Ethical Policies - Slum Life Survival (SLS)

Ethical Policies & Governance

We hold ourselves to the same standards of accountability, integrity, and safety that we advocate for on behalf of the communities we serve.

Our Policies

Standards That Guide Us

Our work is governed by a set of formal policies that guide how our staff, volunteers, partners, and board conduct themselves, protecting the people we work with and ensuring donor and partner trust is never taken for granted.

Safeguarding & Protection

Protecting the people we serve is central to everything SLS does. Our Child Protection, Youth & Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding Policy sets out how we protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults from harm, abuse, and exploitation across all our programs, staff, volunteers, and partners, including clear procedures for reporting and responding to any safeguarding concern that arises. This is reinforced by our Gender Equality Policy, which guides SLS's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment across our programs and internal structures and includes specific measures for preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Our HIV Workplace Policy further ensures that staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries living with or affected by HIV are treated with dignity in a non-discriminatory, supportive environment.

Integrity & Accountability

SLS maintains a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, bribery, and fraud, as set out in our Anti-Corruption/ Graft Policy, which establishes clear reporting mechanisms and protections for anyone who raises a concern in good faith. Our procurement policy ensures that all goods and services are acquired fairly, transparently, and with proper accountability at every stage of the process. Meanwhile, SLS manages funds not immediately needed for day-to-day operations, prioritizing the preservation of capital and alignment with our mission over financial return alone through the Investment Policy, ensuring that even our reserves work in service of the communities we serve.

People & Workplace

Human resource is fundamental to what we do. Our policy sets out the rights, responsibilities, and standards of conduct expected of everyone who works with SLS, from recruitment through the full course of employment, ensuring fairness and clarity at every stage. Because much of our work takes place directly within slum communities, health and safety is equally important, as they protect the well-being of our staff and volunteers in the field, with clear procedures for risk assessment, hazard mitigation, and emergency response.

Data, Communication & Environment

SLS takes the privacy of everyone we work with seriously. Through the Data Protection and Computer Use Policy, that governs how we collect, store, and protect personal data belonging to staff, volunteers, and community members. At the same time, our Communication Policy ensures that everything we share internally and externally is transparent, accurate, and consistent with our values. Finally, because the communities we serve are affected by natural hazards, environmental protection is important, and the policy commits SLS to minimizing our own environmental footprint and embedding sustainable practices across our operations, walking the same path we advocate for in the communities we serve.