Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

Hybrid Designs PLC is a women-led pioneer in mobility technology, dedicated to delivering simple, efficient, and transformative transportation solutions across Africa. Since its establishment, the company has revolutionized Ethiopia’s technology landscape through its innovative GIG model, which empowers citizens to make the most of their resources.

Our flagship service, RIDE, has created more than 91,000 jobs and expanded into diverse sectors, demonstrating the power of technology-driven employment. Beyond our business success, we remain deeply committed to social responsibility. From providing essential support during the COVID-19 pandemic, to offering over 1,000 free rides for pregnant women in labor, to transforming barren land into a vibrant community park , Hybrid Designs has consistently shown that innovation and community impact go hand in hand.

Given the scale and nature of our services, we recognize that our work places us in direct and indirect contact with children, young people, and disadvantaged individuals  whether through physical interaction, digital platforms, or community engagement. This reality underscores the importance of safeguarding and youth-friendly practices as core elements of our operations.

Hybrid Designs is therefore firmly committed to implementing robust safeguarding measures that protect all individuals from harm, abuse, neglect, or discrimination. This commitment extends to everyone involved in our ecosystem , employees, partner organizations, volunteers, service providers, and the communities we serve. By embedding safeguarding into our systems and culture, we ensure that every interaction reflects our values of safety, respect, and dignity.

Safeguarding is the organization’s duty to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults (together referred to as “disadvantaged individuals”) from harm, abuse, neglect, or discrimination throughout all its activities, including those involving employees, volunteers, partners, vendors, operations, and programs.

It encompasses preventing exposure to danger, identifying and addressing potential risks, and responding promptly to any concerns by reporting them to the appropriate authorities. Additionally, the organization has a responsibility to protect its own staff and volunteers when they are vulnerable, such as during illness or if they are at risk of harm.

The organization is committed to implementing all reasonable safeguarding measures to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults; including everyone engaged in our work and those in communities where we operate. We will embed a culture of vigilance, accountability, and respect, ensuring every interaction is safe and dignified. By upholding these standards, we affirm our duty of care to both service users and staff, and reinforce our zero-tolerance stance on harm, abuse, neglect, and discrimination.

Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish a clear, organization-wide framework for safeguarding children, young people, women, individuals in disadvantaged settings, including people with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and those facing systemic due to gender, socio-economic status, or other intersecting factors. It will be implemented across all of Hybrid Designs’ operations, partnerships, and engagements. It defines our commitment to ensuring that every representative; whether employee, volunteer, contractor, or partner, understands their duty to prevent harm and act with integrity, accountability, and care.

This policy promotes a shared understanding of safeguarding principles, supports the development of consistent and context-sensitive practices across our diverse operational settings, and reinforces our culture of prevention and responsibility. It reflects Hybrid Designs’ minimum safeguarding standards, which may go beyond local legal requirements to uphold the highest duty of care.

Any breach of this policy will be treated as a serious disciplinary matter and may result in termination of employment, partnership, or volunteer engagement, and referral to legal or regulatory authorities as appropriate.

Legal and Policy Framework
Hybrid Designs PLC’s Safeguarding Policy is grounded in Ethiopia’s national legislation and aligned with relevant international business and human rights standards to ensure consistent protection across its operations, including mobility, digital services, and youth-focused programs.

1. Ethiopian Legal Obligations

 Hybrid Designs adheres to the following key national legal instruments:

• FDRE Constitution (Art. 36) – Guarantees every child protection from abuse, exploitation, and harmful practices.
• Criminal Code Proclamation No. 414/2004 – Prohibits all forms of abuse, trafficking, and exploitation, including offenses against minors and vulnerable adults.
• Children’s Policy (2017) – Establishes national directives for safeguarding children’s welfare, participation, and development.
• Labour Proclamation No. 1156/2019 – Prohibits child labor and workplace discrimination; affirms protections for all workers, including in informal and gig-based sectors.
• Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024 – Sets standards for lawful data collection, consent, and digital safeguarding, critical to Hybrid’s app-based and digital platforms.

These instruments are directly integrated into Hybrid’s safeguarding governance, training, and risk mitigation protocols, particularly in the context of digital mobility services and outsourced work environments.

