Principles and guidelines

Responsibility for addressing grievances at UNESCO is shared between the Investigation Section of IOS, the Ethics Office, the Bureau of Human Resources Management and the Office of the Mediator. 

The Investigation Office is the focal point for reporting allegations of irregularities (corruption, fraud, embezzlement, abuse of assets and waste, violation of laws and regulations). It is the sole unit responsible for investigating staff misconduct.

Investigations are opened upon instructions from the Director-General. Investigation work is undertaken in accordance with the relevant UNESCO rules and regulations, the Principles and Guidelines for Investigations adopted by the Conference of International Investigators, and the professional standards of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). These include strict confidentiality of all investigations, especially regarding the identity of whistleblowers and informants.