FH Ethiopia community system for

accountability and feedback (C-SAFE)

standard operating procedures (SOPs)

Prepared by:
Eseynesh Getu
LSCB Officer and
C-SAFE Focal Person
Tach Gayint

PReSERVE-
REFSA
FH Ethiopia Community System for Accountability and Feedback (C-SAFE) Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

C-SAFE is
The Community System for Accountability and Feedback (C-SAFE) was developed as part of Food for the Hungary's (FH)
global commitment to accountability to vulnerable populations for the prevention of all forms of exploitation and
abuse, and a response to upholding the Heartbeat values and culture.
What is C-SAFE?
C-SAFE is a channel for any and all
community members to provide
feedback, suggestions, complaints, and
concerns, in a manner that is safe,
confidential, transparent, and
accessible.
Purpose of SOP(Standard Operating Procedure)
This document is prepared in line with the required SOP template for C-SAFE at FH with the following purposes:
- Ensure a consistent approach to C-SAFE across locations and programs
- Outline flow of C-SAFE feedback data from reception to resolution (collect, grade, tack action and close)
-Help hold staff accountable for their responsibilities in C-SAFE and in their solutions to affected populations
- The purposes also include C-SAFE's significance in ensuring program quality and upholding FH's Heart Beat/Values.
 SOP Contents

> C-SAFE in Ethiopia

> C-SAFE workflow
> Collecting feedback
> Logging and grading feedback
> Taking appropriate action
> Closing the feedback loop
> Annexes, including:
- MEL for C-SAFE
- Roles and responsibilities
C-SAFE WORKFLOW

An effective C-SAFE will enable FH Ethiopia to practice adaptive management

 Collecting Feedback
Every program will have at least 5 feedback channels. Feedback
channels are determined through community engagement

1. Face to face
2. By community Ambassadors
3. Suggestion box
4. Through phone
5. By community accountability committee
Note: Most Countries (or equivalent) will have several feedback
channels that can by nature be country-level, such as a hotline,
email address, etc. These country-level feedback channels can
be selected as the second and third feedback channels.
Community accountability
committee

Committees are composed of local

community members who are
authorized to receive and document
feedback. Committees will be trained on
FH’s C-SAFE process and how to
properly document and report feedback.
 Cont.……CAC
The feedback collected by the Community
Accountability Committee (CAC) will be
shared to C-SAFE officers on a weekly
basis through the focal person. They can
use any available channel, among which
may be:
 Hotline
The phone number can be reached
via phone call or SMS. The C-
SAFE officer is responsible for
answering this phone.
 Help desk Distribution event
Only
A help desk will be set up at distribution
events to receive, document, and respond
to feedback from community members. At
least 5 community members (3 female, two
male) from community members will
comprise the help desk.
 Suggestion Box
Every suggestion box has a lock, and only
the C-SAFE officer will have the key. The
project will solicit community feedback on
box locations. The boxes will be collected
biweekly by program teams. In all the
locations where the suggestion boxes are
located, the C-SAFE FP will travel to and
open it with designated people. Once the
documents are collected, it will be returned
to its place.
 Community accountability
ambassador(CAA)
The CAC and the C-SAFE FPs engage with
community members to identify who the most
trusted members of the community are.
There are both male and female ambassadors
included
Community Accountability Ambassadors authorized
to receive and document feedback. Feedback will
be documented by each community ambassador
and shared with the C-SAFE officer on a weekly
basis by phone call/email/in-person collection of
documented feedback.
 Face to Face
All staff can receive in-person feedback
from community members; all
feedback will be documented and
shared with the C-SAFE officer for
entry into the C-SAFE database or
Ethics Point.
 Collecting Feedback
• What concerns and issues program participants should
provide feedback about
ensures participants and staff have the same understanding
about policies, principles, and agreed standards of conduct
activities
• Which words are appropriate to describe the type of
feedback
To avoid misunderstandings, you should identify terms that
are respectful, well understood.
Feedback Channels

• Context appropriate feedback

channels such as SMS, hotline,
telephone number, and email account
are country-level feedback channels
and the responsibility for
operationalizing them does not fall on
one specific program.
Community Ambassadors
• CAC in cooperation with
FPs will identify the
ambassadors
Ambassa • The ambassadors will be
dors will trained
be • Necessary resources for
identified communication for
ambassadors will be made
in the available
communit
ies
 Community meetings

