Procedure for reporting suspected misconduct
That is why we facilitate that employees and students can safely express suspicions of possible illegal or immoral practices that take place under the responsibility of the Open Universiteit and where a major public interest or institutional interest is at stake.
The Sectoral Regulation on Reporting Suspected Misconduct Dutch Universities offers legal protection to affected employees and students and also to 'any natural person who reports or discloses a suspicion of abuse in the context of his work-related activities'. This means that persons who carry out activities for the Open Universiteit on other grounds, such as self-employed persons, volunteers, trainees, applicants, contractors and suppliers, can also report a suspicion of a wrongdoing at the Open Universiteit.
In order to ensure a fully independent and expert investigation, the Open Universiteit has decided to leave the receipt, the secretariat and the substantive handling of a report to the independent Committee on Suspected Misconduct of the CAOP (Foundation Centre for Employment Relations Public Employees).
Background
The Dutch universities attach to the implementation of a good and coherent integrity policy and, as part of this, to a proper procedure for reporting a suspicion of wrongdoing in view of the Whistleblower Protection Act and the EU Directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of EU law (Directive EU 2019/1937), which aim to improve the possibilities for reporting a suspicion of wrongdoing with a social interest and to better protect the reporting person against harm. That is why, as of 1 January 2025, the Sectoral Regulation on Reporting Suspected Misconduct of Dutch Universities has been adopted. The regulation is part of the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO-NU) as laid down in Article J.6 of the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO-NU) and applies to all universities and the collective labour agreement followers.
There is a misconduct under the Sectoral Regulation when:
- there is a danger to public health,
- is a danger to the safety of persons,
- is a threat to the environment.
Do you suspect a impropriety?
You can always speak without obligation and confidentially with the Point of contact Social Safety via meldpunt-socialeveiligheid@ou.nl. Social safety gives you information and non-content advice about possible next steps and can refer you. If you want to submit a report immediately, you can do so directly to the CAOP Foundation.
Do you want to report a impropriety?
This can be done, confidentially and directly, at the CAOP's independent committee:
integriteit@caop.nl.
After receiving the notification to the CAOP, the following steps are followed:
- The Secretary of the CAOP shall establish and consult the independent Commission. Subsequently, the procedure of the Sectoral Arrangement is followed.
- The Commission shall inform the Executive Board of the Open Universiteit of the receipt of the notification.
- The Commission assesses and decides on the basis of the Sectoral Arrangement whether to deal with a notification.
- If the Commission considers the report, it will then issue an opinion to the Executive Board.
- The Executive Board takes a position.
Members of the CAOP Independent Committee:
- Mr J.M. (Hans) Groot, Chairman
- Mr J.P. (Jan) de Jong, Member and Deputy Chair
- Drs. F.E. (Febe) Deug MMC, Member and Deputy Chair
- Dr. L.M. (Laurens) Raijmakers, member
- Prof. Dr. L.(Leonie) Heres, member
- Mr. A.M. (Loes) Wevers, Member
- M.A. (Marjolein) van Dijk-Roep MSc, member
- Mr. drs. M.H. (Marleen) Houpt, member
Requesting information about reporting a suspected wrongdoing, or reporting a suspected wrongdoing, can, in addition to the procedure described here, always be done via the House for Whistleblowers.