Whistleblowing system, list of Compliance Officers and protection of whistleblowers

 

1/ Avignon University SIGNAL SYSTEM

Victims or witnesses, go to https://alert.univ-avignon.fr
You can report incidents of violence and discrimination, or breaches of professional ethics, secularism or scientific integrity, etc. (anonymously, if you wish) ...
... and be directed to the most appropriate resource people for your situation

 

List of Avignon University resource persons :

Sexual and gender-based violence ( VSS" ): The reporting platform of Avignon University allows you to make reports and exchange information securely (and anonymously, if you wish) with the VSS referents and in connection with theAMAV84An association based in Avignon that specialises in supporting victims, and partners with the university to provide victims with legal and social support.
If you need to talk, call 116 006, the national Victim Support number, available 7 days a week: a victim support professional will be there to listen to you and advise you directly.
If you would like to find out more or discuss the subject of ill-being and violence, you can consult theThe university intranet (eDocs) also contact the VSS referees at the following generic address: vss@univ-avignon.fr.

Gender equality and other forms of discrimination (?) The reporting platform d'Avignon Université can also be used to report cases of non-compliance with equal rights for men and women. If you would like to discuss this issue, you can also contact the Equality and Discrimination Officer at the following generic address: drh-qvt@univ-avignon.fr.

Ethics Avignon Université's ethics officer is Martine Le Friant and her e-mail address is referent-deontologue@univ-avignon.fr but if you want a follow-up, the best thing to do is contact her via the reporting platform : signalling.univ-avignon.fr. Permanent and probationary staff, as well as public and private-sector contract employees, can contact the ethics officer to discuss issues of dignity, impartiality, integrity, probity, obedience to hierarchical authority, professional secrecy and discretion, and the duty to act in a reserved manner. The ethics officer "cadvises the chairman on compliance with the ethical obligations and principles defined by the laws of 13/7/1983 and 20/4/2016 "

Secularism : Avignon Université's secular referent is Michaël Bardin. Please contact him at signalling.univ-avignon.fr. If you have any questions about secularism : referent-laicite@univ-avignon.fr
It is responsible for providing all public servants, casual workers and students who so request with useful advice on compliance with the principles of secularism in the civil service. Its mission is to " to advise and assist the Chairman in implementing the principle of secularism, in particular by analysing and responding to his requests concerning individual situations or questions of a general nature ; Raise staff awareness of the principle of secularism and disseminate information about this principle within departments; Monitor the legislation and regulations relating to this principle". (cf. Decree 2021-1802 of 23/12/2021 on the secular referent in the civil service)

Scientific integrity Avignon Université's scientific integrity officer is Fabrice Lefevre. Please contact him at signalling.univ-avignon.fr. If you have any questions about scientific integrity : referent-integrite-scientifique@univ-avignon.fr. It listens to members of the scientific community on all issues concerning ethics and scientific integrity. Its functions are defined in the circular letter issued by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research on 15 March 2017 : - " implement a scientific integrity policy that includes awareness-raising, training, prevention and monitoring for all research professions and staff + to put in place transparent and accessible mechanisms for listening to members of the institution's scientific community on all issues relating to ethics and scientific integrity + keep abreast of changes in regulations relating to ethical issues and the integrity of scientific practices + assist the President of the University and the Vice-President for Research in all matters concerning scientific integrity".

Data protection The Data Protection Officer (DPO) is Thierry Valet. dpo@univ-avignon.fr. It ensures compliance in the management of personal data: data must not be damaged or lost, its integrity must not be compromised and it must not be accessible to outsiders.

University ombudsman Avignon University's mediator is Jean-Yves Borel
jean-yves.borel@univ-avignon.fr. Its role is to help resolve situations that are likely to undermine fairness or respect for rights and freedoms within the institution, whether these situations concern Researchers, Teachers, Staff, Students or the institution as a whole. Its role is to " To receive and investigate any situation of conflict or which is simply abnormal between members of the community (excluding purely private situations or between structures within the establishment), which presents a danger to the individuals concerned or to the establishment. Suggest a way of resolving the conflict, proposing solutions that comply with the law and are based on fairness. Formulate recommendations to avoid the recurrence of such situations. "

Conflict mediation Clarisse Vermès is the Conflicts Mediator at the University of Avignon clarisse.vermes@univ-avignon.fr . She assists employees who are in conflict (open or latent: no longer speaking to each other, for example), but who want to overcome the situation together to continue working together or at least reduce the emotional impact of the conflict so that they can rediscover better working conditions, greater peace of mind and well-being.

