Statement on leaked 2009 Human Resource ‘speaker notes’ used by Premier Christian News

Simon Day, Chair of the UCCF Trust Board comments:

'Premier Christian News has today (March 11) published a story based on a leaked January 2009 Human Resources document, detailing speaker notes for a talk by an employee for a leadership training session that month. This 15-year-old document was not then, nor after, an official Policy document.

'The culture and practices referred to in the memo are not what UCCF stands for. Today, UCCF has new trustees with senior HR, business, and governance backgrounds, and a new, highly experienced Director of People is commencing work in March. UCCF Staff Worker contracts are open-ended contracts and employees are fully and explicitly informed of their employment rights in this area by UCCF.

'We have fully accepted the findings of a recent independent investigation, specifically acknowledging the failings in relation to the termination of CU Staff Worker contracts of the kind described in this 2009 memo. We have apologised publicly to all concerned for past failings and have changed our employment practices. [1]

'This memo came to our attention in early 2023 and was provided to Hilary Winstone during the course of her investigation. Ms Winstone was the senior employment law barrister brought in by the Trustees to carry out an investigation into various allegations raised, including an examination of the legality of UCCF’s employment practices.'

ENDS

Editor’s Notes:

Note about current contract arrangements for CU Staff Workers:

UCCF Staff Workers are employed on open-ended contracts, with a three month notice period. UCCF asks its staff to make a commitment to completing at least 3 years’ service, both to maximise the impact of their work and for their own sense of job satisfaction. The CU Staff Worker role is envisaged as a 4-year commitment. Staff have the option, and right, to stay beyond 4-years. Since the CUSW contract is a permanent contract, any final decision on whether employment will continue beyond four years rests solely with the employee other than in exceptional cases such as redundancy.

[1] Full details of the trustee’s response to the investigation can be accessed here.

11 March 2024