We are petitioning the Charity Commission to express our alarm at recent events at the charity Oxfam and to ask you to use your powers to undertake an investigation into recent events with regard the treatment of Dr Halima Begam both before and after her enforced departure. We have based our concerns on evidence that is in the public domain. We are certain that a proper investigation would unearth much more salient evidence and that is why we call upon you to use your powers to undertake an investigation.

We believe that the facts summarised below are sufficient to raise serious concerns around the following issues: 

·      mismanagement of the organisation. It cannot be right that charitable funds are expended to issue dishonest and potentially defamatory press briefings with regard a former employee.

·      inadequate oversight it is unclear what procedures were followed to bring the CEO’s employment to an end.

·      significant breaches of trust regarding the charity’s duties under the Equality Act 2010, and the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998––in particular the duty not to victimise staff for raising concerns about racism, sexism and bullying within the organisation.

·      safeguarding failures about the impact this will have on any employee considering whistleblowing on malpractice given Oxfam’s previous poor history in this regard.

·      public interest it cannot be appropriate for a charity to treat is most senior employee in this way, and it cannot be good for the sector to see such demonstrably false comms emanating from a charity with a significant public profile. 

On or about 12/13 December, Dr Halima Begum was forced to resign as the CEO of Oxfam. Within a matter of hours Oxfam issued a press briefing to the Times newspaper among others stating that an internal investigation had found: ‘serious issues in the CEO's leadership behaviour and her decision making, including breaches of organisational processes and values, and inappropriate interference into safeguarding and integrity investigations’.

The story in the Times was taken up by other news outlets, including everyone from the Morning Star to the BBC, much of the UK print media and, given Oxfam’s international footprint, news outlets from around the world.

According to Sky News: ‘Oxfam GB's board concluded that Dr Begum's position was untenable due to an "irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence" in her “ability to discharge the role”. The Board passed a resolution on 12 December to this effect and Dr Begum has subsequently left the organisation’.

This coverage was self-evidently damaging to Dr Begum’s reputation and even if it had been true, there would be serious questions as to the appropriateness of a major charity choosing to engage in ‘trial by media’ of a senior figure, particularly when the allegations against her were vague and unspecified. It appears that confidential data about an internal process, was circulated to the press with the intention of damaging Dr Begum’s reputation.

However, it appears that the press briefing was inaccurate. 

According to the Guardian newspaper on 15 December, ‘The original reports said Oxfam had said its board unanimously passed a resolution to this effect on Friday and Begum “has therefore left the organisation”. But Dr Balwant Singh, a trustee of Oxfam GB since November 2022, said the statement made on behalf of the board had not been shared with him, and did not “reflect my views as a trustee.”

He said: “The person(s) who contacted the media and shared information and details that were confidential was apparently seeking to destroy Halima and her reputation, and to worsen the crises Oxfam is already facing.”

Of relevance is that according to Dr Singh: ‘the findings of the investigation had not been shared with Begum and she had not been given a right of reply.’ 

It appears that on whatever basis the Board reached their decision, they did so without even notifying Dr Begum of their findings, let alone afford her the courtesy of a right of reply. In other words, the trial by media instigated by Oxfam was based on wholly untested allegations. Given the purported seriousness of the allegations, this trial by media has the potential to be career ending for Dr Begum. Indeed, if Dr Singh is correct, this appears to have been the intention. 

It is no wonder then that Dr Singh is further quoted: ‘it is sickening that Halima has been subjected to what appears to be a carefully orchestrated and intentionally brutal retaliation and retribution in the national media.’

The paper concludes: ‘By Monday morning, Oxfam was relying on a much shorter statement that confirmed Begum’s departure without specifying whether she had walked or been pushed’. This of course is not a retraction, or correction, of what has been said, merely a decision not to repeat it.

Meanwhile in the Independent it states that ‘Dr Begum’s departure comes weeks after the unexplained departure of Oxfam GB’s board chair, Charles Gurassa’. Perhaps as a partial answer to the question of the ‘unexplained departure’ they then quote Dr Singh, saying that Dr Begum “had filed a grievance/whistleblowing claim” against Mr Gurassa, made before she was aware of any concerns about her leadership. 

“The claims related to sexism, racism and bullying. The grievance process is yet to be completed,”

If this is true, then it suggests that the CEO raised concerns about serious matters, and then, and only then, did the organisation decide to ‘investigate’ issues of alleged misconduct by Dr Begum, which at the very least raises the possibility that the process was retaliatory. The Board then decided that Dr Begum must leave the organisation and upon her departure they instigated a character assassination in the media.

No one can have confidence in the wider charity sector, if this behaviour goes unchallenged.

It is clearly a matter of significant public interest, and we hope you will seek answers to the who, what, how and why, that has brought this once esteemed charity to the position of using the press to destroy the reputation of a widely respected charity sector leader.