Whistle blowing

NRF’s Whistle-blowing Framework

In an effort to strengthen grant governance processes and practices, National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF) has adopted a Whistle-Blowing Framework that provides a platform for you to raise any concerns you may have on possible improprieties that involve NRF’s employees, Implementing Agencies and/or Grantees funded directly by NRF.

To enable NRF to effectively investigate your concerns, the following information should be provided, where possible:

• Name(s) of person(s)/institution/company(ies) involved; 
• Name of Funding Initiative and/or Project [including Project ID], where applicable;
• Date, time and location of incident; 
• Frequency of occurrence of the incident;
• Value of any money or assets involved; 
• Supporting documents, evidence (eg. photos, videos, documents), if any;
• Have this been reported to National Research Foundation or other parties through any other channels/procedures?  If reports were made to other parties, to whom have you made the report;
• Any other information that may substantiate the concern.

Whistle-blowers should report their concerns in good faith. 

We encourage whistle-blowers to leave their names to the allegations and a means of communicating with them in case further information or clarification is required. While NRF recognises that information from an anonymous source is just as important to act upon, an anonymous whistle-blower should be aware that NRF’s ability to follow up with the alleged incident may be limited if we are unable to contact the informant on follow-up questions, if any.

To the extent feasible and permissible under the law, NRF will make every effort not to reveal the identity of the whistle-blower.

NRF’s Whistleblowing email address is whistleblow@nrf.gov.sg.

Types of Improprieties

Possible improprieties include but are not limited to the following:

Fraud

This generally relates to the use of deception or misrepresentation to obtain an unjust advantage.  It can also involve cheating, kickbacks, forgery or theft.  Corrupt conduct is deliberate or intentional wrongdoing, not negligent or a mistake.  It can take many forms including seeking, obtaining, offering secret commissions, bribery, bribery, theft, embezzlement, forgery, falsification or fraudulent alteration of documents and submission of fictitious documents.

Questionable Practices

Broadly, this refers to deliberate breach or circumvention of internal policies, such as Government Instruction Manuals (IMs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and internal staff policies. This involves all forms of research misconduct, including mis-use of research funding, misrepresentation of eligibility, manipulation of the research process or willfully misrepresenting its outcomes, plagiarism and other wrongdoings such as violation of regulations and failure to comply with applicable ethical codes, misuse of human research subjects, conflict of interest, etc.