2 Alignment with International Laws

While national laws remain the foundation, the policy also draws on globally recognized principles relevant to ethical business conduct and responsible innovation:

• UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) – Emphasizes corporate responsibility to respect rights and prevent harm.
• ILO Core Conventions – Reinforce protection against forced labor, child labor, and harassment in all work contexts.
• African Youth Charter & AU Agenda 2063 – Support inclusive economic participation and youth protection frameworks.
• ISO 26000 & OECD Guidelines – Offer operational guidance for responsible social practices, particularly across value chains and customer interfaces.
• Global Data Protection Benchmarks – Including the EU’s GDPR and AU’s Malabo Convention, which inform internal data governance and online safeguarding mechanisms.

All staff and partners are expected to understand the Ethiopian laws and international frameworks referenced in this policy, as they guide our safeguarding responsibilities across all operations. Training and clear communication will ensure these standards are translated into everyday practice.

Scope
This policy is mandatory for every individual or entity that represents, supports, or interacts with Hybrid Designs; onsite, off-site, or through our digital products; across all countries of operation.The level of safeguarding responsibility and required training varies by role, depending on the level of interaction with program participants, customers, or sensitive data.The below table is a comprehensive list of the scope.

Category	Examples
Employees	Permanent, fixed-term, temporary staff at HQ, regional hubs, data centres
Leadership & Governance	Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Trustees, Advisory-board members
Contingent Workforce	Agency workers, consultants, independent contractors, researchers, secondees(Including food delivery and courier workers employed through agencies or partner platforms who engage directly with clients.)
Early-career talent	Interns, apprentices, fellows, volunteers (paid or unpaid)
Delivery & Implementation Partners	Software-engineering vendors, cloud-service providers, UX agencies, local NGOs executing funded work
Supply-chain & Facilities	Security staff, logistics providers, maintenance crews with access to premises or systems
Visitors & Observers	Clients, donors, media, auditors, evaluators, user-research participants
Digital Stakeholders	Moderators, data-processing firms, AI-training vendors, and any third party with privileged access to user data or platform back-end

Key Definitions

This section explains important terms used in Hybrid Designs’ Safeguarding Policy. Understanding these terms ensures that all staff, partners, and stakeholders apply the policy consistently and correctly.

• Abuse:Any action (or failure to act) that causes harm, injury, exploitation, or distress to another person. Abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, or financial, and may occur in person or online.
• Exploitation:The use of power or position of trust to take advantage of another person for personal, financial, sexual, or political gain. This includes child labor, trafficking, and sexual exploitation.
• Neglect: Failure to provide adequate care, supervision, or protection, resulting in harm or risk of harm to a child, young person, or vulnerable adult.
• Safeguarding: All actions taken to promote the well-being and rights of people, and to prevent and respond to harm, abuse, exploitation, or neglect, especially toward children, youth, and vulnerable adults. Safeguarding also includes ensuring safe digital engagement and protecting personal data.
• Child:Any person under the age of 18, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
• Vulnerable Adult: An adult who is at increased risk of abuse or exploitation due to age, disability, illness, poverty, displacement, social exclusion, or other factors.
• Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA): Sexual exploitation is any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability or trust for sexual purposes. Sexual abuse refers to actual or threatened sexual activity carried out without consent or with a person unable to give informed consent.
• Digital Safeguarding: Measures taken to protect individuals from harm in digital or online spaces. This includes preventing online grooming, cyberbullying, unauthorized sharing of personal data or images, and ensuring safe use of communication technologies in programs and workplaces.
• Online Grooming: Deliberate act of building an emotional connection with a child or vulnerable person online to exploit or abuse them.
• Do No Harm: A principle that requires all actions and decisions to avoid causing harm to people, especially those who are already at risk.
• Code of Conduct: A document outlining expected behaviors and ethical standards, which all staff, volunteers, and partners must follow to uphold safeguarding principles.
• Disclosure: When a person shares information about an incident of abuse, neglect, or harm, either directly or indirectly.
• Informed Consent: Voluntary agreement to participate in a program or research after receiving full, clear information.
• Whistleblowing: Reporting serious concerns, including safeguarding violations, in good faith, without fear of retaliation, through designated confidential channels.
• Safe Engagement: All staff, volunteers, and partners are trained and vetted to meet our safeguarding standards from the outset of their engagement.

Policy Statement

Hybrid Designs upholds a zero-tolerance policy to abuse, exploitation, and harm, whether physical, emotional, sexual, economic, or digital, toward any child, young person, or adult at risk. We recognize that safeguarding is a shared responsibility across our workforce, partners, and digital ecosystems. We are committed to proactively preventing harm, responding effectively to concerns, and promoting safe, inclusive environments in all aspects of our work.

