IPS Inter Press Service News Agency
"UN Whistle Blowers Fired for Challenging Risky Investment Policies of the Pension Fund
- The UN Ethics Office, established in 2006, has promoted an organizational culture in the world body, including integrity, professionalism, respect for diversity and protection for whistle-blowers.
But the UN Pension Fund, whose assets amount to a staggering $88.3 billion, is accused of firing four of its staffers, including senior investment officers, for challenging the wisdom of the Fund’s investment policies.
The firings have been criticized by two Staff Unions representing over 60,000 UN staffers worldwide.
In a letter to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the President of the Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations, (CCISUA) Nathalie Meynet says the Unions are alarmed to learn about the recent dismissal of four senior investment officers, “with indications that more staff may be terminated.”
“As you know, during the tenure of the previous Representative of the Secretary-General (in the Pension Fund), a group of senior investment managers decided to blow the whistle on what the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) later found to be a “toxic work environment”. They first raised their concerns with their direct management.”
Feeling that the matter was not given the level of attention required, they also met with the Staff Union. Some, but not all, of those who are being dismissed, met with the US and Japan’s Permanent Missions.
This undoubtedly, the letter said, had an impact in terms of changing the leadership of The Office of Investment Management (OIM).
Subsequently these staff members were investigated, and their emails and WhatsApp messages scrutinized by OIOS, on the following charges:
- • Meeting with the US and Japan’s missions, or being aware that some of the staff in the group were meeting with those missions, and that sensitive information would be disclosed.
• Raising concerns with the Staff Union and disclosing sensitive information...."
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