1. Purpose
Stacksolver UK Limited ("Stacksolver", "we", "us", "our") is committed to the highest standards of openness, integrity and accountability. This Policy provides a framework for any person — whether a member of our team, a subcontractor, a supplier, a client or any other interested party — to raise concerns about wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.
This Policy is informed by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 ("PIDA") and aligned with UK corporate governance practice.
2. What this Policy Covers
This Policy applies to concerns about criminal activity (including fraud, corruption, bribery or theft), modern slavery or human trafficking, breaches of legal or regulatory obligations, risks to health, safety or welfare, damage to the environment, improper or unethical conduct (including discrimination, harassment or bullying), unauthorised use of our funds, data or assets, and the deliberate concealment of any of the above.
This Policy is not intended for personal grievances about employment terms, line management or interpersonal disputes — those should be raised through normal grievance channels.
3. How to Raise a Concern
Concerns may be raised:
- By email to office@stacksolveruk.com, marking the subject line "CONFIDENTIAL — SPEAK UP".
- By post in a sealed envelope marked "PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL — DIRECTOR" addressed to: Stacksolver UK Limited, 215 Ditchling Road, Brighton, BN1 6JD.
You are encouraged to identify yourself when raising a concern, as this allows us to investigate more effectively and to keep you informed. However, anonymous concerns will also be considered.
4. Confidentiality
We will treat your concern in confidence to the fullest extent reasonably possible. Your identity will not be disclosed without your consent unless we are required to do so by law or unless disclosure is necessary to investigate the concern and we have given you prior notice.
5. Protection from Retaliation
Anyone who raises a concern in good faith under this Policy is protected from retaliation, victimisation, harassment or detriment of any kind. We treat any act of retaliation as a serious matter that may itself be subject to disciplinary action or termination of contract.
This protection applies even if the concern proves to be unfounded, provided it was raised honestly and in good faith. Knowingly false or malicious reports are not protected.
6. Investigation Process
When a concern is received, we will acknowledge receipt within five working days (where the reporter is identifiable), conduct an initial review, decide on the appropriate investigation pathway, maintain confidentiality on a need-to-know basis, and where reasonably possible provide the reporter with feedback on the outcome subject to legal and confidentiality constraints.
The Director responsible for compliance will oversee the process. Where the concern relates to a Director, the matter will be escalated to the other Director or to an external advisor independent of the subject of the concern.
7. External Channels
If you believe your concern has not been adequately addressed internally, or if you do not feel comfortable raising it with us, you may contact a "prescribed person" under PIDA. The relevant prescribed person depends on the nature of the concern (ICO for data protection breaches, HSE for health and safety, HMRC for tax fraud, FCA for financial misconduct, Action Fraud for criminal fraud, etc.).
A full list is available at https://www.gov.uk/whistleblowing. You may also seek free, independent advice from Protect, the UK's whistleblowing charity, at https://protect-advice.org.uk.
8. Records
We keep records of concerns raised, the investigations conducted and the outcomes — for the purposes of compliance, learning and accountability. Records are stored securely and in accordance with our data retention policies.
9. Governance
This Policy is owned by the Directors of Stacksolver UK Limited and reviewed annually.