Five members of staff at the International Medical Corps (UK) were placed on the humanitarian aid charity’s internal watchlist last year because of safeguarding concerns.
Three of those employees were “separated from the charity” after it received complaints and two left the organisation while under investigation, IMC (UK) said.
The figures relate to the year to the end of June 2022.
IMC (UK) did not provide any further details of this process, but its most recent annual report refers to a watchlist maintained by its compliance and ethics team to screen for potential risks posed by external partners.
A sixth employee was disciplined by the charity after a safeguarding investigation.
IMC (UK) said it took a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation or abuse and investigated all allegations thoroughly.
A spokesperson for the charity told Third Sector that it commissioned 14 safeguarding investigations in 2021/22 and upheld complaints in six cases.
Seven investigations were either inconclusive or found the complaint was unsubstantiated. One investigation was ongoing at the end of the financial year.
IMC (UK) reported all 14 cases to the Charity Commission, the spokesperson said.
The charity is an “independent affiliate” of the US-based IMC, which made a £2m donation to the UK charity last year.
In October 2021, The New Humanitarian website reported that staff at the IMC were among those accused of exploiting local women in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the response to the 2018 Ebola outbreak.
IMC (UK) said: “As our annual report notes, we believe that there is no place in society for sexual exploitation or abuse in any form. Accordingly, IMC has a zero-tolerance policy for such actions among our staff, contractors and volunteers.
“We are committed to adhering to the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s six core principles relating to sexual exploitation and abuse, which include prohibiting the exchange of money, employment, goods or services for sex, or other forms of humiliating, degrading or exploitative behaviour.
“We take any and all reports of misconduct very seriously and investigate each allegation thoroughly, whether they are reported to us through our own reporting mechanisms or brought to our attention through other means by other parties (including donors, partner organisations or the media).
“The survivor does not have to come forward, and can remain completely anonymous.”