War and Challenges for the Housing and Utilities Sector: How to Develop and Modernize Communities Despite Everything

Challenges in the infrastructure sector in Ukraine existed long before the full-scale Russia’s invasion. However, the war has only exacerbated an already difficult situation.

Over the past two and a half years, the housing and utilities infrastructure has endured significant damage and continues to face daily destruction. Continuous enemy attacks make it increasingly difficult to repair and maintain critical energy systems, which lead to power outages even with reduced consumption in the summer.

Over the past six months, the Community-Led Inclusive Recovery (CLIR) initiative team of the SURGe Project has been providing expert support to 14 local communities across 7 oblasts of Ukraine in developing strategic planning documents in five different sectors, including infrastructure. The experts employ a human-centred approach, comprehensive Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), Results-Based Management (RBM) methodology, and sectoral immersion.

The experts conducted a needs assessment of residents and business of communities and analysed how the housing and utilities sector operates within the community. They not only help communities identify existing problems and community’s needs but also find solutions that will form the basis of the Community Development Strategy and find resources to address critical issues that require immediate attention.

For instance, residents of the Oleksandrivska community in Donetsk Oblast are living under constant air raid alerts and attacks on energy infrastructure. During a needs assessment by experts from the CLIR initiative, it was identified that one of the community’s critical infrastructure needs is to provide approximately 1,000 residents with reliable electricity and heating. The CLIR initiative experts coordinated the search for and helped arrange 8 powerful generators from the Charity Fund Swedish Aid Center to equip the community’s shelters.

“Our community was in a critical situation because our existing generator couldn’t cover the needs of the entire community during power outages. But now, thanks to the support of our partners, we can ensure the continuous operation of critical facilities and shelters,” says Lyudmyla Borysevych, Head of the Oleksandrivska Village Military Administration.

Issues with water supply is another challenge that many Ukrainian communities face on a daily basis. Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Reservoir has only exacerbated the already critical water supply issues, particularly in communities in the Dnipropetrovska, Mykolaivska, and Khersonska Oblasts, which were dependent on its resources. Many of these communities were already struggling with water supply issues before the disaster, but afterward, they effectively lost their primary water source.

In Bereznehuvate, Mykolaivska Oblast, drinking water was previously delivered by private entrepreneurs. However, due to the ongoing hostilities and daily shelling, most of them have left, leaving the community without water supply. After conducting a needs assessment in the community, CLIR experts identified the two following solutions. One temporary solution to this problem could be the purchase of a water delivery truck to ensure residents have access to drinking water. On the other hand, a more permanent solution could be the construction of a main water pipeline.

“Right now, international organizations deliver water to our community once a week, but it’s not enough to meet the drinking water needs of all our residents. That’s why we’re working to improve the situation and seeking partners who can help us acquire two water tankers to deliver water to residents across 22 settlements in the Bereznehuvate community that lack centralized water supply,” says Serhiy Boyko, Head of the Bereznehuvate Village Council.

Once the Community Development Strategy and its accompanying Action Plan are finalized and approved, communities will have a clear roadmap that will enable them to plan their collaboration with partners and donors effectively.

Thus, the Strategy will help not only ensure transparency in relations with donors, but also reduce the risks associated with project implementation and facilitate the successful attraction of investments necessary for the reconstruction and development of housing and utilities services on the ground.

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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How Ukraine continues to develop communities and infrastructure in the midst of a war

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