Calling Youth
With A Mission to Integrity and Action
Something is gravely wrong.
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to take action regarding the Nordic Capital Investment
fraud (NCI)
with integrity, transparency, and accountability.
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Will those associated with YWAM join together and act resolutely now,
even if it is "inconvenient" or results in negative consequences
such as harassment, discrediting, or dismissal?
Who will help YWAM make it right?
*****
Note--links updated December 2021
The information and documents on this weblog-posting continue to be extremely relevant for YWAM and YWAM staff, managers, leaders, and senior leaders.
It is never to late to change course and do the right thing. Even if changing course means taking risks to confront and correct wrongdoing and weaknesses in ourselves and others, to break ranks if needed,
and to fear God more than people. "Your task is to be rue not popular." (Jesus Christ, Luke 6:26 The Message)
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Overview. “NCI is an
affinity-based fraud and YWAM is the main organization affected. It is
seriously affected. In July 1995 Mr. Westergard presented NCI at YWAM Le Rucher
during an international YWAM conference. Major YWAM leaders invested since at
least 1996 and YWAM projects received NCI-related money. Senior leaders have
consistently stated that
senior/international leaders were not aware of NCI and that one of the major
YWAM leaders actively involved in NCI (administering contracts, receiving NCI
funds, etc) and YWAM Le Rucher in France were not properly part of YWAM. Hence, it is argued, YWAM has no responsibility. These
assertions are hard to understand in view of the court and other documents.
YWAM leaders (e.g., IFMLT, GLF, MMI), YWAM members, and YWAM donors
internationally are urged to get informed and together call for an internal and
an independent review of how YWAM has been affected and how it has responded,
and to persevere until such reviews are done. Will they do this?” (Excerpt from the PETRA People
Statement 2012: A Call for Integrity and Action)
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In view of the Shine the Light-Together petition and
the PETRA People Statement 2012, this
Update reaffirms the call for YWAM members, leaders and all those associated with YWAM to set up professional
Internal and independent reviews regarding how it has been affected by NCI. It
is not just the millions of dollars/euros in stolen money that has devastated
victims and brought reproach on the Christian community but also the lack of response
to it including the unwillingness to disclose and help. Will YWAM members, leaders, and those associated with
YWAM now take action and demonstrate the values that YWAM publicly states
guide its work: “openness, honesty, integrity, transparency, and
accountability” (The Good Name Pledge)? Who will hold the leaders and organisation accountable?
.
This Update also builds upon the many letters
asking YWAM leaders for assistance and investigation regarding NCI, including
the letter sent to over 100 international YWAM leaders on 5 June 2011. The materials below provide an enormous amount of
well-researched information and government documentation that simply cannot be
ignored or dismissed. Many of these materials are now on the PETRA People website. The materials are organised into five sections and also includes
comments by YWAM senior leaders and others about NCI/YWAM.
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1. Additional public requests to YWAM for transparency/accountability
2. NCI investors and YWAM
3. Connections between Le Rucher/Mercy Ministries and
YWAM
4. NCI money flows and YWAM
5. Organisational integrity and responsibility
(a link to excerpts and quotes for good practice, to support YWAM leaders)
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What can all those associated with YWAM do? Here are four
suggestions to keep in mind as you review and respond to these
materials:
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2. Consider your moral and Biblical response.
Pray and discuss with others, especially with independent and
informed people. Courage
is needed to really consider/act on one’s ethical responsibility and to not
simply go along with some persons' explanations.
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4. Share this Update with colleagues and ask for prayers and support. Remember
you are not alone—many other organisations have also had to deal with various
types of corruption, mistakes, and serious leadership matters.
**********
1. Additional public requests to YWAM for
transparency/accountability
.
