Policy Statement

Safety & Health Policy Statement

To fulfill its mandate, Auditors Guild Limited is committed to providing a healthy and safe working environment for all those involved with its activities including workers, suppliers, volunteers and all others working in or visiting our places of work.

Thus, Auditors Guild Limited strives to engage in effective co-ordination, cooperation and consultation, with all those working with and for us. Auditors Guild Limited will therefore:

• Comply with relevant legislation, regulations, codes of practice, and industry standards;
• Commit our people, at all levels, to be responsible and accountable for the health, wellbeing, and safety of themselves and others;
• Establish, encourage, and support consultation and participation between managers and workers and their representatives in all matters relating to health and safety;
• Ensure that appropriate resources and processes are in place to effectively identify, manage and monitor health and safety risks including the effective communication of risk.
• Establish, review, and continuously improve the Health and Safety Framework and its systems to manage health and safety in the workplace — including adopting applicable good practice standards and setting and measuring targets;
• Report, record, and investigate all incidents including: work-related ill health, injury, or discomfort, property damage, unsafe behaviors or conditions, and implement corrective actions;
• Ensure our suppliers and their workers have the capability and are competent or are supervised by a competent person and provide appropriate and timely training to ensure ongoing competence;
• Ensure workers are trained and equipped to deal safely with situations that may arise out of the work they are doing, or while they are at work;
• Promote and actively lead wellbeing initiatives at Auditors Guild to ensure a healthy and safe workplace and to encourage balanced lifestyle choices; and
• Ensure effective treatment and rehabilitation of any injured employee, student or visitor to ensure an early and lasting return to work;

Through the above we will achieve a culture of zero harm and continue to build and foster a positive culture of excellence in health and safety.

Auditors Guild Limited’s Data Protection policy indicates that we are dedicated to and responsible for processing the information of our customers, stakeholders, employees, students and other interested parties with absolute caution and confidentiality. This policy describes how we collect, store, handle and secure our data fairly, transparently, and with confidentiality.

This policy ensures that Auditors Guild Limited follows good practices to protect the data gathered from its customers, students, employees, and stakeholders. The rules outlined in this document apply regardless of whether the data is stored electronically, on paper or on any other storage device.

Policy Elements

As a key part of our operations, we gather and process any information or data that makes an individual identifiable such as full name, physical address, email address, photographs, etc. This information is collected only with the full cooperation and knowledge of interested parties. Once this information is available to us, the following rules apply to our company.

Our data will:

• Be precise and consistently updated;
• Is collected legitimately and with a clearly stated purpose;
• Be processed by the company in line with its legal and ethical binds;
• Have protection measure that protects it from any unauthorized or illegal access occurring by internal or external parties.

 Our data will NOT:

• Be communicated informally;
• Exceed the specified amount of time stored;
  • Therefore, personal data of students, employees, customers, and affiliates who no longer use Auditors Guild Limited services will be archived for 3 years and deleted afterwards;
• Be transferred to organizations, states or countries that do not acquire proper data protection policies;
• Be spread to any party unless approved by the data’s owner (except for the legitimate requests demanded from law enforcement authorities).

MANAGEMENT OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Preparation for meetings and events

1. Central Government and local authority guidelines shall be sought in organizing meetings and events.
2. Other avenues shall be considered to determine necessity of the meeting or event and if it can be replaced by teleconference or online event.
3. If the meeting or event is needed, consideration shall be made to scale down the number of attendees.
4. Information and communication channels with key partner such as public health and health care authorities shall be made in advance.
5. Sufficient supplies of sanitizers, hand washing facilities and surgical face masks shall be made available.
6. Attendees shall be advised in advance that they should not attend if they have even a mild cough or low-grade fever (37.3 C or more) or if they has taken simple medications, such as paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin, which may mask symptoms of infection
7. All organizers, participants, caterers and visitors at the event or meeting shall provide contact details: mobile telephone number, email and address where they are staying. They shall be informed clearly that their details will be shared with local public health authorities if any participant becomes ill with a suspected infectious disease. Anyone who does not agree to this cannot attend the event or meeting.
8. A response plan shall be developed in case someone at the meeting or event becomes ill with symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, fever, malaise). The plan shall include:
   1. An identified room or area where someone who is feeling unwell or has symptoms can be safely isolated
   2. Transfer plan of someone who is feeling unwell to the identified health facility.
   3. Action to be taken if a meeting participant, staff member or service provider tests positive for COVID-19during or just after the meeting.
   4. Have arrangements with a hospital to handle emergency cases.

