Ethics & Compliance
HawkWatch International's Annual Report, IRS 990 Form and Financial Report
Our Annual Report details our successes so you, our donor, can be aware of everything your support allowed us to achieve on behalf of raptors during the previous year. Transperency of organizational finances is also very important to us. We publish our annual IRS Form 990 and indepdendent financial audit for public access so you can be sure HawkWatch International is a responsible steward of your generous financial contributions. View HWI's following policies:
Privacy PolicyHawkWatch International respects the privacy of visitors to its Website. To better protect your privacy, we provide this Privacy Policy explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used. By using the Website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not accept this Privacy Policy, you should cease using the Website. Personal Information and Third Parties We collect personal information when you purchase tickets, make online donations or otherwise submit your contact information. We use your personal information to keep you informed about our programs and opportunities. We will not sell, share, or rent your personal information collected on the Website, except under conditions listed in this Privacy Policy or as noted in our partners’ respective privacy policies. We reserve the right to use the names of donors, partners, volunteers, and supporters on the Website and/or in publications and to provide your personally-identifiable information to our employees, contractors, agents, and designees, to the extent we deem necessary to enable them to perform database-related and communication-related services (e.g., storage of information, distribution of newsletters, etc.). If you do not want your name shown as a donor, please donate anonymously. We employ security measures (physical, electronic, and procedural) to keep all information secure. We may engage third parties to process your information on our behalf; however, HawkWatch International has not granted permission to such third parties to retain, share, store, or use personal information for any purpose other than providing the requested service. For example, we currently collect email addresses from subscribers of our electronic newsletter--RaptorUpdate--and this information is stored by a third party. To read such third party’s privacy policy, please visit http://www.constantcontact.com/privacy_guarantee.jsp. We also request information from you if you purchase any merchandise, make an online donation, or engage in any other financial transaction through the Website. In such cases, you must provide contact information and financial information (e.g., credit card number, expiration date, etc.). This information is used for billing purposes only. If we have trouble processing payment, this contact information may be used to contact you. We never store your credit card information in either paper or electronic form beyond the time period needed to process the applicable transaction. This credit card information is stored by a third party. To read such third‑party’s privacy policy, please visit http://www.authorize.net/company/privacy/. No Personally-Identifiable Information The Website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc., (“Google”) to collect information on the Website’s activity. Google Analytics uses “cookies,” which are text files placed on your computer, to help us analyze how visitors use the Website. The information generated by the cookie is transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Cookies collect information on browser type, operating system type, network location (domain), IP (Internet Protocol) address and other similar information. Google uses this information to evaluate and compile reports on usage of the Website, which we access to help maintain and improve the Website. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. No personally-identifiable information about you is collected via your IP address, and Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. Additionally, the Website’s content management tool uses cookies for authenticating staff users, tracking internal sessions, and recording staff preferences. These cookies have no effect on or connection to Website usage by external visitors. You may block cookies by adjusting the browser settings on your personal computer. Security To prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, and improper use of your information, we have established appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial safeguards to protect the information we collect in accordance with this Privacy Policy. We make use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer protocol) to encrypt credit card information that is transferred via the Internet. Links This Web Site is Not Directed to Children This Website is not directed to children under thirteen (13) years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personally-identifiable information from such children. If you are younger than 13 years of age, please do not provide any personally-identifiable information while using this Website. Revisions to This Policy Any substantial changes to this Privacy Policy will be posted here so that you will always know what information we gather, how we might use that information, and whether we will disclose it to anyone. We reserve the right to update and revise this Privacy Policy at any time. You can determine if this Policy has been revised since your last visit by referring to the “Effective Date of Current Policy” date at the bottom of this page. Your use of the Website constitutes your acceptance of the terms of the Policy. You should review this Policy regularly to ensure that you are aware of future amendments. Business Transfers In the event of a sale or transfer of assets or of any portion of our business, we reserve the right to transfer any and all information that we collect from users, or that we otherwise collect in connection with the Website, including, without limitation, other legal entities of HawkWatch International. Special Notification for California Residents We will not disclose your personal information to unaffiliated third parties for purposes of their direct marketing. However, we may provide your personal information to other legal entities of HawkWatch International. This information may be used to send you updates, invitations, and other information about us, our other legal entities, or partners. Because such entities are considered “third parties” for purposes of California Civil Code Section 1798.83, we are providing the following information for individual California residents who have given us their personal information pursuant to an established relationship that is primarily for personal, family, or household purposes (“Individual California Supporters”). Individual California Supporters may request information about our disclosures of certain categories of personally-identifiable information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Such requests must be submitted to us either by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by mail at the following address: HawkWatch International Within thirty (30) days of receiving such a request, we will provide a list of the categories of personal information disclosed to separate legal entities for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately-preceding calendar year, along with the names and addresses of these entities. This request may be made no more than once per calendar year. We reserve our right not to respond to requests submitted other than to the email or mailing address specified in this paragraph. Your Consent to This Privacy Policy If we decide to change this Privacy Policy, we will post those changes on this Website so that you will always be able to understand what information we collect, how we use that information, and under what circumstances we may disclose that information to others. We may use comments, information or feedback that you may submit in any manner that we may choose without notice or compensation to you. Contact If you have any questions or concerns about these policies, you may contact our office: HawkWatch International Effective Date: February 1, 2012 Conflict of Interest PolicyHWI has adopted a Code of Ethical Business Conduct that applies to all employees. All employees are expected to comply with its terms unless the Executive Director of HWI grants an exception where circumstances warrant. HWI expects employees to conduct business according to the highest ethical standards of conduct. We expect employees to devote their best efforts to the interests of HWI. Business dealings that appear to create a conflict between the interests of HWI and an employee are unacceptable. HWI recognizes the right of employees to engage in activities outside of their employment that are of a private nature and unrelated to our business. However, the employee must disclose any possible conflicts so that HWI may assess and prevent potential conflicts of interest from arising. A potential or actual conflict of interest occurs whenever an employee is in a position to influence a decision that may result in personal gain for the employee or an immediate family member (i.e., spouse or significant other, children, parents, siblings) as a result of HWI’s business dealings. An employee who violates the Code of Ethical Business Conduct may be subject to discipline, up to and including termination. Where appropriate, HWI may refer an incident for criminal prosecution or civil action. Document Destruction PolicyHawkWatch International abides by legal requirements of destruction of any company documents, as listed below.
©2004 National Council of Nonprofit Associations, www.ncna.org WhistleblowerIt is the responsibility of all directors, officers, and employees to comply with the organization’s Guiding Principles and to report violations or suspected violations of integrity in accordance with this Whistleblower Policy. No director, officer, or employee who in good faith reports a violation of the Code shall suffer harassment, retaliation, or adverse employment consequence. An employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment. This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable employees and others to raise serious concerns within the organization prior to seeking resolution outside the organization. Anyone filing a complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation of the integrity and professionalism. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense. Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis to the Executive Director or Board Chair by the complainant or may be submitted anonymously. Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation. Contact If you have any questions or concerns about these policies, please contact our office. |
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