At the Pontis Foundation, We Follow the Code of Ethics

As a matter of course, we care about maintaining the good name of the Pontis Foundation, our credibility and respect for our work, but also about the positive shaping of the environment and our country. We realise that among the most important needs of Slovakia and other countries where we operate belong issues such as raising the levels of ethics, integrity, transparency, accountability and descreasing corruption.

Our ethical principles towards the public:

• we comply with the laws and legal norms of the Slovak Republic;
• we strive for positive changes and take responsibility towards society, the community and the citizens;
• we only perform activities in accordance with the general good cause, do not act or support organisations performing activities that would endanger freedom, human rights, ethics, democracy and which would have a significant negative effect on the environment;
• we do not support activities of political parties;
• we retain our inner freedom and we do not accept such support from governments, companies, organisations, and individuals that would endanger our independence, the freedom to speak openly and critically or make us compromise our moral standards;
• we realise that no person, organisation, company or government is perfect and infallible, we accept cooperation with those who have made mistakes in the past, but we refuse to cooperate and do not accept donations from those who, in the current or long term without willingness to restitute or amend, endanger human rights, ethics, democracy and the environment, or where there are serious indications that their funds come from illegal or unethical activities;
• we provide anyone with the opportunity to become acquainted with the status, mission, vision, values, activities, results of the foundation’s work, our management, financial resources, donors and partners, grant conditions and grant recipients, members of the Board of Trustees and Supervisors and Foundation staff through our websites, annual reports and other publications;
• we promote our activities in an ethical way.

Our ethical principles towards non-profit organisations and other beneficiaries:

• we are aware that we are important representatives of the non-profit sector and act so that we do not harm its reputation;
• we carry out our grant activity in accordance with our statute, mission, values, and code of ethics;
• we ensure that decision-making on grants and other support to non-profit organisations and other beneficiaries are governed by clear and predefined rules, either on the basis of pre-announced calls or based on strategies agreed with donors;
• we implement equal opportunities for all and provide them with timely and accurate information;
• we ensure that decision-making is impartial and that there is no conflict of interest, corruption or clientelism;
• we sign clear and unambiguous contracts with recipients of our support, we fulfil our commitments and expect contractual fulfilment of commitments by the beneficiaries;
• we strive to minimise redundant and nonsensical administrative requirements on applicants or recipients of support, but we insist on fulfilling the formal requirements that are necessary and inevitable for the clear registration of applications, clear declarations of project objectives, and true and measurable reporting of the means used and the results achieved;
• we ensure the control of the proper use of the provided support in accordance with the agreement;
• we protect the intellectual property entered by the applicant into the submitted projects and ensure that the original ideas of the applicants are not used to the benefit of another entity without author’s awareness;
• we ensure the protection of information about applicants‘ personal data contained in the requests for support.

Our ethical principles towards donors:

• we show our donors respect, we respect their will, unless it is in violation of the law or the rules of the foundation, and we fully inform them about the use of the means entrusted to us;
• we work efficiently, ensure adequate use of financial and human resources, and minimise unnecessary accompanying costs;
• we ensure the proper registration of accepted donations and the donations provided;
• we ensure adequate internal control of decision-making procedures, financial and human resources; in doing so, we perform internal monitoring, evaluate our activities and programmes;
• we keep our accounting records properly and ensure that an independent auditor is accountable for their management.

Our ethical principles towards workers and volunteers:

• we value every worker and volunteer working for the foundation, respect them and do not discriminate against anyone;
• we create an open, comfortable, and safe workplace with a friendly atmosphere;
• we observe mutually agreed obligations and payment deadlines;
• we deal with evaluation, work description, goals, challenges, or reservations about the performance of each employee specifically;
• we cater to the personal needs of workers, enable them (under agreed conditions) to use flexible working hours, promote personal education and development, enable work from home, etc .;
• we protect information about employees’ personal data, remuneration, and so on.