Our safeguarding commitments are guided by the following core principles:

• Do No Harm: The safety and best interests of vulnerable people are paramount in every decision we make.
• Survivor-center approach: Hybrid prioritizes the protection of and response to survivors in all safeguarding incidents. Immediate referral to appropriate professional services is ensured, with investigations considered as a subsequent process after providing required immediate services for the survivor.
• Zero-Tolerance: Hybrid maintains a zero-tolerance stance towards breaches of its safeguarding policy. Any violation leads to an investigation determining appropriate disciplinary measures.
• Equality and Non-Discrimination: Everyone has an equal right to protection, regardless of identity, background, or circumstance.
• Accountability and Duty of Care: We take immediate and appropriate action when there is suspicion or evidence of harm.
• Safe Partnership: When working through partners or subcontractors, we ensure safeguarding measures align with our policy and are effectively implemented.
• Confidentiality and Data Protection: Information is handled on a strict need-to-know basis, in compliance with data protection laws and our internal protocols.
• Continuous Learning: We monitor implementation, review this policy every three years (or sooner if needed), and adapt to emerging risks and global best practices.
• Cultural Respect, Not Compromise: We respect diverse cultural contexts but affirm that cultural practices can never justify abuse. 

Code of Conduct

All personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of professional behavior and act in ways that protect people from abuse, exploitation, neglect, and harm.

This Code of Conduct sets clear expectations for all staff, contractors, volunteers, and partners to ensure their actions protect children, vulnerable adults, and colleagues from harm. It forms part of the Safeguarding Policy and applies in all work-related contexts, including digital environments.

1 Expected Conduct 

1.1 General Safeguarding Conduct

• Prioritize the safety, dignity, and best interests of all individuals at risk in all actions and decisions.
• Treat all children and adults at risk with respect, regardless of age, ability, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or background.
• Maintain clear and professional boundaries at all times; avoid behaviors that could be perceived as exploitative, abusive, or sexually suggestive.
• Act with integrity, transparency, and accountability in all professional interactions.
• Immediately report concerns or suspicions of abuse, exploitation, neglect, or safeguarding violations through established reporting channels.
• Cooperate fully with safeguarding investigations and respect confidentiality protocols.
• Follow all organizational safeguarding procedures, risk mitigation measures, and security protocols during work-related activities.

1.2 Interaction with Children and Vulnerable Adults

• Ensure that all interactions are age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and non-discriminatory.
• Obtain informed consent from the child’s parent/guardian (or the vulnerable adult themselves if capable) before participation in any program activity.
• Obtain informed consent before involving children or vulnerable persons in photography, video, or storytelling, explaining the purpose, audience, and risks of digital exposure.
• Provide safe physical environments during program activities, ensuring supervision and risk management.

1.3 Digital Safeguarding and Online Conduct

• Obtain informed consent before involving children or vulnerable persons in photography, video, or storytelling, explaining the purpose, audience, and risks of digital exposure.
• Immediately report concerns or suspicions of abuse or safeguarding violations through established reporting channels.
• Use communication technologies responsibly and in a way that promotes the safety and privacy of program participants.
• Ensure online content does not expose children or vulnerable adults to harm, misrepresentation, or violation of dignity.
• Protect digital records, images, and personal data with secure storage and limited access.
• Only use work-approved platforms for communication with beneficiaries and maintain professional tone and purpose.
• Uphold ethical standards in research, digital communication, social media use, and event participation, ensuring consent, privacy, accessibility, respectful dialogue, and protection of all individuals, especially minors and vulnerable participants.

2 Prohibited Conduct

2.1 Interaction with Children and Vulnerable Adults

• Engaging in sexual activity or inappropriate physical contact with anyone under the age of 18 or with any adult whose capacity to consent is impaired.
• Using language, making suggestions, or offering advice that is inappropriate, offensive, or abusive in any setting, physical or digital.
• Humiliating, belittling, or emotionally manipulating individuals, especially those in a vulnerable position, including customers, passengers, or community members.
• Participating in harmful traditional practices such as child labor, early marriage, or any form of gender-based violence.
• Exchanging money, employment, goods, services, or gifts for sex or engaging in any form of exploitative or degrading behavior with individuals associated with the company, including customers or program participants.
• Developing personal or intimate relationships with clients, passengers, or program participants that could be deemed exploitative, coercive, or a conflict of interest.
• Discriminating against or showing preferential treatment toward individuals based on gender, age, disability, nationality, or any protected status.