“The results of my enquiries continue to
confirm that there is no Youth With a Mission link to this case, and we have
heard nothing from any authorities investigating it. In light of that, I see no point in our meeting,
as it would only be a waste of your valuable time and resources.” Lynn Green
(International Chair of YWAM), responding to the requests to meet by Mr. Cees
Schaap, a legal advisor on behalf of NCI victims (15 October 2008)
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“In most nations
where we work, there are legal entities that operate independently and within
the legal structure of the relevant nation. It light of this and since the
[Global Leadership Team, GLT] is not a formal legal entity, you will need to contact directly
each legal entity with which you have questions or concerns.” Lynn Green, responding to the request of 17 NCI
victims for YWAM to assist and investigate (August 2009)
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“Over the past two years several requests
have been addressed to Y Team 3 to meet with people who have been affected, and
conduct an independent professional review. These requests have been declined and it has been
asserted that there is no link with Y to this case. We are now kindly
requesting that you, as Y leaders, encourage senior leaders/GLT to set up an independent review/investigation into the
NCI money flows in relation to Y. It is important
of course for such an investigation to be
carried out by unbiased professionals. This positive action will help
demonstrate transparency and accountability and also help to safeguard Y's
reputation and work around the world.” Letter to YWAM
leaders around the world, August 2009, written by 17 NCI victims (this request
again for an independent review along with a request again to meet, were
denied)
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“In a mature group of believers, there is
freedom to speak the truth to one another…. If others fear my response to any correction they might
bring, then I am unlikely to get the help I need….What can we do in our YYWAM
team or center so that we will all feel freer to “speak the truth in LOVE?”” Lynn Green, Becoming Teachable (August 2006)
.
YWAM senior leaders
and international leaders have not set up any credible review of how YWAM has
been affected by NCI and related matters. This consistent non-response in and of itself is also an important
part of a review/investigation. The materials in this Update can help. They are part of the many compelling documents to accurately
inform both the public and the people associated with YWAM. The materials could
be an important part of the requested internal
and independent reviews to establish the facts, pursue justice, and help YWAM’s
integrity and reputation. Too
often in similar situations fear, indifference, spin, half-truths, public image,
self-protection, and maintaining revenue streams can prevail. Will YWAM
members, donors, partners, and associates do something—now? Are they willing to resolutely
speak the truth in love, even if there are risks?
.
**Click here: PETRA People weblog for updates and analyses
of the NCI case and requests for assistance.
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**Click here: Salt and Light: Christians’ Role in Combating Corruption (Lausanne Global Conversation, 31 October 2011). This
courageous article provides the broader context as to why dealing with frauds
and cover ups such as NCI is so crucial, setting forth the need for a resolute,
global effort for Evangelical Christians to acknowledge and confront
corruption—within its own community.
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**Going further:
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2. NCI investors and YWAM
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“It is
most regrettable that you have lost investment funds and I am sure that fact
has produced hardship. I was completely unaware of that
investment scheme, neither did our other international leaders know.” Lynn
Green responding to the letter by Hollis Lewis Jr., JD on behalf of 22 members
of the Lewis/O’Donnell families (April 2008
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“We have looked into the activities of NCI in
relation to YWAM and are confident that YWAM has had no connection
with NCI…I don’t know of a
single senior YWAM leader who was even aware of this investment plan until some
staff members expressed pastoral issues [2007]as a result of capital
they invested and feared was lost….” Lynn Green, responding to 17 NCI victims asking YWAM to assist/investigate
(August 2009)
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“I didn’t know any leaders who knew anything about
it [NCI]. They were doing this as private individuals in a business outside of
any ministry.” Lynn Green quote, Fleecing
the Faithful—Again: Former YWAM Leader Defrauds Many, Christianity Today, June 2011
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So is the story
changing: from international leaders not knowing about NCI (April 2008) to it
just being Lynn Green not knowing any leaders (August 2009)? There were obviously
so many YWAM leaders who knew a lot about NCI since the mid-1990s. The list below of YWAM NCI investors include
senior and major leaders—regional, base, and global ministry directors—as well
as leaders/staff in Mercy Ministries, Frontier Missions, University of the
Nations, etc. The source is
primarily from the Swedish EBM/court documents partial list of investors (Bilaga
C pages 51ff). Note also that the list below does not include many of
the family members, spouses, relatives, and friends of YWAM-related people who
invested; nor does it include the many YWAMers and YWAM-related people that
were approached to invest; nor does it include the specific YWAM ministries and
projects that received or may have received NCI-related money. The list is thus partial and is only
descriptive—it is not meant to implicate any person or persons. When reviewing this list, keep in mind the various comments from senior
YWAM leaders (such as the examples above) about YWAM “senior and international”
leaders not knowing about NCI (even though, to give just one example, NCI was
promoted at a YWAM Mercy Ministries leaders’ conference at YWAM Le Rucher in
July 1995, with some 50 YWAMers in attendance and some later investing, including
Steve Goode, Director YWAM Mercy Ministries International).
