Speaking up policy

Page last updated 1 April 2026.

See change log for recent updates to this webpage.

Find out what's changed and why in the most recent updates to this policy. 

As valued volunteers, members and staff, you’re all part of an organisation that encourages openness and is committed to the highest standards of behaviour and accountability.

We understand that speaking up can be uncomfortable, or challenging. This policy aims to promote a culture where everyone in Girlguiding feels empowered to speak up about something that concerns them, no matter who they are.

It explains our commitment to:

• Speaking up and listening to those that do.
• Whistleblowing.
• Our expectations for volunteers and members of staff.
• How we promote a speaking up culture and protect those that do.

This policy applies to all adult volunteers and adult members (all referred to as volunteers in policies), and staff in Girlguiding.

Volunteers should read this policy alongside the whistleblowing procedure. Girlguiding employees should use the staff procedure on the intranet.

Definitions used in this policy

Our glossary lays out a few definitions of key terms that are used across our policies - take a look.

Girlguiding’s commitment to speaking up

We welcome and value our volunteers and staff speaking up about things that concern them. No matter who you are, or what it’s about – we’ll listen, learn, and where appropriate, act. How you speak up is up to you. You can do so openly, confidentially, or anonymously, though the more information you can give, the better, as it will help us investigate.

There are a number of ways to speak up.

Informal ways to speak up may include passing your concern on to your unit leader or local commissioner, or having a conversation with your manager if you’re a member of staff.

When speaking up formally, volunteers and staff should follow the appropriate policy relevant to their concern where possible. For example, safeguarding concerns must always be reported using the safeguarding policy, and complaints should be made in line with our complaints policy. Staff should refer to the relevant staff procedures or HR processes.

When you speak up, you must do so because you believe it’s substantially true, doesn’t contain allegations you know to be false, and isn’t made maliciously or just for personal gain.

We’re committed to supporting those who speak up, even if their concern is mistaken. We don’t need evidence to investigate a concern, but if we do investigate, an investigator may ask for more information.

Whistleblowing

If you speak up about something particularly serious (see below), this may be considered to be ‘whistleblowing’, but not every concern raised will be considered whistleblowing.

Whistleblowing is formally known as ‘making a disclosure in the public interest’. It's unlawful to treat someone negatively because they’ve ‘blown the whistle’. Whilst the law only applies to workers, this policy extends the same protections to volunteers and members as it does workers.

‘Making a disclosure’ is when you make a report to Girlguiding, or a body like the Charity Commission, and you have ‘reasonable belief’ that 1 or more of the following has happened, is happening, or may happen. Also, that you have ‘reasonable belief’ that reporting it's in the ‘public interest’:

• A criminal offence.
• The breach of a legal obligation.
• A miscarriage of justice.
• A danger to someone’s health and safety.
• Damage to the environment.
• Sexual harassment.
• A deliberate attempt to conceal any of the above.

‘Reasonable belief’ means that whilst you don’t need to be right about what you disclose, you must believe it to be true or have good reason to think that disclosing it is in the ‘public interest’.

‘Public interest’ means disclosures aren’t just made for personal interest, but rather because of:

• How many people the disclosure affects.
• Which interests the disclosure affects.
• The nature of the concern.
• Or, the identity of people involved in the concern and the subject of concern.

If you don’t feel able to report your concerns to Girlguiding HQ, you can make a report to an external body. The charity regulators in the UK have processes in place to receive whistleblowing reports.

We encourage you to ask for advice before you report your concern to anyone outside Girlguiding. Please see the ‘other information and useful resources’ section for more.

• If you’re in England or Wales, or your concern is about Girlguiding HQ, you can make a report to the Charity Commission.
• If you’re in Northern Ireland, you can report your concerns to the Charity Commission NI.
• If you’re in Scotland, you can report to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
• If you’re in 1 of the Girlguiding British Overseas Territories and use the Girlguiding charity number (306016), you can report to the Charity Commission.
• If your unit, district or division is registered as a charity in the country you’re in, you can report to your local charity regulator.

If your concern is about fundraising, you can also make a report to the Fundraising Regulator for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you’re in Scotland, you can report to the Scottish Fundraising Standards Panel.

Expectations

All Girlguiding members, volunteers, and staff must:

• Report concerns or any wrongdoing (intentional or unintentional) using the relevant policies and procedures where possible.
• Report any safeguarding concerns in line with the safeguarding policy.
• Never stop or discourage someone from speaking up.
• Never criticise or victimise anyone for speaking up.

How Girlguiding promotes a speaking up culture and protects those that do

• We treat all concerns consistently, fairly, and professionally.
• We take all reasonable steps to protect those who speak up from any negative treatment resulting from their report.
• We investigate concerns about anyone trying to stop or discourage someone else from speaking up, or anyone criticising or victimising someone after they’ve spoken up. This is in line with our managing concerns about adult volunteers policy. For staff, the human resources team at Girlguiding HQ will manage it in line with our internal disciplinary procedure. We have a formal whistleblowing process which includes the ability to make a report anonymously for those who don’t feel comfortable speaking up through the usual avenues.
• Our complaints policy and procedure sets out how we respond, investigate, and learn from complaints and feedback.
• Those investigating an adult volunteer are impartial and must follow our investigation procedure.
• Our equality and diversity policy expects everybody in Girlguiding to never discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by that policy.
• We treat all whistleblowing reports as confidential, and we only share them with people who need to know. We won’t share your identity unless you agree to this.
• We give whistleblowers a direct contact at HQ who you can go to for updates on the investigation, and if appropriate, we’ll offer the whistleblower a safe practice liaison volunteer who can provide emotional support and come to any meetings with you.
• Whistleblowers can choose to stop being involved at any stage after blowing the whistle, but the investigation will carry on until we reach a satisfactory outcome.
• Breaches of this policy by adult volunteers will be managed under the managing concerns about adult volunteers policy and procedure. Breaches by staff will be managed in line with the relevant HR policy or procedure.