Ethics & Accountability

Project HOPE is committed to reinforcing a culture of respect, integrity, accountability, and transparency.

Project HOPE’s charitable mission is to conduct and support programs and activities aimed at solving some of the world’s greatest public health challenges, with a specific focus on empowering health workers to have the greatest possible impact on the health of the people they serve; strengthening and improving health systems; providing disaster and humanitarian relief and fostering and promoting health policy research and thought leadership.

How Project HOPE performs its mission is as important as the mission itself. Project HOPE must at all times perform its programs and operations in a manner that not only demonstrates but increases respect, integrity, accountability and transparency.

The Project HOPE Code of Ethics was adopted by the Project HOPE Board of Directors in March 2021. The Code of Ethics consists of five policy modules designed to guide conduct and reinforce a culture of respect, integrity, accountability and transparency.

The five policy modules that constitute Project HOPE’s Code of Ethics are:

  1. Code of Business Conduct: Finance, Fundraising/Marketing, Health Affairs, Global Health Programming, Humanitarian Principles, Disaster Response Principles
  2. Protecting Our Own and Holding Ourselves Accountable (Workplace Culture): Respectful Workplace and Prohibition of Harassment, Discrimination and Retaliation policy
  3. Protecting Those We Serve: Safeguarding Children and Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Trafficking in Persons
  4. Protecting Project HOPE Assets: Use of Funds, Confidential and Proprietary Information, and Intellectual Property
  5. Protecting Our Mission: Disclosure of Relationships and Conflicts of Interest

In addition, Project HOPE has a detailed Reporting/Disclosure Duty and Whistleblower Protection policy for the disclosure of ethical issues, suspected fraudulent activity, possible violations of international humanitarian principles, national or local laws, rules and regulations, the Code of Ethics, or any Project HOPE policy. The process is set forth in detail so that anyone making a disclosure can feel confident that there will be an impartial investigation without retaliation for making a good faith disclosure.

The Code of Ethics applies to all Project HOPE employees, interns, day laborers, volunteers and consultants and other authorized representatives (“Project HOPE Staff”). All partners and collaborators are expected to follow a similarly high standard of ethical behavior through required contractual provisions. As part of the Project HOPE family of entities, all subsidiaries are required to adopt a substantially similar Code of Ethics and maintain a substantially similar Reporting/Disclosure Duty and Whistleblower Protection policy.

The Legal, Compliance and Governance Department oversees the Project HOPE Code of Ethics and Reporting/Disclosure Duty and Whistleblower Protection policy, in close collaboration with Senior Leadership and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.

Project HOPE’s reputation for integrity and excellence requires careful observance of the spirit and letter of all applicable laws and regulations, the avoidance of even the appearance of improper behavior or impropriety, as well as a conscientious regard for the highest standards of conduct and personal integrity.

In order to ensure the successful mission and protect the assets and reputation of Project HOPE, it is imperative that all Project HOPE staff engage in behaviors that are respectful, ethically sound and legally compliant. The Code of Ethics was designed to guide Project HOPE staff in achieving the highest standards of ethical behavior.

The continued success of Project HOPE is dependent upon preserving the trust of beneficiaries, donors and partners; and we are dedicated to preserving that trust through accountability and transparency. Project HOPE staff must at all times conduct all activities in a manner that will merit continued trust and confidence.

We must always keep our mission and our beneficiaries at the center of all we do.

We seek to achieve our mission with integrity and transparency and in compliance with our policies, humanitarian principles, and all applicable laws.

We always deal fairly, respectfully and ethically with all individuals and entities and we hold ourselves and each other accountable for our actions.