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**Peter Ilyan, Director of YWAM North America
**Steve Goode, Director YWAM Mercy Ministries
International
**Dr. Bruce Thompson, Dean Emeritus, YWAM UN
College of Counselling and Health Care
**Erik Spruyt, Director,
YWAM Mercy Ministries Europe Middle East and Africa
**Brian and Anne Sloan, Captain, Director of YWAM
Marine Reach Europe
**Daniel Stefaan
Hugo, Director YWAM Worcester, RSA
**Joel and Karine Kohli,
Switzerland, leader in YWAM Frontier Missions
** Kelly and Michele O'Donnell,
France, former leader in YWAM Frontier Missions
**Dr Mike Jones, LR
associate staff for many years; on staff at YWAM Nuneaton, UK
**Heinz and Jolinetete Sutter, President YWAM Swiss Romande; Board
for Mercy Ships Switzerland
**Paul Marsh, YWAM Lausanne and YWAM Centre for
Family Ministries, Switzerland
**Jonathan and Helen Tame, Relief
and Development in YWAM Lausanne and also UK
**David Swann, Mercy
Ministries RSA
**Rene Schudel, Le Rucher, France
**John and Donna Briggs, YWAM Mission Builders
International, USA
**Japp and Arlette Van den Top,
Switzerland, former workers in Africa
**Sue Pratt, YWAM UK
**Jerry and Stephanie Goins,
YWAM UK, USA
**Lonnie and Sally Inglet (according to a document sent by a
lawyer to the Swedish EBM, Lonnie Inglet was introduced to NCI by Westergard
and subsequently introduced about 12 people to NCI)
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**Click below for
some of the Swedish EBM/ court documents related to the NCI accounts for:
--Joel and Karine Kohli (Peoples of the Earth; YWAM
International Frontier Missions Leadership Team) (note: this
information does not include their personal investment in NCI but only Joel’s
agreements with NCI in order to benefit their NGO, Peoples of the Earth; Karine
is on YWAM’s International Frontier Mission Leadership Team; Joel has also
provided accounting services for Le Rucher, YWAM centres In Switzerland, and
Mercy Ships Switzerland—again note that this is not implying any wrongdoing yet
is another of the many examples of what needs to be investigated openly and
professionally).
.
**Click here: Kelly and Michele O’Donnell’s Statement about NCI (More details: Kelly was on the YWAM Frontier Mission Leadership Team and both were
in YWAM’s Member Care Network. They were among many people
asking YWAM for an independent investigation and the opportunity to meet with senior YWAM leaders when the NCI fraud went public in 2007 (all denied). Kelly was dismissed from YWAM in December 2007 (shortly after the showing of the NCI documentary/exposee on Dutch TV programme called Opgelicht) for
not going through a YWAM-organised reconciliation process with a major NCI
promoter--in spite of many protests within and outside of YWAM and clear professional advice from many not to do so. No appeal was allowed as per the organisation's guidelines but rather a new/different approach was used in which one of the three senior leaders (Iain Muir) reviewed the matter to see if an appeal was warranted. Kelly and Michele were not able to meet with or speak with the reviewer and everything had to be done by email. Kelly was further discredited publicly when the three senior leaders (John Dawson, Lynn Green, Iain Muir) sent an email on 12 May 2008 to YWAM leaders around the world stating that Kelly "is not endorsed or recommended for ministry within YWAM." There is much more to the story and for an example of the initial, extensive review done about this, see the summary excerpt at the end of this entry. This dismissal also needs to be openly reviewed and investigated since it is clearly tied into the way that the NCI fraud has been dealt with by YWAM. Who will have the courage and compassion to do so?)
