to our handling of personal data. A General complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about actions taken or a lack of action that is not one of the types of complaint above or a Fraud, Whistleblowing or Safeguarding complaint.

These types of complaints can be made through any of the following channels:

• Using our contact form
• By phone - Freephone 0800 032 4001
• Our phone lines are open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Outside of these hours, please leave a message and contact number, and someone will return your call before midday the next working day.
• By post - marked ‘Private & Confidential’ to:
  Supporter Care Manager,
  Concern Worldwide (UK)
  47 Frederick Street,
  Belfast
  BT1 2LW
  To assist us in resolving your complaint quickly, please include a valid phone number or email address so that we can contact you.

Fraud encompasses the theft or misuse of Concern Worldwide (UK)’s funds or other resources, by an employee or third party, which may or may not also involve misstatement of financial documents or records to conceal the theft or misuse. Corruption can take many forms, including financial and non-financial crimes such as procurement fraud, nepotism and any other form of abuse of power. Please see Concern’s Anti-Fraud Policy for more information. For fraud complaints, you can contact the Head of Internal Audit and Investigations through the following methods:

• By email – [email protected]
• By phone – + 353 1 479 1326 during core office hours, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (Irish times).

Outside of these hours, please leave a message and contact number, and someone will return your call before midday the next working day.

• By post – marked ‘Private & Confidential’ to:

Head of Internal Audit and Investigations
Corporate Services
Concern Worldwide
52-55 Lower Camden Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

Concern Worldwide defines whistleblowing as “making a disclosure in the public interest about possible wrongdoing in the workplace”.  The categories of wrongdoing which may constitute malpractice and give rise to whistleblowing complaints include: criminal offences; failure to comply with legal obligations; miscarriage of justice; endangering the health and safety of individuals; serious HR complaints; damaging the environment; any sensitive complaint that is not about fraud or safeguarding; attempting to cover up any of the above.  Please see Concern’s Whistleblowing Policy for more information.

For whistleblowing complaints, you can contact the Head of Internal Audit and Investigations through the following methods:

• By email – [email protected] 
• By phone – + 353 1 479 1326 during core office hours, Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (Irish times).

Outside of these hours, please leave a message and contact number, and someone will return your call before midday the next working day.

• By post – marked ‘Private & Confidential’ to:

Head of Internal Audit and Investigations
Corporate Services
Concern Worldwide
52-55 Lower Camden Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

Safeguarding refers to the measures taken to protect people, especially children and vulnerable adults from harm. Concern has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment; undeclared relationships and those of a coercive or exploitative nature; child abuse; child labour; trafficking of persons; modern slavery; and the inappropriate use of its IT equipment of a sexual nature. This is reflected in our contracts of employment for all staff who commit to adhere to the Concern Code of Conduct and associated policies. This obligation also applies to consultants, (sub)contractors, relevant suppliers and volunteers as part of their terms of engagement or involvement with us. Confidentiality, safety, dignity, respect and natural justice are core principles applied in how we investigate and address such matters, always with the wishes and best interests of the survivor at the centre of our process.

For suspected safeguarding complaints, the following channels which are monitored by the safeguarding office in Concern Worldwide’s head office should be used:

• By email – [email protected]
• By post – marked ‘Private & Confidential’ to:

Director of Safeguarding
Concern Worldwide
52-55 Lower Camden Street
Dublin 2
Ireland

If you are not satisfied with the response to your complaint, you can submit a formal written appeal directly to the Executive Director. An appeal should normally be submitted within 28 calendar days of the decision:

• By email –  [email protected]
• By post – marked ‘Private & Confidential’ to:

Executive Director
Concern Worldwide (UK)
The Foundry
17 Oval Way
London
SE11 5RR

The response to an appeal is final in terms of our complaints and response process, although you may choose to continue to pursue the matter via alternative routes if you wish.

If your complaint is about fundraising and you feel it has not been resolved by us satisfactorily, then you can forward your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator.

Fundraising Regulator
50 Featherstone Street
London
EC1Y 8BT

Telephone: 0300 999 3407

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/complaints

If your complaint is related to an area of our work other than fundraising or advertising, you can contact The Charity Commission.

The Charity Commission
PO Box 211
Bootle
L20 7YX

Website: https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-charity

Complaints about Concern Worldwide (Northern Ireland) i.e. our retail activities, may be made to:

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland
Marlborough House
Central Way
Craigavon
BT64 1AD

Website: https://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/concerns-and-decisions/submit-a-concern-about-a-charity/

If you are unable to use the form on the Commission’s website, they may be contacted via

Tel : 028 3832 0220

Email : [email protected]

Although we would appreciate an opportunity to address any advertising complaint, you can make these directly to the Advertising Standards Authority. 

Broadcasters are required to keep recordings for specified periods i.e. 42 days after the relevant radio transmission; 60 days after the relevant satellite and cable television transmission; and 90 days after the relevant terrestrial television transmission. Complaints must be made well within these periods. For non-broadcast ads, complaints must be made within three months of their appearance.

Advertising Standards Authority
Castle House
37-45 Paul Street
Shoreditch
London
EC2A 4LS

Website: https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

If you feel you were treated unfairly after purchasing goods in one of our Northern Ireland shops you may complain to Trading Standards.

Northern Ireland Trading Standards Services
176 Newtownbreda Road
Belfast
BT8 6QS

Website: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/how-complain-business-or-trader

If you feel we have infringed your data protection rights and freedoms and are not satisfied with our response to our complaint, you can lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office.

The Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/