All board members, employees, and volunteers of Newcomers Services Office will act with honesty, integrity, and openness in all their dealings as representatives of the organization. Newcomers Services Office promotes a working environment that values respect, fairness, and integrity. This will be accomplished through such things as board orientation manuals, employee handbooks, and volunteer training.

The Newcomers Services Office manages its funds responsibly and prudently. The funds are adequately divided among the following:

A.   On programs in pursuance of our mission, meeting and striving to exceed industry standards. 

B.    An amount is allocated towards administrative expenses to ensure effective accounting systems, internal controls, competent staff, and other expenditures critical to professional management.

C.    An amount will be used to compensate employees and any others who may receive compensation, such as consultants, reasonably and appropriately.

D.    An amount will help maintain reasonable fundraising costs, meeting and striving to exceed industry standards.

E.    We will not accumulate operating funds excessively.

F.    We are building our endowment to provide for the future of the organization and will prudently draw from endowment funds consistent with donor intent and to support the public purpose of the organization.

G.    We will ensure that all spending practices and policies are fair, reasonable and appropriate to fulfill the mission of the Newcomers Services Office.

H.   We will ensure that all financial reports are factually accurate and complete in all material respects.

Newcomers Services Office will provide comprehensive and timely information to the public, the media, and all stakeholders and will be responsive in a timely manner to reasonable requests for information. Basic informational data about Newcomers Services Office will be posted on the Newcomers Services Office website or otherwise available to the public. All solicitation materials will accurately represent Newcomers Services Office policies and practices and will reflect the dignity of program beneficiaries. All financial, organizational, and program reports will be complete and accurate in all material respects.

1.    Discrimination and harassment are prohibited at Newcomers Services Office and constitute punishable offenses under this policy. Discrimination and harassment are serious human rights issues. Newcomers Services Office will not tolerate such behavior against any member of the community and will strive to create an environment free from such behavior on its premises.

2.    Newcomers Services Office affirms the right of every member of its constituencies to live, study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Discrimination and harassment are incompatible with standards of professional ethics and with behavior appropriate to an institution of theodicy, educational, and philanthropically natured.

3.    Newcomers Services Office recognizes that as a community development, philanthropic, and ethical community advocate, we uphold the fundamental commitments to human freedom and to freedom of expression and association. We will maintain an environment in which volunteers, employees, and beneficiaries can engage in free inquiry and open discussion of all issues. The Anti-Discrimination Officer, like all other officers of Newcomers Services Office, is obliged to uphold human freedom and freedom of expression and association.

4.    A philanthropic and educational-free community must also include freedom of movement and freedom of access to facilities and resources without fear of harassment, discrimination, or violence.

5.    All persons entrusted with authority by Newcomers Services Office have a particular obligation to ensure that there is no misuse of that authority in any action or relationship.

6.    Newcomers Services Office recognizes its legal and moral responsibility to protect all of its members and the community members involved in its activities and different charity projects from discrimination and harassment and to take action if such behavior does occur. To these ends, it has developed a policy on, and procedures for, dealing with complaints arising out of such behavior including a range of disciplinary measures up to and including removal. It has also established an educational program to prevent incidents of discrimination.

7.    Newcomers Services Office prohibits reprisal or threats of reprisal against any member of the community who makes use of this policy or participates in proceedings held under its jurisdiction. Any individual or body found to be making such reprisals or threats will be subject to disciplinary action.

8.    The intention of this policy and its procedures is to prevent discrimination and harassment from taking place, and where necessary, to act upon complaints of such behavior promptly, fairly, judiciously, and with due regard to confidentiality for all parties concerned.

9.    All administrators, clergy, managers, department chairs, directors of schools or programs, and others in supervisory or leadership positions have an obligation to be familiar with and uphold this policy and its procedures and to inform members of their staff about its existence.

10.    Notwithstanding this policy, individuals have the right to seek the advice and services of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. prohibits reprisal or threats of reprisal against any member of Newcomers Services Office community who makes use of this policy or participates in proceedings held under its jurisdiction. Any individual or body found to be making such reprisals or threats will be subject to disciplinary action.

Our board, employees and volunteers will reflect diversity in order to enrich our effectiveness through engaging a variety of perspectives, a range of experiences, and creative thinking. Newcomers Services Office will take meaningful steps to be inclusive in all aspects of our work, including hiring, retention, promotion, board recruitment, and clients served.

Newcomers Services Office will regularly measure outcomes and review program effectiveness and work to incorporate lessons learned into future programs. We will strive to improve our programs and organizational effectiveness, and promote mechanisms to further learning from our activities and around the country. We will be responsive to changes in social service models and research and to the needs of those we serve, and to meet community needs in a changing environment.

Our solicitation materials will be truthful and disclose important and relevant information to potential donors. We respect the privacy concerns of individual donors and expend funds consistent with donor intent.

In raising funds from the public, Newcomers Services Office respects the rights of donors, as follows:

A.    To be informed of the mission of Newcomers Services Office, the way the resources will be used and the capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

B.    To be informed of the identity of those serving on the Newcomers Services Office governing board and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

C.    To have access to Newcomers Services Office most recent financial reports.

D.    To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

E.    To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

F.    To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law.

G.    To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

H.    To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of Newcomers Services Office or hired solicitors.