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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During the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, community strategic planning for recovery must adopt a forward-thinking approach – building back better. This is where a community development strategy becomes a crucial tool, offering a clear vision of what our communities should look like in the coming years.

Over the past five months, the Community-Led Inclusive Recovery (CLIR) initiative team of Alinea’s SURGe Project has been providing expert support to develop strategic planning documents for 14 local communities across 7 oblasts. in Ukraine,. In drafting these strategies, CLIR experts employ a human-centred and participatory approach, addressing the needs of diverse groups of people and involving them in the strategic planning process.

“We all understand that it’s impossible to move forward without a development strategy. Any subsidies or investments are considered only through the lens of community development, specifically the Community Strategy adopted at the local level,” emphasized Boyarka Mayor Oleksandr Zarubin, .

When starting work with selected communities, the CLIR team prioritized understanding the needs of local residents. The uniqueness of the approach used by the initiative’s experts lies in their sectoral immersion.

For instance, in the Shabivska community in Odeska oblast, around 80 high school students from local schools wrote essays on the topic “My Community Today and Tomorrow”. In their essays, students described their observations on the economic, social, infrastructure, and environmental situations in their community and suggested solutions to existing problems.

“Each of us can contribute to the future of the community. Together, we will build a community that we will always be proud of”, wrote Anastasia, a student, in her essay.

The ideas generated from this creative exercise were compiled into a list and discussed during the Strategic Committee meeting on updating the Community Recovery and Development Strategy. The CLIR initiative team is actively involved in developing this strategy.

In addition to providing expert support in the development of growth strategies, CLIR experts actively share knowledge and tools that empower communities to independently manage their recovery and ensure that every resident feels involved in this process.

“Local authorities, residents, and active organizations need to acquire new knowledge and develop essential skills to strengthen their communities’ capacity,” emphasized Tetiana Lebukhorska, SURGe Deputy Director. “For example, understanding where and how to seek grant funding for recovery projects, how to prepare the required documentation, which international partners to approach for assistance, when and how to review the strategy, and what might influence these decisions. If communities are to be the drivers of progress, they must not only be willing but also equipped with all the necessary tools to move forward effectively. This is where we come in to help.”

The CLIR initiative experts completed the needs assessment of the communities. They are now progressing to the next steps of strategy development, such as conducting a strengths and weaknesses analysis of the communities, as well as setting their goals.