Holding a meeting or event

1. All meetings shall start with a briefing orally or in writing, on COVID-19 and the measures that have been taken to ensure peoples safety.
2. All attendees shall be encouraged to wash hands or sanitize their hands.
3. All attendees shall be encouraged to cover the face with the bend of their elbow or use a disposable tissue towel.
4. All attendees shall be shown closed bins provided for disposal of used masks and tissue towels.
5. Dispensers of alcohol-based sanitizers or hand washing facilities shall be displayed prominently around the venue.
6. Seating arrangement shall be made in a way to ensure participants maintain not less than 1-meter distance from each other.
7. Doors and windows shall be kept open to ensure proper ventilation.
8. If anyone feels unwell:
   1. Government provided procedures shall be followed.
   2. Depending on recent travel of the participant or COVID-19 situation in the community, the person shall be kept in the isolation room.
   3. The person shall be referred to the designated assessment facility.

Post-meeting

1. Names and contact details of all attendees and service providers shall be retained for at least 1 month.
2. If someone at the meeting or event was isolated as a suspected COVID-19 case, all participants shall be informed and advised to monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days.
3. If anyone develops even a mild cough or low-grade fever (i.e. a temperature of 37.3 C or more) they should stay at home and self-isolate. This means avoiding close contact (1 meter or nearer) with other people, including family members. They should also telephone their healthcare provider or the local public health department, giving them details of their recent travel and symptoms.
4. All surfaces shall be cleaned with a disinfectant.

TRAVEL PROCEDURES

Pre-travel procedures

1. The organization and employees shall have the latest information on areas where COVID-19 is spreading.
2. Government (Central and Local) guidelines shall be considered and adhered to.
3. Risk assessment shall out to assess the need, benefits and risks related to upcoming travel plans.
4. Employees who may be at higher risk of serious illness (e.g. older employees and those with medical conditions such as diabetes, heart and lung disease), shall be discouraged from travelling.
5. Persons travelling to locations reporting COVID-19 shall be briefed by a qualified health and safety professional.
6. Persons travelling shall be issued with surgical face masks and alcohol-based sanitizers in quantities not more than 1 litre.
7. Emergency contacts for the areas of travel shall be sought.
8. Communication procedures between persons travelling and designated company contact person shall be confirmed prior to travel.
9. A response plan shall be developed in case someone travelling becomes ill with symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, fever, malaise). The plan shall include:
   1. An identified health facility where someone who is feeling unwell or has symptoms can be safely isolated
   2. Transfer plan of someone who is feeling unwell to the identified health facility.
   3. Action to be taken if a person travelling tests positive for COVID-19 during or just after travel.
   4. Have arrangements with an ambulance service provider and hospital to handle emergency cases.

During Travel

1. Employees are encouraged to wash hands or sanitize hands regularly and maintain 1 meter social distance.
2. Employees travelling shall be briefed on emergency contacts and communication procedures if they feel ill while travelling.
3. Employees travelling shall comply with instructions from local authorities where they are travelling.
4. Employees travelling shall keep track of their travel contacts to include eateries, sanitation facilities and accommodation facilities.
5. Employees travelling shall desist from unnecessary contact with other persons during their travel.

Post Travel

1. Employees who have returned from an area where COVID-19 is spreading should monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days and take their temperature twice a day.
2. If those who travelled develop even a mild cough or low grade fever (i.e. a temperature of 37.3 C or more) they should stay at home and self-isolate. This means avoiding close contact (1 meter or nearer) with other people, including family members. They should also telephone their healthcare provider or the local public health department, giving them details of their recent travel and symptoms.

Purpose of Student Complaint Policy

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all complaints aimed at the services provided by Auditors Guild Limited, its operations or its personnel are correctly recorded and investigated and that, where appropriate, corrective action is taken.

 Scope

This policy is applicable and will be followed in aspects of all complaints made to Auditors Guild Limited. All complaints however small are to be forwarded to the undersigned by the most appropriate means depending on the severity below:

Minor Complaints that can be rectified by the instructor/invigilator

Students are highly encouraged to consult their supervisors. However, complaints raised through alternative mechanism the student will be contacted in order to establish what the complaint is. Students are highly encouraged to raise their complaints at the end of the course to ensure that their complaints are adequately handled. Minor complaints would include aspects such as training venue, areas not adequately trained among others.

Major Complaints.

Major complaints are those that the supervisor/trainer is unable to rectify. These types of complaints should be raised immediately to the concerned person of higher authority either verbally or in writing.

Internal Complaints

Auditors Guild Limited will use internal mechanism to resolve areas that have been deemed as unsatisfactory by the student. The will be done through direct consultation with the supervisor or immediate management. The complainant has the rights to record the issue as a complaint if it recurs frequently or has not been resolved in totality.

