A Role for Ombuds in Embedded Corporate Social Responsibility Processes

Zach Ulrich, who won the 2013 IOA Writing Competition, has a comment published in the peer-reviewed journal, Industrial and Organizational Psychology. In response to another article in the journal, Ulrich argues that the Organizational Ombuds role should be considered as part of the new corporate-social responsibility efforts underway in Fortune 1,000 companies.


He writes:

My purpose here is to suggest that the often-overlooked organizational ombudsman role can and should become an influential component of embedded corporate social responsibility processes as defined by Aguinis and Glavas. An OO is an employee who works with individuals and groups to help resolve conflicts inside or outside of an organization and who brings systemic concerns to the attention of organizational leadership. An OO does this while maintaining the confidentiality of office visitors, operating from a stance of neutrality and impartiality, remaining independent of formal organizational structures, and not adjudicating disputes or otherwise making policy recommendations regarding conflicts. [Citations omitted.]

The comment and underlying article are available online. (Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 6: 358–360.)

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