Aliança de Misericórdia was recently awarded the Ethical Culture Seal by Ouvidor Digital. This recognition is proof of the Alliance's ongoing effort to promote a culture of transparency, integrity and social responsibility. To better understand this achievement and the practices that led to this recognition, the Aliança de Misericórdia communications team interviewed Dr. Marina Prado Leite Simões, a lawyer at Aliança specializing in Compliance, Corporate Governance, Risk Management, Internal Investigations and Business Law . Follow along!

Communications Team: Dr. Marina, can you tell us a little about what the Digital Ouvidor’s Ethics Culture Seal is?

Marina Simões: The ethical culture seal reinforces companies and entities in the market that are committed to managing an ethical culture and are recognized for their transparency. They are companies with ethical principles and human values that seek the well-being of society as a whole.

Communications Team: How was Aliança de Misericórdia selected to receive this seal?

Marina Simões: The Alliance has a ethical relationship channel, a reporting channel of the Digital Ouvidor. We are an entity committed to ethics and value the importance of organizational culture in the corporate environment. Our reporting channel brings security to employees and benefactors, contributing to a healthier and more productive work environment. For these reasons, we were selected to receive this seal.

Communications Team: What are the main values represented by this seal?

Marina Simões: There are five main values: commitment to business ethics, culture of integrity as a foundation, transparency as a guiding principle, respect for diversity and inclusion, and positive impact on society. These values reinforce the importance of ethics, transparency and inclusion in all of the entity's practices.

Communication Team: What was the reaction of the Aliança de Misericórdia team upon learning that they had received this seal?

Marina Simões: The reaction was very positive and enthusiastic. Receiving this seal validates our daily work and serves as motivation to increase team engagement and morale.

Communication Team: What were the main practices and policies adopted by Aliança de Misericórdia that contributed to obtaining this seal?

Marina Simões: Key practices include our anonymous reporting channel, the Code of Conduct and Ethics, capacity building training programs, monthly campaigns to combat fraud and conflict of interest, and senior management's commitment to ethics.

Communication Team: How does Aliança de Misericórdia ensure transparency and integrity in its daily operations?

Marina Simões: We ensure this through well-established practices and policies, such as a governance structure with an ethics committee, detailed financial and operational reports, internal audits and controls, and a continually reviewed code of conduct.

Communication Team: Can you tell us about how the anonymous reporting channel works and what its impact is on the organizational culture of Aliança de Misericórdia?

Marina Simões: The reporting channel can be accessed by all employees, partners and benefactors through a online portal or via WhatsApp (31) 98947-7889, guaranteeing protection for the whistleblower. After the complaint, an internal committee investigates the situation. This promotes transparency and trust in problem solving, demonstrating that the Alliance takes any unethical behavior seriously.

Communication Team: How do you see the importance of business ethics in today's corporate environment?

Marina Simões: Ethics is fundamental in the corporate environment because it promotes a positive organizational culture. It brings respect and appreciation to employees, strengthening the organization's reputation as an ethical and trustworthy entity. These practices ensure compliance with laws and regulations.