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3. Connections between Le Rucher/Mercy Ministries and
YWAM
,
“There
are clear statements from Lynn Green, and I think Jeff Fountain concurs, that the leadership and ministry at Le Rucher were never
properly under the authority of appropriate YWAM leaders. A period of
doubt prevailed for a season until it was revealed that Le Rucher was set up
independently, when it was then recognized that it was definitely not and had never been a YWAM ministry.” Letter to Kelly and
Michele O’Donnell from Iain Muir, Lynn Green, and John Dawson (April 2008)
.
“Let me assure you that I attempted to bring
some accountability to Erik many years ago only to have him inform that he was
legally independent from YWAM and was accountable only to his board. That fact was widely known from the time of
that conversation, so I do
not know why you were led to believe that he has been accountable to YWAM since
setting up Le Rucher.” Lynn Green responding to the letter by
Hollis Lewis Jr., JD on behalf of 22 members of the Lewis/O’Donnell families
(April 2008)
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“At this point in the saga, it seems evident that
YWAM leaders will do whatever it takes to extricate themselves from any
responsibility concerning ES and whatever is necessary to cover their tracks
regarding any relationship to LR….It seems to us untenable that the said
leaders who are reviewing the situation can now side step the responsibility
for those days of Le Rucher. It is so
sad that in this case prominent leaders of YWAM, so respected, appear to be
flaunting every fundamental value of YWAM, leaving good innocent people exposed and vulnerable.” Emails from Sean and Lynn Collins, former YWAM
Le Rucher staff in 1995-1996 (27 and 29 April 2008)
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“The ministry of Le Rucher began under the
auspices of YWAM. We came
to Le Rucher in 2000 largely because it was a YWAM ministry. Erik Spruyt at
that time was the Director of YWAM Mercy Ministries for Europe Middle East and
Africa. In 1995, Lynn Green had personally recommended in writing that we come
and join with Erik and Le Rucher.
Unfortunately, it was only afterwards that we became more fully aware of
the serious ongoing issues with Le Rucher management, including reports of
serious leadership problems. These issues surfaced again during our time at LR.
The various letters that you and other YWAM leaders have received from former
LR staff (Fall 2007) provide many details”. Letter to Iain
Muir/Team 3 from Kelly and Michele O’Donnell (26 March 2008)
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“When we came back to debrief in 2001 [Erik Spruyt]
mentioned that French law was requiring every religious organisation to be
registered as a recognised religious body, because they were wanting to
eradicate sects. Thus le
Rucher had to be associated with a protestant organisation and so he wanted to
stay with YWAM.” Email
from Tony and Elisabeth Hyland (19 April 2008), Co-founders of YWAM Le Rucher
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YWAM, like any
organisation, has important responsibility for its leaders, ministries, and
centres, including when they get involved in fraudulent investment schemes and
other serious problems. Leaders in an organisation cannot simply define a
long-standing official relationship out of existence as a way to deal with
one’s ethical and legal responsibility. The legal statutes for the Association
set up in France (1994) has five signatures on it, all YWAM leaders (Daniel
Schaerer, Robert Cau, Allan Murray, Jan Rowland, and Erik Spruyt). Le Rucher
ministry was and its leaders were under Lynn Green-YWAM Europe, Middle East
Africa, Jeff Fountain-YWAM Europe, and Steve Goode-YWAM Mercy Ministries
International. So where is the official document from YWAM saying when Le
Rucher, Mercy Ministries, and Erik Spruyt ceased being part of YWAM? Such a
document does not exist, except for the anecdotal, after the fact comments of
YWAM senior leaders starting in 2007—after the NCI fraud was publically
confronted by former YWAM staff and others. YWAMers, former Le Rucher staff
(including founding members), and dozens of concerned people have written to
senior and international YWAM leaders over the past five years, extremely
concerned how YWAM leaders have a) dealt with Le Rucher management in the 1990s
and leaders’ lack of response to requests for help; b) not disclosed how YWAM
projects and personnel have been specifically affected by NCI, including YWAM
Mercy Ships, and how they have in fact investigated NCI’s impact on YWAM
personnel and projects; and c) handled the harassment and dismissal of people
of known integrity who whistle blew about NCI and YWAM. More of these written
materials (records) may be released both privately/publicly in due course.