• Frequency and dates of community meetings needs

to be determined
• Necessary resources for meetings will be available
• Existence, place, & purpose of meeting will be
advertised
Suggestion Boxes
• Boxes will be purchased
• Appropriate locations for boxes will be determined
• Prepare and print intake forms for boxes
• Boxes in communities with intake forms installed
• Plan for collecting contents of box and at what
frequency will be established
Mass Messaing Campaign

• All individuals, regardless of gender or

age, can hear information via mass
messaging
COMMUNITY SENSITIZATION

COMMUNITY
SENSITIZATION
 COMMUNITY
SENSITIZATION
To ensure a thorough understanding of C-SAFE
in place and the feedback channels available to
community members, programs and areas of
operation have been use a combination of the
following sensitization activities:
 Community Sensitization

• How FH uses feedback

• Why community members should share their feedback
with FH
• Which feedback channels are available to the
community / how to contact FH
• Which feedback channels allow community members to
submit anonymous feedback
• How FH protects informant confidentiality
• Which feedback channels allow community members to
receive faster responses (i.e. calling the hotline vs. using
a suggestion box)
• That FH will respond to anyone who shares feedback if
they provide their contact information and
• closing the feedback loop
 Sensitization Activities

• A combination of sensitization activities should be used to

address all of the topics listed above, rather than relying
on one channel.
• For example, FH team T-shirts could advertise the hotline
with a short message, while community meetings can
explain how feedback is used.
• Training of community focal points
• Community meetings
• Mass messaging campaign (i.e. radio)
• Advertising on FH visibility materials (i.e. T-shirts and
vests)
• Posters and other printed materials (Information
Education Communication materials - IEC)
• SMS messaging
Partner accountability
 Partner Accountability

• All FH partners even kebele stack holders need to

have a system in place to ensure they remain
accountable to affected populations.
• This checklist can be completed for new partners to
determine whether or not their current system is
• strong enough to adhere to FH's C-SAFE workflow.
• Partners are not required to have a system in
place that is identical to FH's C-SAFE, but they
should be able to adhere to the general workflow,
ensuring there is a way to collect, process, and
respond to feedback.
 FH Partners

• If FH receives feedback that directly relates to FH

partners, FH will provide the contact information
of the appropriate agency to the reporter.

FH will also directly inform the partner of all details

of the feedback received for direct processing and
resolution.
Logging & Grading
Feedback
 C-SAFE DATABASE
●All C-SAFE data will be logged and stored in the C-SAFE database
by. The C=SAFE team. with appropriate data base for each
program.
●Managed by the C-SAFE team, who updates the database on a
daily basis.
● ID will be assigned to each case in the C-SAFE database. As
feedback is processed, it will be referred to by this unique ID and
not the personal identifiable information (PII).
●Grades 5 and 6: PII stored with the Risk Management and
Compliance unit and not in C-SAFE database.
Con’d…..

- A unique ID will be assigned to each case in the C-SAFE database. As feedback is processed, it will be referred to by this unique ID and not the personal identifiable information (PII).
- Grades 5 and 6: PII stored with the Risk Management and Compliance unit and not in C-SAFE database.
WHO CAN ACCESS THE C-SAFE
DATABASE?

●Country C-SAFE Focal Person

●Staff responsible for managing the
data base(Project focal person )
●Donors do NOT have access to the
database
FEEDBACK GRADES
WHY DO ● Ensure all feedback
receives the
WE NEED resources needed to
STANDARD reach an appropriate
solution
FEEDBACK ● Enable C-SAFE data
GRADES? aggregation at
regional and global
levels
WHO CAN ● C=SAFE Team at
different levels
GRADE ● C-SAFE Advisor will
FEEDBACK verify

?
C-SAFE Data

●C-SAFE database is where all feedback

from the program will be logged created.
●All feedback received is classified
according to FH's 6 standard Grades
ensured
 C-SAFE Data Protection

• FH is committed to the protection of

personal data for program participants,
staff, visitors and partners around the
world, including the PII of reporters.
The FH protection and security for program
performance and monitoring data policy
(under development) is also applicable to
C-SAFE data, and has basic, introductory
data protection guidance and suggestions
for countries.
-All feedbacks are confidential
 Confidentiality of data and protocols

