A collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is the defining characteristic of national FiTI implementations, enshrined in FiTI Principle 5 “Transparency is most effective when information is shared and verified through the active, free, effective, meaningful and informed participation of governments, business, civil society, scientists, and other stakeholders as equal partners, thereby allowing all stakeholders to ensure that information is credible and legitimate.”
Each FiTI implementing country must establish a National Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), which is the main national decision-making body in charge of applying the global FiTI Standard to the national context and overseeing its implementation.
Given its central role in the implementation process, the legitimacy and effectiveness of National MSGs are pivotal in ensuring the success of FiTI implementation.
While the FiTI Standard and its accompanying Guidance Notes provides several requirements and precautions regarding the establishment and safeguarding of a widely accepted National MSG, national FiTI Stakeholders (e.g. members of National MSGs) may still identify or even experience negative activities or conduct that are not in compliance with the FiTI Standard, the FiTI Principles, or the overall spirit of the initiative. Addressing such concerns in a comprehensive and timely manner is imminent for a trusted collaborative process.
Types of of concerns regarding national FiTI implementations
There are two types of concerns that may require National FiTI Stakeholders1 to voice concerns about national FiTI implementation:
- Non-compliance with the FiTI Standard: Concerns among National FiTI Stakeholders may arise from actual or perceived activities that demonstrate an egregious and blatant disregards of the FiTI Standard (and its accompanying Guidance Notes), or even more broadly against the FiTI Principles or the spirit of the initiative. This relates in particular to the following two aspects:
- Ad-hoc restrictions on the participation of a FiTI stakeholder group or its representatives,
- Wilfully providing misinformation and/or wilfully withholding or destroying information required for FiTI implementation.
- Misconduct of stakeholders: Concerns may arise from actual or perceived misconduct by those stakeholders that participate in the national FiTI implementation process. Such conduct – demonstrating a disregard to FiTI’s Code of Conduct2 is or could compromise FiTI’s national and international reputation. The Code of Conduct covers three areas of good conduct – Respectful conduct, Ethical conduct, and Professional conduct – with several detailed requirements for each area, such as refraining from corruption, avoiding conflicts of interest, responsible use of resources, etc.
Such concerns regarding stakeholder engagements can arise at the beginning of the national FiTI implementation process (e.g. during the establishment of the National MSG) but may also occur throughout the regular reporting and verification processes.
Raising concerns at the national level
Concerns from National FiTI Stakeholders about the FiTI implementation process—whether related to non-compliance with the FiTI Standard or misconduct by relevant stakeholders—should first be raised at the national level. Depending on their role in the national FiTI implementation process, stakeholders should choose their appropriate contact point as described in the following table:
| Position / Role | Contact point(s) for voicing concerns | |
|---|---|---|
| Non-MSG Member | -> | MSG Member of own stakeholder group |
| MSG Member | -> | Chair of the National MSG |
| Staff of FiTI National Secretariat | -> | Head of FiTI National Secretariat |
| Head of FiTI National Secretariat | -> | Chair of the National MSG |
| Chair of the National MSG | -> | FiTI National Lead |
In countries where the Chair of the National MSG and the FiTI National Lead are not the same person, concerns that could not be resolved by the Chair of the National MSG might then be further escalated to the FiTI National Lead.
In case a concern of a National FiTI Stakeholder is not being satisfactorily resolved by their immediate contact point, or where the stakeholder is not comfortable raising such a concern with that contact point, the National FiTI Stakeholder should raise her/his concern to the next contact point(s) of the above shown hierarchy, if applicable.
Raising concerns at the international level
Only those issues that could not be addressed by the Chair of the National MSG/FiTI National Lead, or where a National FiTI Stakeholder is not comfortable raising a concern at the national level, such concerns should be addressed to the FiTI Compliance Channel.
Reasons that impede a local submission refer to situations where stakeholders may feel uncomfortable or even unable to voice their concern at the local level due to anticipated or even experienced negative consequences, such as occupational, legal, financial, socioemotional, or other effects (e.g. physical health). This could include:
- Concerns relating directly to the involvement of key national stakeholders in the national FiTI implementation, in particular the FiTI National Lead or the Chair of the National MSG.
- Concerns that do not relate to the involvement of other key national FiTI Stakeholders, but the general environment in the country i.e. due to non-existent or poor anti-retaliation mechanism may discourage stakeholders from voicing concerns (e.g., fear of information being leaked to others outside of the National MSG).
If a concern fits the criteria described above, such a concern may be submitted to compliance[@]fiti[dot]org.
Kindly note that only good-faith and legitimate concerns of actual or perceived non-compliance with the FiTI Standard, breaches of the FiTI Principles, or stakeholder misconduct may be submitted to this Compliance Channel. Misuse of the channel through willfully false or malicious allegations may itself constitute a case of non-compliance with the FiTI Standard, its Principles, and/or with the FiTI Code of Conduct, and may result in corresponding actions.
- In accordance with section E.2.2 of the FiTI Standard, the term ‘stakeholder’ in the national context refers to representatives from the three stakeholder groups (government, business and civil society), including but not limited to members of the National MSG. Therefore, the following stakeholders are subsumed under the term ‘National FiTI Stakeholders’: FiTI National Leads; Members of FiTI National MSGs, including the group’s Chair as well as alternates and observers (if applicable); Employees, advisors and sub-contractors of FiTI National Secretariats; and other relevant national and international stakeholders or representatives related to a national FiTI implementation process. ↩︎
- The Code of Conduct covers three areas of good conduct – Respectful conduct, Ethical conduct, Professional conduct – with several detailed requirements for each area, such as refraining from corruption, avoiding conflict of interests, responsible use of resources etc. It is important to emphasise that the Code of Conduct relates primarily to stakeholder conduct within the scope of their FiTI-related activities. Therefore, misconduct outside of these activities may be treated differently, unless otherwise agreed by the National MSG. ↩︎