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Just one of the
many important notes about the above documents, is the reference in a 1996 brochure to one of the
two main “pastoral care” services offered at YWAM Le Rucher being “assistance
in developing adequate financial resources” including “private financial
counselling” and In a subsequent brochure “private & professional financial
counselling.” Why is a YWAM pastoral care centre emphasising and offering private
and professional financial counselling (especially as many people coming to the
centre are vulnerable and need supportive counselling and debriefing). How does
this service being offered relate to NCI and YWAM’s responsibility for its
leaders-ministries? And how does this relate to Lynn Green’s assertion that “YWAM
leaders have no authority over the personal financial affairs of their staff
and so do not interfere and recognize that they are not qualified to offer
advice about investments. Our training for leaders of our operating locations
covers this subject thoroughly.” (Statement/letter to YWAMers in response to the
Christianity Today article on NCI/YWAM,
June 2011)
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**Click here: Examples of email exchanges between YWAM leaders and Erik Spruyt (1997-1999), mostly with
financial comments, questions, and requests by YWAM leaders. Examples: Loren
Cunningham (Founder of YWAM) asking for financial help for the Lausanne base;
Iain Muir (Director YWAM Africa), Garry Tissingh is also mentioned (Director
YWAM North Africa). Note that this does not imply that these YWAM leaders were
necessarily involved in NCI or in any wrong doing. It does point out the well-known
fact that Erik Spruyt was actively involved as a major YWAM leader and worked
closely with other major YWAM leaders internationally, and that other YWAM
leaders were looking to him as a source for financial help in light of his role
as YWAM Director for Mercy Ministries Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
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4. NCI money flows and YWAM
“According to State
allegations [Sweden] former Western Europe YWAM leaders Kristian Westergard and
Erik Spruyt were key players in Nordic Capital investments, a firm that allegedly
defrauded Christian investors, including YWAM volunteers, though a ponzi scheme
involving tens of millions of dollars….[Lynn] Green told CT, “They preyed on people in the
Christian community. Some people of Youth With A Mission were victims of
that. It’s a regrettable thing.” Youth With A Passion, Christianity Today, December 2010.
.
.
“We have checked widely with YWAM leaders and have not found any who
promoted this investment scheme…As far as we are aware, no YWAM ministries received any funds from the NCI scheme that
claimed it would pay investment dividends to ministries.” Lynn Green statement/letter to YWAMers in response to the Christianity Today article on NCI/YWAM
(June 2011)
.
"They preyed on people in the Christian community.” Note the context. “No YWAM ministries received any funds from the NCI scheme.” Really? Based on whose thorough research? NCI was promoted by at least one major YWAM leader (Erik Spruyt) as well as a former national YWAM leader who was also Chair of a YWAM Board in Sweden (Kristian Westergard) when NCI was in operation. Other leaders told YWAMers and those in other organisations about NCI and encouraged them to invest (e.g., YWAM centres in Switzerland, International Assistance Mission in Afghanistan). It is well-documented that NCI money went to YWAM Le Rucher, Mercy Ministries (MM), and New Generation Foundation (NGF) and then from there (especially via Mercy Ministries International) it was sent to various ministry projects (click here for documentation/examples of NCI money sent to MM/NGF). See the links below for examples and questions about money flows. records.