 

2/ Protection for whistleblowers

The whistleblower referent's role is to " To receive and investigate, in complete independence, reports from staff of the establishment of acts committed in clear breach of the law and causing serious harm to the general interest, in application of the law of 9/12/2016 "

His e-mail address is : referent-alerte@univ-avignon.fr

Device set up according to the obligations prescribed by

- Law 2016-1691 of 9 December 2016 on transparency, the fight against corruption and the modernisation of economic life;

- Decree no. 2017-564 of 19 April 2017 on procedures for collecting whistleblower reports from legal entities governed by public or private law or State administrations;

- the order of 3 December 2018 on the procedure for collecting whistleblowers' reports within the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

In a nutshell:

You have witnessed serious incidents in your professional environment. You can report them to the University's alert referent without fear of reprisals and disclosure of your identity,

 

provided that :

  • Meet the definition of a whistleblower,
  • Follow the reporting procedure,
  • Disclose only the information necessary to process the alert.

 

 

THE WHISTLEBLOWER

Any natural person, public employee (permanent or trainee civil servant, contract employee, apprentice), permanent or occasional external collaborator (temporary administrative or teaching staff, service providers) who :

  • acts in a selfless manner;
  • is acting in good faith;
  • had personal knowledge of the facts.

 

THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE FACTS

The gravity of the facts reported is an essential condition for the admissibility of the alert

Examples: threats or serious harm to the public interest, crimes and offences such as aggravated theft, rape, torture, assault, fraud, corruption, misappropriation of company assets, breach of trust, illegal taking of an interest, moral or sexual harassment, discrimination, etc.).

Only you can assess the seriousness of the facts you are going to report.

For matters not covered by this scheme, your other contacts at Avignon Université are :

You can also contact the Human Rights Defender : https://www.defenseurdesdroits.fr/fr/saisir/delegues#84

 

THE PROCEDURE

  1. Obligation to contact the University's warning officer or your line manager.
  2. Alert only by post.
  3. Double envelope system :

First envelope (outer envelope), marked "personal and confidential" and the address of the referee: Ms Christina Koumpli - Alert Referent, Avignon University, 74 Rue Louis Pasteur, 84029 Avignon France.

Second envelope (inner envelope) includes: On the first exchange, the words "alert pursuant to the Act of 9 December 2016" and the date of transmission;

For other exchanges, the file number communicated.

  1. You provide information and documents to support the report and your personal knowledge of the facts.
  2. You indicate your identity, non-business address and post office box.
  3. If you wish to remain anonymous, the alert will be handled under stricter conditions (v. charter).

 

PROTECTION

As a result of your report :

  • You cannot be dismissed, punished or discriminated against directly or indirectly (nullity of retaliation);
  • You will benefit from a reduced burden of proof and reinstatement;
  • You are not criminally liable for disclosing a secret protected by law (professional secrecy);
  • Disclosure of your identity without your consent, except to a judicial authority, is punishable by law;
  • You benefit from all your rights relating to the protection of personal data;
  • Preventing you from making your report, as well as suing you for defamation, are actions that are punishable by law.

 

In case of abusive reporting, or reporting with intent to harm, or constituting a criminal offence (e.g. defamation), the reporter is no longer protected: you may be held civilly liable and also subject to disciplinary sanctions and legal proceedings.

 

 

THE REFERENT ALERT

  • Guarantees your confidentiality throughout the procedure and until its closure (except in the case of abusive reporting, see above);
  • Acknowledge receipt of your notification ;
  • Specifies the processing time, taking into account the content of the alert;
  • May request additional evidence (the processing period begins as soon as the evidence is received);
  • Assess the seriousness of the alert and inform you of its admissibility (or inadmissibility), the action that will be taken (internal management or, where necessary, referral to an external authority or administration) and the processing times;
  • Record the processing operation in the register of alerts set up in accordance with the law on the protection of personal data;
  • Informs you of the progress made on your case by the administration or authority mentioned above;
  • Closes the alert and destroys the data relating to it (except in the case of abusive alerts).

Mis à jour le 17 May 2024