2.2 Digital Safeguarding and Online Conduct

• Initiating or engaging in one-on-one private online conversations with minors or vulnerable individuals through unofficial or unmonitored channels such as personal messaging apps or social media.
• Accessing, creating, or sharing sexually explicit or harmful content involving minors or vulnerable adults in any context.
• Engaging in cyberbullying, online harassment, or harmful digital behavior toward customers, colleagues, or stakeholders.
• Posting identifying images or personal information about customers, program participants, or staff without explicit, informed consent and safeguarding review.
• Using personal devices or platforms to store, transmit, or process sensitive data that includes safeguarding information or personal customer data.
• Misusing digital communication channels to exploit, manipulate, or pressure individuals, including offering services, favors, or opportunities in exchange for personal gain.

3 Disciplinary Action

Violations of this Code of Conduct, whether in person or online, are grounds for disciplinary measures, including dismissal, referral to legal authorities, and partner disengagement. All personnel are required to read, understand, and sign this Code as a condition of engagement.

4 Accountability Framework

Role	Key Responsibilities
Senior Management	Set the tone for a safeguarding culture Approve policy & ensure compliance Allocate resources & oversee risk integration and monitor the risk register
HR	Conduct vetting, provide safeguarding induction, and ensure Code of Conduct is signed before duties begin. Deliver regular safeguarding training, keep records, and enforce policy. Promote a workplace culture of respect, dignity, and zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, or exploitation. Provide confidential channels for staff to raise safeguarding concerns without fear of retaliation.
Safeguarding Focal Point	Lead safeguarding implementation & reporting Provide guidance & manage incident response Coordinate training & maintain records
Managers & Team Leads	Ensure team activities comply with safeguarding policies and the Code of Conduct. Monitor staff conduct, address risks, and provide guidance on safeguarding matters. Act promptly on safeguarding concerns and escalate through approved channels.
All Staff, Volunteers & Consultants	Uphold the policy & Code of Conduct Complete training & report concerns Maintain safe and respectful conduct, including online
Partners & Subcontractors (Consortiums)	Align with Hybrid’s safeguarding standards Train and monitor their teams Report incidents and cooperate with reviews
Community Members & Program Participants	Have the right to safety & dignity Access complaints mechanisms Report concerns without fear of retaliation

Procedure Overview

Hybrid Designs follows clear, standardized procedures to prevent, identify, and respond to safeguarding concerns across all areas of operation.

1. Safe Recruitment

• All staff, volunteers, consultants, and partners undergo vetting and reference checks.
• For roles involving direct contact with children or adults at risk, criminal background checks are required.
• All personnel must sign and comply with the Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct as a condition of engagement

 

2. Induction and Training

• All new staff and affiliates receive mandatory safeguarding induction covering:
  • How to recognize signs of abuse or exploitation.
  • What to do if a concern or disclosure arises.
  • How to report concerns about Hybrid Designs personnel or partners.
• Ongoing refresher training and support are provided annually and when policy updates oc.




Reporting Concerns

• Concerns or incidents must be reported immediately through designated internal channels within 24 hours.
• Reports can be made by staff, volunteers, partners, or program participants, visitors and community members, confidentially and without fear of retaliation.
• Anonymous reporting mechanisms are also available for whistleblowing.




Response and Case Management

• All safeguarding reports will be taken seriously and handled in line with survivor-centered principles.
• Investigations will be led by trained personnel, and appropriate disciplinary or legal actions are taken.In a situation where there is no trained investigator internally, EDGE will recruit external investigators to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the safeguarding reports.
• If the accused is a staff member, temporary removal from duties may be applied while an investigation is underway.
• All parties involved will be treated with dignity and fairness, and survivors will be offered appropriate support services, includingmedical, psychosocial, and legal assistance, in alignment with Hybrid’s survivor-centered and do-no-harm principles.




Partner Compliance

• All partners must demonstrate alignment with Hybrid Designs’ safeguarding standards.
• Due diligence is conducted before engagement, and compliance is monitored throughout the partnership.




Monitoring, Policy Review  and Learning

• Procedures will be reviewed annually, and after any critical incident, to ensure alignment with global standards and evolving risks.