Dr. Brian Bedard is a veterinary epidemiologist and Alinea International’s Director of Food Safety and Animal Health. Dr. Bedard was a coordinator of the World Bank’s Global Program for Human and Avian Influenza, swine flu response and post-SARS One Health response and is an experienced One Health practitioner.

In recent weeks, I had the opportunity to virtually train veterinarians who are helping women farmers in Ethiopia protect their livestock from transmitting zoonotic diseases and prevent the spread of COVID-19. This adapted One Health program is part of the Capacity Development Support Facility Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, which helps Ethiopian farmers improve agricultural productivity with a focus on women.

The critical role of women is often understated in One Health programming. One Health recognizes the connectivity across people, animals, plants and our shared environment. This is why, when we develop training programs like the one in Ethiopia, we focus on supporting women in their unique position in livestock value chains, health systems, families and communities. As primary livestock caregivers, vendors and consumers in traditional wet markets, women are at the frontlines of defence against existing and emerging zoonotic diseases. They are also particularly vulnerable to the cascading COVID-19 socio-economic impacts of poverty, maternity risks and gender-based violence.

Empowering women around the world has the potential to be a catalyst to preventing the next pandemic and addressing the many debilitating, neglected, commonly occurring animal-sourced diseases that persist in poorer communities.

This creates a fundamental link between One Health and Canada’s feminist agenda, and leads to the need for a proactive Feminist One Health Imperative. We are taking International Development Week as an opportunity to explore the Feminist One Health Imperative with colleagues across the global network of One Health practitioners.

This is a call to action to address the root causes of zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to people at the human-environment-animal interface, with women as the catalyst for a robust One Health approach. It uniquely supports several of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy Action Areas, namely: 1. Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls; 2. Human Dignity (Health); and 4. Environment and Climate Action. Canada is a leader in One Health through the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Global Public Health Intelligence Network, as well as recognized One Health practitioner experts, universities and private sector and civil society organizations across the country. Through these resources, combined with Global Affairs Canada’s leadership, Canada is recognized as a key player in global public health, animal health and ecosystem health linked to climate action.

Between 2005 and 2011, we had the opportunity to implement the Canadian–funded Livestock Health Extension Services Project. This project recognized the role of women along the entire One Health continuum across seven provinces of China. It focused on the control of zoonotic diseases through high level training in epidemiology, risk assessment, surveillance, disease free zone management, animal ID and trace back, as well as laboratory management.

Many international agencies and bilateral donors address pandemic preparedness through a One Health lens to mitigate broader risks. However, there continues to be a gap in gender responsiveness. My experience working on global One Health initiatives – including as former coordinator of the World Bank’s Global Avian Influenza Program, swine flu response and post-SARS One Health response – has convinced me of the immense potential of the Feminist One Health Imperative as a viable approach to improving public health outcomes and livelihoods, especially for women.

For International Development Week 2021, I invite you to join us in pursuing the Feminist One Health Imperative as an innovative and more sustainable approach to pandemic preparedness and response around the world.

alinea’s whistleblower policy

1.1 Purpose

The following Whistleblower Policy has been established to provide guidance to Alinea International employees and sub-contractors on how to deal with known or suspected improper conduct within the organization. The objectives of this Policy are to:

Create awareness of the Policy and available whistleblower protections
Act as a reference guide to potential whistleblowers wishing to make a disclosure
Define the structure of the whistleblower system, including reporting and investigation procedures, whistleblower protections, and confidentiality, among others
Improve the communication and transparency in the processes associated with whistleblowing and assure protection against derogatory consequences, namely reprisals and detrimental action
Complement the current communication channels between employees, sub-contractors and immediate managers, and hierarchical channels flowing to the President and Senior Management team
Provide guidance to all parties involved in either whistleblowing or whistleblower protection.

1.2 Scope

Alinea requires all employees and sub-contractors to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. All employees and sub-contractors of Alinea are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations of Canada and the countries where we operate. Any allegations of known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources will be dealt with in accordance with this Policy, and reasonable steps will be taken to protect those who come forward with allegations. Alinea’s Whistleblower Policy covers both internal and external whistleblowing, and establishes the controls and procedures for dealing with allegations of malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is intended to encourage employees and sub-contractors to report known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources and to enable Alinea’s Senior Management team to address and correct inappropriate action. It is the responsibility of all Board of Directors’ members, the Senior Management team, employees and sub-contractors to report concerns about known or suspected malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is applicable to all employees and sub-contractors of Alinea International.

1.3 Reporting Procedures

Alinea recognizes the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices and supports the making of disclosures that reveal improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. Our internal controls and operating procedures are intended to detect and prevent malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. As detailed in Alinea’s Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals, employees and sub-contractors are encouraged to share complaints and/or concerns regarding ethical or legal violations with their immediate managers. If the employee or sub-contractor is not comfortable speaking with their immediate manager or is not satisfied with the response, they are encouraged to speak with the Gatineau or Calgary Office Managers, the Vice Presidents or, as required, the Chief Financial Officer. All members of the Senior Management team are required to report complaints and/or concerns about suspected ethical or legal violations in writing to Alinea’s Ethics Committee who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints and/or concerns. In the event that the complaint and/or concern is about the President, it should be raised by the employee or sub-contractor to their immediate manager or the Ethics Committee who will determine how the investigation will proceed. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective measures will be taken if warranted by the investigation. Alinea’s Ethics Committee is responsible for acknowledging receipt of the suspected violation and notifying the whistleblower of the outcome of the investigation. Anyone filing a written complaint concerning suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Personal grievances or complaints related to employment are not covered under Alinea’s Whistleblowing Policy. For cases such as this, employees and sub-contractors are advised to first refer to Alineas Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals when considering a disclosure under the Whistleblowing Policy. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.

1.4 Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality is crucial to ensure reprisals are not made against the whistleblower. Alinea is committed to safeguarding the identity of the whistleblower and to protecting the whistleblower against detrimental action taken in reprisal for allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring whistleblowers are protected from direct and indirect detrimental action, and that the culture of the workplace is supportive of suspected allegations being made. Any employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.

1.5 Review

Alinea is committed to implementing ‘best practice’ policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources (as defined by this Policy) and the management and protection of whistleblowers making allegation(s). This Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it meets the objectives of relevant legislation and remains effective for Alinea, and may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors at any time. For allegations of fraud, securities law, or human rights concerns, or when you are not satisfied or uncomfortable with following the Company’s open door policy, individuals should contact the Company’s Ethics Committee directly.

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IDW2021: Feminist One Health Imperative

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