When a Referral Becomes a Dead End

A sexual misconduct concern reaches HR.

HR reviews the information and decides it belongs with safeguarding. The case is forwarded.

Safeguarding cannot yet confirm that it falls within its mandate and asks for additional information.

HR considers the matter referred. Safeguarding has not accepted responsibility.

The organization has reporting channels, specialist teams and written procedures. Yet, in the space between two functions, the case has become ownerless.

This is one of the least visible weaknesses in reporting systems.

Organizations may divide responsibility for sexual misconduct across HR, safeguarding, ethics, compliance and investigations.

There may be good reasons for those distinctions. A concern involving sexual exploitation and abuse may require a different process and expertise from a workplace sexual harassment complaint.

The problem is not necessarily that different routes exist. The problem arises when the organization treats sending information to another team as the end of one function’s responsibility, before the receiving function has accepted the case.