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Click here: Money flows and documents related to the Austriancase: NCI and YWAM Mercy Ships (note: after clicking on the link you need to scroll
to the attachments at the bottom of the page and click on the zipped folder
“Austria case.”) Three million USD were sent from Switzerland to Austria in
November 2001, frozen by the Austrian government, designated to benefit Mercy
Ships (it was still legally part of YWAM until 2003). Note also that there are many other
materials, testimonies, and concerns not in the public domain about the
relationship between the refitting of the Africa Mercy (63Million USD) and NCI
money. The requests still stand (e.g., Shine the Light-Together petition, 2012)
for Mercy Ships to authorise an independent investigation and verification of
funds.
.
Click here: Stichting Agrinas and Le Rucher money. (note: after clicking on the link you need to scroll to the attachments
at the bottom of the page and click on the zipped folder “Stichting Agrinas and
Le Rucher money.”) Stichting Agrinas is a respected humanitarian agency that
helps to fund projects. The Chair is Roembke Fountain, a YWAM leader and wife
of the former YWAM Director of Europe, Jeff Fountain, under whom the Le Rucher leadership
was accountable. What was the source of this money?
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5. Organisational integrity and responsibility (a link on this weblog to excerpts and quotes for good practice to support YWAM leaders) For starters:
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“These
findings also suggest that many humanitarian workers have a narrow view of what
constitutes corruption, seeing it primarily as a financial issue rather than as
abuse of power.” (p. 2) Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Assistance, Transparency International (2008)
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"I was
devastated. Absolutely devastated. We had won the trust of hundreds of donors,
who had given generously to help us obtain this matching offer. We had taken
their generous gifts, and unwittingly put them into a fraudulent scheme. And
there was little chance of getting their money back....trust had been
shattered. First, WE had violated the trust of our donors—by making these
gifts, our donors had placed their confidence in us; they found that this trust
had been misplaced. Second, a man with
criminal intent had exploited OUR trust. We had placed our reliance upon the
integrity, ability, and character of a person and an institution—that reliance
had been a very serious mistake. Third, because so many Christian charities
were involved, donor confidence in Christian ministries had been badly shaken.
Our reputation, and the reputation of the broader charitable community, had
been severely damaged. These were very, very, dark days...Trust involves
truth...it means breaking bad news when you have it...Being a truthful witness
also means avoiding generalization, spin, or overstatement." Trust Me, David Harriman (Frontiers, 2006)
.
.
"Recent
scandals in the for-profit and nonprofit worlds have highlighted the importance
of integrity within an organization…One of the two provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that applies to nonprofit organizations (the other
provision relates to document destruction) is the legal protection of
whistle-blowers. The Act makes it illegal for a corporate entity to punish
whistle-blowers who risk their careers by reporting suspected illegal
activities in an organization. No form of punishment, including firing,
demotion, suspension, harassment, failure to consider the employee for
promotion, or any other kind of discrimination, is allowed. Punishing a
whistle-blower in any way is a criminal offense…As a result of this
legislation, it is important that nonprofit organizations develop procedures
for receiving and handling complaints. Nonprofits need to create and implement
a formal process to receive and investigate complaints and prevent
retaliation.” Policy
on Suspected Misconduct, Dishonesty, Fraud and Whistleblower Protection, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
*****
Pulling it All
Together: Calling for Good Governance
.
An Excerpt from the Professional Review on NCI, YWAM, Member
Care, and Le Rucher (note: a 120-page document based on over 500 hours of initial research and interviews, not released yet)
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“The sad and serious events described
in this professional review have their genesis in poor or inadequate corporate
governance, which has led to: authoritarian and dysfunctional management
practices; disregard for truth and justice; ineffective employee/staff
safeguards; destructive conflicts of interest; covert financial management
practices; and in the end even suspected criminality. YWAM has experienced all
of these consequences, while other organizations such as the WEA-MC, EEMA, Le
Rucher and various churches have been affected to varying degrees. One question
arises over and over in this review--where is the ethical and accountable
corporate governance?”
Rand Guebert, Professional Review: Integrated Executive Summary (page 9)
