SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY

The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) Sexual Harassment Policy establishes a zero-tolerance framework for sexual harassment, defining its forms, outlining reporting procedures, and specifying disciplinary actions for offenders.

• The policy applies to a broad range of individuals associated with PARI, including board members, management, staff, interns, volunteers, consultants, and potential job seekers. It covers harassment occurring within the workplace and at any location where staff are assigned for work purposes.
• Sexual harassment is defined as any implicit or explicit conduct involving unwelcome physical contact, sexually explicit language or gestures, unwanted sexual advances, or an offensive environment. This includes the use of vulgar language, sexually explicit materials, sexual jokes, and threats of reprisal for filing complaints.
• PARI categorizes sexual harassment into four primary forms: physical (ranging from touching to rape), verbal (such as sex-related jokes or whistling), non-verbal (including leering or indecent exposure), and 'quid pro quo' harassment, which involves the abuse of authority to influence employment terms like promotion or salary.
• The policy provides two paths for settling grievances: an informal procedure for subtle harassment (which may involve mediation and does not lead to disciplinary action if successful) and a formal procedure for serious cases like sexual assault or quid pro quo harassment. Formal disciplinary hearings should ideally occur within five working days of the investigation outcome, with results communicated within two working days.
• Disciplinary measures range from counselling and warnings to dismissal. Summary dismissal is mandatory for sexual assaults, including rape and molestation. If internal management fails to hold an enquiry, or if parties are dissatisfied with the outcome, the matter may be referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and potentially the Labour Court.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20190411_SexualHarassmentPolicy-v1.0.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20190411_SexualHarassmentPolicy-v1.0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20190411_SexualHarassmentPolicy-v1.0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendsexual, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/20190411_SexualHarassmentPolicy-v1.0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }