EthicsPoint is a confidential reporting system to assist NW Natural, its employees and others in working together to identify and address issues such as fraud, violations of law and other types of workplace misconduct and to ensure that NW Natural conducts its business in compliance with its Code of Ethics and applicable laws. The EthicsPoint system allows you to report a concern or ask a question either by telephone or the Internet.
Return to TopThe EthicsPoint system is designed for NW Natural employees and others to raise questions about or report a concern that they believe in good faith to be a violation of NW Natural’s Code of Ethics or law. These concerns include those identified on the Issue Type List on this site. See the NW Natural Code of Ethics for more information.
For employees of NW Natural, additional information about types of issues that are Code of Ethics issues and available avenues for raising concerns is available on NW Natural's Business Integrity Intranet site. NW Natural encourages employees to first address concerns with their supervisor or department manager unless the employee is uncomfortable doing so, in which case there are several other avenues available, including the EthicsPoint system.
Return to TopIf you wish to remain anonymous, the EthicsPoint system is designed to protect your anonymity. A report from home, a neighbor’s computer, or any Internet portal will remain secure and anonymous, if you so choose. An Internet portal never identifies a visitor by screen name and the EthicsPoint system strips away Internet addresses so that anonymity is assured. EthicsPoint will not pursue a reporter’s identity.
Please keep in mind though, that if you decide to remain anonymous and NW Natural does not receive enough information in your report, it may not be possible for NW Natural to investigate or respond to your concerns. Because of this, we encourage all callers to leave their name and contact information. If you do provide your name, NW Natural will handle your report with discretion and will only disclose information as needed to effectively review and resolve the report.
Return to TopNW Natural will not tolerate acts of retaliation against anyone who reports a business integrity or compliance concern in good faith. A “good faith” report means that you believe that the information you have provided about the misconduct or other concern is a potential violation of the Code of Ethics or the law and that you believe the facts you are providing are true. Any employee who engages in retaliation will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Return to TopTo ensure security, reports are entered directly on the EthicsPoint secure server. EthicsPoint makes these reports available only to specified NW Natural representatives who are charged with evaluating and/or investigating reports, based on the type of violation and location of the incident. Each of these individuals has had training in the appropriate handling of these reports, including procedures to maintain confidentiality.
Return to TopWhen you submit a report at the EthicsPoint Web site or through the EthicsPoint Call Center, you receive a unique user name and are asked to choose a password. You can return to the EthicsPoint system again either by Internet or telephone and access the original report to add more detail or answer questions posed by the NW Natural representative who is handling the report and add further information that will help resolve open issues. We strongly suggest that you return to the site in the time specified to answer any questions NW Natural may have so the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible.
Return to TopYes. NW Natural employees should review the available reporting options on NW Natural's Business Integrity Intranet site. Persons outside the company should review the available options at the Corporate Governance Page and at the Other Resources Page.
Return to TopEthicsPoint is NOT a 911 or Emergency Service:
Please do not use this site to report events presenting an emergency situation (such as a threat to safety of any person or property).
In the case of an emergency, please contact 911 or your appropriate local authorities. If you have a concern involving natural gas safety, such as a natural gas odor, please contact NW Natural Gas at 800-882-3377.