Code of conduct

Based on our social role, we value the trust society places in us. It is therefore important to us to conduct our activities with integrity. We have drawn up a code of conduct for employees and volunteers. The code of conduct consists of internal rules and rules relating to external contacts. These include a safe and trusted working environment and dealing with business gifts. The code of conduct is evaluated annually and revised when necessary.

Violations of integrity

If an employee or volunteer experiences a violation of integrity, this can be reported directly to the director, chair of the Supervisory Board or external confidential advisor or via our contact form. Examples of integrity violations include committing a criminal offence, deliberately misinforming public bodies or the public, wasting funds and deliberately withholding, destroying or manipulating information about these facts. The way to deal with reports of integrity violations is defined internally in the ‘procedure for reporting wrongdoing’. This procedure is not intended for reporting personal complaints by employees or volunteers about matters concerning themselves in relation to the work they do for Dutch Digestive Health Fund. Nor is the procedure intended for reporting complaints by donors. There is a separate complaints procedure for this.

Cooperation with industry

Dutch Digestive Health Fund is an independent, fundraising organisation for research, education and care in the field of digestion.
To this end, Dutch Digestive Health Fund is in contact with the business community for sponsorship in general and for specific projects and actions.
In the context of this sponsorship, Dutch Digestive Health Fund always wishes to guarantee its independence.
For sponsorship, the product or medicine must be related to the activities of Dutch Digestive Health Fund.
Dutch Digestive Health Fund will never recommend a specific product or medicine but will be able to indicate in general terms that using certain types of products is healthy (for example: it is good to drink a lot of water and eat a lot of fibre).
Publications (and the website) of Dutch Digestive Health Fund may indicate who the sponsors of Dutch Digestive Health Fund are.
Sponsorships are the subject of contracts, which include mutual obligations and rights.
To guarantee its independence, Dutch Digestive Health Fund may refuse cooperation with third parties.
It is up to Dutch Digestive Health Fund to determine whether and to what extent it can and/or wishes to be affiliated with a particular product or medicine. In case of doubt, a proposal in this regard will be submitted to experts, such as the Scientific Council, which will advise the board on the matter.
Dutch Digestive Health Fund determines to what extent there can be exclusivity for a company in a certain segment, for example for a certain project, per expression for an agreed price.

Personal data

Dutch Digestive Health Fund holds personal data of, among others, donors and persons who have requested information. Dutch Digestive Health Fund handles this data carefully in accordance with legal regulations.

Liability

Dutch Digestive Health Fund excludes all liability in respect of both oral and written information provided.

Advocacy

Dutch Digestive Health Fund will, where possible, promote the interests of, for example, patient associations.