Grade 1 The contact information of a reporter can be shared with a Program

Manager (PM) or other relevant staff in order to provide any necessary
Grade 2 information to the reporter and close the case. PII will not be shared
beyond the extent that is absolutely necessary.
Grade 3

For feedback relating to program activities, it should be possible to make

any necessary changes to program activities without knowing the PII of
the reporter. If additional contact with the reporter is necessary in order to
adequately respond to the feedback received, the Program Director (PD)
or Case Management Committee (CMC) should decide the most appropriate
Grade 4
staff member to make contact. The PD/CMC does not need the PII to
make this determination.
For feedback relating to FH staff, the CMC will determine if direct contact
is necessary with the reporter, and who is best placed to receive the PII
and make this contact.
The Risk Management and Compliance (RMC) unit will determine if and
Grade 5
when direct contact with a reporter is necessary, and who from FH will
conduct that contact. The PII of the reporter will be removed from the in-
country C-SAFE database and stored in the database of the RMC unit.
Grade 6 The RMC unit will determine who PII will be shared with, in coordination
 Taking appropriate Action

Taking Appropriate
Action
 TAKING APPROPRIATE
Ste ACTION
All Feedback Received
p
Step C-SAFE team (i.e. FPs receives feedback
1
Step C-SAFE FPs acknowledges receipt of feedback for all
2 feedback that was not submitted anonymously
Step C-SAFE FPs logs feedback in the C-SAFE database
3 and assigns a unique case ID
C-SAFE FPs classifies feedback according to standard 6
Step
Grades. C-SAFE Advisor performs weekly verification of
4
all Grades assigned by C-SAFE FPs .
TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION
Step Grades 1-3 Grade 4 Grades 5 - 6
Step 5 C-SAFE FPs consults C-SAFE FPs informs the C-SAFE FPs immediately reports
program FAQs to find PD and appropriate feedback to EthicsPoint. Do not
appropriate response staff: the PM for include PII in initial communication.
feedback related to Wait for guidance from RMC unit
activities, or HR before sharing any PII.**
Manager for feedback
related to staff
Step 6 If no appropriate FAQ PD and appropriate staff The RMC unit, in collaboration with
is available, C-SAFE gather information the CD, gathers information about
FPs will consult with about the case and the case and determines
program team or determine appropriate appropriate action and response.
relevant department action and response. (Internal Investigation process)
to determine a
response.
Step 7 C-SAFE FPs or C-SAFE FPs shares C-SAFE FPs , or another team
appropriate program response with reporter member recommended by the RMC
team member shares to close the feedback unit, shares response with reporter
response with loop. to close the feedback loop.
reporter to close the
feedback loop.
Step 8 C-SAFE FPs will A brief summary report A report is written by the lead
prepare a bi-weekly is written by the C-SAFE investigator (who is appointed by
feedback list for FPs. the RMC unit).
program team review.
 TAKING APPROPRIATE
Step All GradesACTION
Step The C-SAFE FPs documents the action / response and
9 closes the case in the C-SAFE database.

Step Appeal process: If the reporter or the SOC is not

10 satisfied with the resolution reached, they may file an
appeal within 15 days of receipt of the decision. The
CMC (in consultation with the CD), or the RMC unit for
Grades 5 and 6, will analyze the reasons given and any
new evidence to make a decision on whether or not a
new investigation is justified. An appeal will only be
considered once.
Closing Feedback
 CLOSING THE FEEDBACK
TARGET
CLOSING
LOOP
GRADE TIME FEEDBACK LOOP CLOSED BY
Grade 2 working C-SAFE FP or other appropriate program team
1 days member. IIf the nature of the case results in a PM
Grade 3 working or other team member serving as the point of
2 days contact with the reporter, they will close the
Grade 5 working feedback loop and reporting this action to the C-
3 days SAFE team to update the C-SAFE database.

Grade 10 working C-SAFE FP Responsible team member may vary

4 days from case to case. To be indicated by PD
Grade 20 working C-SAFE FP or another staff, recommended by the
5 days RCM unit, shares response with reporter.
20 working Responsible staff will vary from case to case. If the
Grade days target closing time cannot be met, regular
6 updates will be provided to the reporter with the
guidance of the RMC unit.
GRADES 1-3: FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS

Program Managers (PMs) / staff are responsible for

creating and maintaining program FAQs and giving
them to the C-SAFE team.

