Policy summaries
Philea’s policies are designed to foster a respectful, inclusive, and high-performing work environment. This section provides concise summaries of key organisational policies that all staff should be familiar with. These policies cover essential areas such as communication, confidentiality, travel, learning and development, teleworking, and recuperation time. Understanding and applying these policies consistently will help all staff contribute to a respectful, transparent, and high-performing work environment that reflects Philea’s values of trust, transparency, and wellbeing.
Learning and Development Policy
We believe in continuous growth and development for all employees.
Every year, we design a tailored approach to meet individual and team learning needs, ensuring alignment with business goals and personal career aspirations. For the most up-to-date programs, resources, and opportunities, please contact HR or visit the internal HR portal.
Confidentiality Policy
This policy outlines how Philea protects sensitive information while encouraging knowledge sharing. Annexes provide practical tools for identifying and handling confidential data. It includes:
- Definitions of confidential data (personal, HR, member, organisational)
- Access control via SharePoint confidentiality levels
- Secure storage and disposal procedures
- Guidelines for third-party disclosure
- Breach reporting and mitigation protocols
- Training and awareness initiatives
AI Policy
Philea’s AI Policy promotes a human-centric and ethical approach to AI use across the organisation. Staff must ensure human oversight and disclose AI use in content creation and editing.
It includes:
- Principles of responsible, transparent, and inclusive AI
- Requirements for disclosure statements when using AI tools
- Commitment to data protection, bias awareness, and environmental impact
- Alignment with the EU AI Act and ongoing policy review
“We are open about what we do and how we work. We are eager to learn from both successes and failures, and welcome constructive criticism as an opportunity to continually improve and lead by example.”
Travel and Conference Attendance Policy
This policy governs staff participation in events and travel, ensuring alignment with Philea’s strategy and values. It ensures fair access to learning and representation opportunities while managing costs and wellbeing.
Staff are encouraged to document learnings from events using the Information Capture Form available on the Intranet.
It covers:
- Eligibility and approval for internal and external events
- Environmental considerations and green travel incentives
- Clear expense guidelines for transport, accommodation, and per diem
- Health and safety protocols, including insurance and emergency contracts
- Compensation for travel time and jet lag
Teleworking Policy
This policy outlines flexible teleworking arrangements:
- At least one day per week in the office
- Up to 40% of working time per year allowed for teleworking from abroad
- Insurance coverage extended outside Europe
- Clear approval procedures and calendar updates required
Special conditions for new staff and interns
Recuperation Time Policy
This policy defines time-off in lieu for exceptional out-of-hours work, such as travel or weekend events. It ensures fair recovery time while maintaining a balanced workload.
Key points:
- Recuperation time must be approved by line managers
- Encourages flexible scheduling over formal requests
- Includes a detailed scenario table for common cases (e.g. number of nights abroad, weekend work, participation in the Philea Forum)
- Reinforce Philea’s trust-based culture and commitment to wellbeing
“We believe that everyone should have a voice and equal opportunities. Inclusion and diversity are preconditions for our own organisation, and we will promote these values within the wider European philanthropy sector.”
Health and safety obligations
Philea is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all staff, members, and visitors. Our health and safety obligations are structured around three key pillars. Together, these three frameworks reflect Philea’s holistic approach to health and safety – protecting the physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing of everyone involved in our community.
Safeguarding and Protection from Harm
Philea's Safeguarding Policy outlines our duty to prevent harm and promote the welfare of all individuals, especially those in vulnerable situations. All staff and members are expected to:
· Treat others with dignity and respect
· Be aware of and comply with safeguarding procedures
· Report any concerns promptly and confidentially
· Participate in regular safeguarding training
These responsibilities are embedded in our recruitment, onboarding, communications, and event planning processes to ensure a culture of safety and accountability.
Emergency Preparedness and Physical Wellbeing
The Philanthropy House Emergency Procedures provide detailed guidance for responding to incidents such as fire, medical emergencies, power outages, and security threats. All individuals on site must:
· Familiarise themselves with evacuation routes and emergency contracts
· Follow instructions during drills and real emergencies
· Use equipment safely and report hasards
· Avoid actions that could compromise safety, such as blocking exits or misusing electrical equipment
Regular drills and awareness campaigns are conducted to ensure readiness and resilience in the face of unexpected events.
Emotional and Mental Wellbeing
Recognising the importance of psychological safety, Philea has partnered with Bound Health to offer an Emotional Support Program for team members. This initiative includes:
· Confidential one-on-one emotional support sessions (3 per employee)
· Online delivery via encrypted platforms
· Focused interventions to address stress, emotional exhaustion, and resilience
· Evaluation of satisfaction and impact through anonymous surveys
Bound Health ensures full compliance with GDPR and European health data protection laws. Only aggregated usage and satisfaction data are shared with HR, maintaining strict confidentiality.