***NOTE: This complaint handling policy is not for internal personal/professional matters, but purely for students. All other complaints should be handled through respective internal channels/ management.

Internal Improvement

All members of staff are asked to report any ideas for improvement during any face to face or formal meeting to support continuous improvement within the company to allow Auditors Guild Limited to continue to maintain the service of quality.

 Method

Auditors Guild Limited shall maintain a “Complaints Register and Conflicts Log” which is under the control of the undersigned, in which the following information is recorded:

1. The date of the complaint,
2. The name and organization of the complainant.
3. The nature of the complaint.
4. Any corrective action agreed.
5. The date when the corrective action is completed.

In this regard corrective action will include sufficient investigation of the activity implicated to ensure the remedy addresses the cause as well as symptom.

Complain Resolution Timelines

Escalation

Considering that Auditors Guild Limited represents a number of Awarding Bodies whom it is obligated to comply with their various requirements and escalation plans, Auditors Guild Limited will therefore ensure that each student is adequately advised and informed about the procedures and policies.

Responsibility

The undersigned organization is responsible for ensuring that the Complaints Register is correctly maintained and that the corrective actions are closed out at the appropriate time. As long as there are complaints or appeals that have not been closed out yet, the issue will continue to be raised at the regular management meetings.

This policy sets out Auditors Guild Limited’s approach to equality, diversity and disability. Auditors Guild Limited is committed to promoting equality, diversity and disability as well as promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognizes that people from different backgrounds, experiences and disabilities can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work.

Auditors Guild Limited aims to be an inclusive organization, committed to providing equal opportunities throughout employment including in the recruitment, training and development of employees or students, and to pro-actively tackling and eliminating discrimination.

Equality, diversity and disability at Auditors Guild Limited

At Auditors Guild Limited, we consider that equality means breaking down barriers, eliminating discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities and access for all groups both in employment, and to goods and services.

Thus, Auditors Guild carefully considers diversity as a mean celebrating difference and valuing everyone. As a philosophy, each person is an individual with visible and non-visible differences and by respecting this everyone can feel valued for their contributions which is beneficial not only for the individual but for Auditors Guild Limited as well.

Auditors Guild Limited acknowledges that equality, diversity and disability are not inter-changeable but inter-dependent. Therefore, there can be no equality of opportunity if difference is not valued and harnessed. 

Scope

The rights and obligations set out in this policy apply equally to all students and employees, whether part time or full time on a substantive or fixed-term contract, and also to associated persons such as seconded staff, agency staff, contractors and others employed under a contract of service.

Auditors Guild Limited recognizes that everyone associated with the organization has personal responsibility for the application of this policy. As part of employee and student induction, it is expected that the policy should be read and familiarized ensuring that this policy is properly observed and fully complied with and to.

Users

This policy is also of particular relevance and applicable to directors, managers, other employees and students concerned with recruitment, training and promotion procedures and employment decisions which affect others.

Auditors Guild Limited commitment

Auditors Guild Limited is committed to ensuring that every employee and student is entitled to an environment that promotes dignity, equality and respect for all. As such, Auditors Guild Limited will not tolerate any acts of unlawful or unfair discrimination (including harassment) committed against an employee, student, contractor, job applicant or visitor because of a protected characteristic:

• Sex;
• Marriage and Civil Partnership;
• Pregnancy and Maternity;
• Race (Including Ethnic Origin, Color, Nationality and National Origin);
• Disability;
• Sexual Orientation;
• Religion and or Belief; and
• Age

Auditors Guild shall not allow for the discrimination on the basis of work pattern (part-time working, fixed term contract, flexible working) which is unjustifiable will also not be tolerated.

All employees and students will be encouraged to develop their skills and fulfill their potential and to take advantage of training, development and progression opportunities at Auditors Guild. Selection for employment, promotion, training, or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability.

No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated. If you believe that you may have suffered discrimination because of any of the above protected characteristics, you should consider the appropriateness and feasibility of attempted informal resolution by discussion in the first instance with your line manager or another colleague in a relevant position of seniority.

Allegations regarding potential breaches of this policy will be treated in confidence and investigated in accordance with the appropriate procedure. Auditors Guild will ensure that individuals who make such allegations in good faith will not be victimized or treated less favorably by Auditors Guild as a result. However, false allegations of a breach of this policy which are found to have been made in bad faith will be dealt with in accordance to the rules of the organization.

At Auditors Guild, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and ethical environment for all our employees, students, stakeholders, and partners. Our policies are designed to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and compliance.

If you have any questions, require further clarification, or need to report a concern, please do not hesitate to contact us:

 Email: info@auditorsguild.org
 Phone: +254 706 173 733
 Office: Senior Staff, Off Mombasa Road, Kenya.