FAQs will enable most Grade 1-3 feedback to be

quickly resolved as it’s received, and reduce the
number of questions sent to PMs for response.
Do’s and Donts
DOs and DON’Ts for Collecting Feedback
For Collecting Feedback
• It is key that the people collecting
feedback understand why their work is
important and to respect the community
members talking to them.
• The following DOs and DON’Ts can help
train staff on how to interact with the
community.
 DO’S
• Do come equipped with information on services
that are currently being provided or any upcoming
plans

• Do recognize the differences between men and

women participants (including those that are
abled differently) and accommodate those
dynamics.
• Do respect and acknowledge existing cultural
norms and prepare accordingly.
• Do come equipped with the program participant
targeting criteria and selection process.
• Do clearly explain to community members who you are,
who is FH, and what happens with the feedback that is
collected.
 DO’s contd…
• Do ask for consent to take the person's details (people don’t
have to give personal details such as names, date of birth,
etc.
• If they prefer to stay anonymous, they need to be informed
that this means we cannot get back in touch with them
• directly
Do
and where they will find answers to community
listen carefully to what the person has to say.
feedback).
• Do empathize with the person.
• Do document the feedback thoroughly and ask
follow up questions (think of the questions: What
happened? Who was involved? Where and When
did it happen?).
• Do repeat the feedback back to the person to
ensure you understand the situation and show
them you listened.
 DON’Ts

• Don’t become defensive.

• Don’t push people to give you details they
don’t want to share.
• Don’t argue with the person.
• Don’t be dismissive.
• Don’t blame others.
• Don’t make assumptions without knowing the
facts.
• Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
• Don’t ignore the problem.
• Don’t try to provide a solution for the feedback
by yourself
• Don’t delay in reporting feedback
Reporting
 C-SAFE Monthly Reporting
• This monthly report summarizes the
high-level monthly C-SAFE statistics
for feedback received for the MONTH,
outlining descriptive statistics on
-feedback channels,
-case grades,
-case closure,
-sensitization activities, and
reporter satisfaction.
 Feedback by Grade and Channel
Number and Percentage of C-SAFE Cases by Grades 1-4

# Male % Male # % # Total % of

Female Female Total
Grade 1 # cases % cases # cases % cases # cases % cases

Grade 2 # cases % cases # cases % cases # cases % cases

Grade 3 # cases % cases # cases % cases # cases % cases

Grade 4 # cases % cases # cases % cases # cases % cases

Has any gender group reported more frequently for one

grade-level? For what reasons may this have occurred?
 Reporter Satisfaction
Of reporters who shared their satisfaction information, % who were
satisfied with the process of having their feedback resolved, by
Grade
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4
Very Satisfied % cases % cases % cases % cases
Satisfied % cases % cases % cases % cases
Partly satisfied % cases % cases % cases % cases
Not at all satisfied % cases % cases % cases % cases

Have reporters been dissatisfied with the feedback resolution

process for a certain grade-level? If so, what have some of these
reasons been? What adaptations might increase reporter
satisfaction?
% of Reporters Satisfied with the Process of Having
Their Feedback Resolved, by Sex
Male Female
Very Satisfied % cases % cases
Satisfied % cases % cases
Partly satisfied % cases % cases
Not at all satisfied % cases % cases
Has one gender group reported significantly less satisfaction than
another? What gender-sensitive adaptations might increase reporter
satisfaction?
 Sensitization activity Report

Please list the sensitization activities that were

conducted over the past month:

Reflections and
Recommendations
Please include areas that warrant further discussion
or recommendations based on the results of this
report:
End line
• Necessary C-SAFE questions to end line/PDM survey to
measure C-SAFE indicators added
• Results of C-SAFE questions with C-SAFE team for
analysis and reporting shared
Quality Control
• Complete channel quality control checklists
• Complete program quality assurance self-assessment
• Complete partner accountability checklist
Program Close Out
• Remove suggestion boxes from intervention sites
• Remove C-SAFE sensitization materials installed in
communities (i.e. banners, fliers, etc.)
C-ASFE Check lists: Capacity Building for the Action Plan

● Identify program C-SAFE Focal

PERSONS (FP)
● Train program C-SAFE FP
● Train all program staff
● Develop program FAQs
● Complete the C-SAFE work plan
 Thank You!

For your Smart

Attention