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Frequently Asked Questions

Mastercard Ethics Helpline
Frequently Asked Questions:

    What is the Mastercard Ethics Helpline?

    The Mastercard Ethics Helpline is a confidential reporting service provided by an independent third-party, EthicsPoint, on behalf of Mastercard, to enable you to report (by phone or online) suspected or potential violations of law, Mastercard’s Code of Conduct, or other Company policies in a confidential and, if you choose, anonymous (where permitted by local law), manner. Mastercard does not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, based on a reasonable belief, raises a concern about anything that may be a violation of law, the Code of Conduct or one of our Company’s other policies.

    NOTE: This Helpline is not a 911 or Emergency Service.

    Do not use this site to report events presenting an immediate threat to life or property. Reports submitted through this service may not receive an immediate response. If you require emergency assistance, please contact your local authorities.

    Cardholders with questions or concerns regarding their personal credit, debit, or prepaid card should access the Mastercard Support page at http://www.mastercard.us/support/.

    Who oversees the Mastercard Ethics Helpline?

    Reports made to the Mastercard Ethics Helpline are initially reviewed by the Global Compliance Investigations team. The Global Compliance Investigations team is impartial and treats all matters confidentially to the extent reasonably possible under the circumstances. Depending on the subject matter of the report, the Global Compliance Investigations team may refer the report to Employee Relations, Corporate Security or another business unit that may be more appropriate to look into the matter.

    How do I contact the Ethics Helpline?

    The Ethics Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offers multi-lingual capability. Reports can be made to the Ethics Helpline by phone or online. Local privacy and data protection laws may restrict or limit the availability of the Helpline in certain countries.

    To contact the Ethics Helpline by phone:

    • If dialing within the United States, call 1-800-405-9318
    • If dialing outside the United States, click here for local access numbers and dialing instructions.

      • To contact the Ethics Helpline by online visit www.mastercard.ethicspoint.com:

        • Select "Report a Concern" from the Ethics Helpline main page and follow the instruction prompts. You need to select “Submit Report” to file your report. The system does not save data and the report will not be saved or submitted if the “Submit Report” button is not selected.
    How else can I raise a concern?

    In addition to the Ethics Helpline, you can also raise a concern through the following channels:

    • Your manager
    • The Chief Compliance Officer
    • Any member of the Global Ethics and Compliance team
    • Your Region Compliance Lead
    • The General Counsel
    • Any attorney in the law department
    • Employee Relations
    • Your Human Resources Business Partner
    When should I make a report?

    Ask yourself:

    • Does the conduct potentially violate the law, the Mastercard Code of Conduct or another Company policy?
    • Could the conduct be viewed as dishonest, unethical or unlawful?
    • Could the conduct damage Mastercard’s reputation?
    • Could the conduct hurt other people, such as co-workers, customers, business partners or investors?

    If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” or even “maybe,” you should report your concern.

    NOTE: Cardholders with questions or concerns regarding their personal credit, debit, or prepaid card should contact the Consumer Escalations Team at consumer_escalations@mastercard.com

    I am not sure if what I have observed or heard is a violation of Company policy, or involves unethical conduct, but it just doesn’t look right to me. What should I do?

    Please speak up. We'd rather you raise concerns of letting possible unethical behavior go unchecked because you weren't sure. Even if you don’t know all the facts, by speaking up, you protect the Company and yourself. You can raise your concern using any of the reporting channels listed in the Code of Conduct, including the Ethics Helpline.

    Why should I raise a concern?

    We’re all stewards of Mastercard’s reputation, our brand and the trust placed in us by our shareholders, partners and consumers. You are empowered and responsible to speak up, particularly with respect to any ethical or potential legal concerns. By asking a question or reporting a concern, you protect Mastercard and yourself. Mastercard will investigate all reports of unethical or unlawful behavior.

    By promptly speaking up, you give Mastercard the opportunity to follow-up and ensure that employees and third parties engaged on behalf of Mastercard are operating in an open, transparent and ethical manner. If we don’t know about it, we can’t address it.

    Should I be concerned about retaliation if I make a report?

    Mastercard has a strict Non-Retaliation Policy and will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, based on a reasonable belief, raises a concern about anything that may be a violation of the law, the Code of Conduct or one of our Company’s other policies. Retaliation against an employee for reporting an issue based on a reasonable belief is itself a violation of our Code and must be reported. Please do not let the fear of retaliation prevent you from speaking up. Any suspected retaliation should be reported immediately.

    How much detail should I provide in my report?

    Provide as much detail as possible, including relevant names and dates. You can even attach documents to your report. The more information you provide, the more efficiently and effectively Mastercard will be able to investigate your concern.

    Can I make an anonymous report?

    It depends where you’re located. Where permitted by local law, you can use the Ethics Helpline to make anonymous reports. If you are in a location that permits anonymous reporting, the system will allow you to select that option. If you are in a location that does not permit anonymous reporting, this option will not be available.

    Does it help if I identify myself?

    Yes. The more information you provide, the more efficiently and effectively Mastercard will be able to investigate your concern. If you provide your name, it will enable us to communicate directly with you regarding any questions we may have and to let you know when the investigation has been concluded. Investigations are kept confidential to the extent reasonably possible under the circumstances, and Mastercard will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, based on a reasonable belief, raises a concern about anything that may be a violation of the law, the Code of Conduct or one of our Company’s other policies.

    What if I would like to check the status of my report or provide additional information after I file my report?

    When you raise a concern or ask a question through the Ethics Helpline (by phone or online), you will be assigned a unique code called a "report key." Write down your report key and password and keep them in a safe place. You will need your report key and password to check your report for feedback or requests for additional information.

    How do I know if Mastercard has a question about my report?

    You can use your report key and password to check in periodically for feedback or requests for additional information from Mastercard.

    What if I don’t remember my report key or password?

    If you lose your report key or password, you will need to file a new report. Please mention in the new report that this matter relates to a report that you previously filed and provide as much detail as possible so we can connect the reports.

    What is EthicsPoint?

    EthicsPoint is the name of the system that operates the Mastercard Ethics Helpline. It is owned by NAVEX, our third party helpline provider.

    EthicsPoint’s principal responsibilities are to:

    • Provide confidential telephone and web-based options for reporting knowledge or suspicion of violations of the Code of Conduct, company policies, or the law;
    • Protect the identity of reporters who wish to remain anonymous, where local law permits;
    • Provide translation services for individuals reporting in languages other than English;
    • Transmit information about the concern to Mastercard to enable an appropriate response;
    • Serve as an intermediary to employees, business partners and the public for anonymous reporting, where permissible by law;
    • Relay follow-up questions and answers to anonymous reporters.

    It is not EthicsPoint’s role to take action to address the concern, only to transmit the concern reported to Mastercard.

    How does EthicsPoint maintain confidentiality?

    EthicsPoint, our third party helpline provider, does not trace phone calls or use Caller Identification. Website reports come through a secure Internet portal, which does not trace or show user screen names. Further, EthicsPoint does not generate or maintain internal connection logs containing Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

    Reports are entered directly on the EthicsPoint secure server and Mastercard is notified each time a report is made. EthicsPoint makes these reports available only to specific individuals within the company who are charged with investigating the report.

    Can Mastercard trace reports made to the Ethics Helpline?

    No. EthicsPoint, our third party helpline provider, operates the call center and hosts the web-based reporting intake. You can make a report to the Ethics Helpline by telephone or any device that is connected to the internet. EthicsPoint does not trace phone calls or use Caller Identification, nor does it trace or show user screen names for Website reports. Further, EthicsPoint does not generate or maintain internal connection logs containing Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.