Journal of IOA: Ombuds in a Complex World

Fred Wright, Workplace Conciliator (Organizational Ombuds) in the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning for Victoria, Australia, is the author of the latest article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association. In "Ombudsing in Complex Environments," Wright argues that Ombuds need an updated role definition and knowledge base to effectively navigate increasingly complex organizational environments rather than relying on outdated professional assumptions and tools. The full article is now available online.

Ole Miss AAUP Raises Alarm Over Camera Outside Ombuds Office

The University of Mississippi is facing new scrutiny over its Ombuds program after the university's chapter of the American Association of University Professors raised concerns about a facial-recognition camera outside the entrance to the Ombuds Office. The group says employees discovered the camera on July 13 and argues that its presence undermines the confidentiality that is fundamental to the Ombuds function, potentially deterring faculty, staff, and students from seeking assistance.

SAFE Dialogue Coach Launches AI Platform for Organizational Ombuds

A new AI-powered conflict coaching platform developed by a longtime Ombuds is being promoted as a resource that Ombuds can recommend to visitors preparing for difficult conversations. SAFE Dialogue Coach, created by Diedrick (D.A.) Graham, draws on draws on established conflict resolution and coaching frameworks to help visitors analyze conflicts, prepare for conversations, and practice communication strategies. According to Graham, the platform is intended to help individuals prepare for conflict resolution and, when appropriate, seek assistance from an Ombuds, serving "not as a replacement for the practitioner" but as a supplement to human guidance. SAFE Dialogue Coach joins a growing number of AI-based products and services being developed specifically for the Ombuds profession. 

International Ombudsman Institute Adopts Ethical Principles Guide

IOI, the international association for more than 200 public-sector (Classical) Ombudsman programs in 100 countries, has adopted a new Guide to the Ethical Principles of Ombudspersons and their Staff Members. The document was unanimously approved by the IOI World Board at its May 2026 meeting in Curaçao and is intended to provide a common ethical framework for Ombudsman institutions worldwide. The guide identifies seven core principles that apply to Ombudsman programs regardless of their legal mandate or jurisdiction. It also addresses emerging issues such as accessibility, digital technologies, and artificial intelligence, emphasizing that technology should support, but not replace, human judgment. 

IOA Seeks Feedback on Final Draft of Standards of Practice

The International Ombuds Association has released the final draft of its revised Standards of Practice and a new accompanying Compendium for member review and comment by July 16, 2026. The revisions conclude a clarification review that began in 2025 and included recommendations from a Board-appointed task force, guided review sessions, and extensive member feedback. According to the IOA, the new Compendium is intended to provide additional guidance on interpreting and applying the Standards (meanwhile, while the review of the Code of Ethics has been paused until the Standards are finalized). This is likely to be the final opportunity for members to comment before the revised Standards are presented to the Board for adoption.

New Service Offers Data Analytics Support for University Ombuds

Isabel Brooke has launched Insight Ombuds Analytics, a niche service that provides data management and reporting support for university Ombuds offices. The venture offers assistance with case tracking, data analysis, and annual reporting, with the goal of reducing administrative burdens and allowing Ombuds to devote more time to assisting visitors. 

University of California Ombuds Update Systemwide Statement of Best Practices

The University of California Ombuds Offices have released a revised Declaration of Best Practices, replacing the prior version adopted in 2017. The updated guidance applies to Ombuds Offices at all UC campuses and the UC Office of the President. While reaffirming the core principles of independence, confidentiality, impartiality, and informality, the revision adds extensive guidance on Ombuds office structure, reporting relationships, staffing, selection of Ombuds, and conflicts of interest. The document also updates terminology to align with current IOA standards, replacing references to “neutrality” with “impartiality” and reflecting the association's current name. 

European Central Bank Adopts Privacy Policy for its Mediator/Ombuds

The European Central Bank has published a privacy statement for its Mediation/Ombuds Function, the independent service that assists staff in resolving workplace concerns. (Spyridon (Spyros) Antonelos was appointed the inaugural ECB Mediator/Ombuds in 2023.) The statement outlines strict limits on the collection, processing, and retention of personal data. Furthermore, the statement identifies how the IOA Standards of Practice are aligned with EU data protection law. 

AORC and AOMA to Host Global Webinar on ADR Practices

The African Ombudsman Research Centre, in partnership with the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association, will host an international webinar, “Integrating Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for Effective Case Resolution in Ombudsman Institutions,” on March 3, 2026. These are strategies that Ombuds of all types use routinely in their work. 

Ombuds Author Examines Generational Conflict at Work

Merry Brown, the inaugural Ombuds at the University of Tennessee at Martin, has published a new book, Winning the Generation Wars at Work: Making (Your) Age an Asset, exploring how colleagues of different ages can collaborate more effectively. Drawing on her experience as a workplace mediator, Ombuds, and host of the podcast "Conflict Managed," Brown examines why generational tensions arise and argues that they are often rooted less in age than in assumptions, communication gaps, and unspoken expectations. 

ABA Ombuds Committee Open Meeting for Early Career Ombuds

The Ombuds Committee of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section is hosting a three-part series on the life cycle of an Ombuds. The first session is "Emerging Ombuds: New & Early Career Reflections" and takes place on February 24, 2026, at 12:00pm EST. All three sessions are open and free to nonmembers. 

Video: From Decision Scientist to Ombuds

In a video interview conducted at the Society for Medical Decision Making last year, Scott B. Cantor recounts his professional journey from full-time decision scientist to Ombuds. (Cantor has been an Ombuds with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center since 2018.) In the interview, he describes how principles of decision science inform his current practice, including how he assesses options, supports difficult choices, and approaches conflict resolution.

Emeritus Ombuds on Distinguishing Program Structure From Embeddedness

In a recent post on his blog, Bruce MacAllister examines the growing confusion in Ombuds discourse around the term “embedded,” particularly when it is used interchangeably to describe both an Ombuds program’s structural placement and an Ombuds’ depth of organizational fluency. 

IOA Seeks Feedback on Revised SOPs and Code of Ethics

The International Ombuds Association Board of Directors has convened a task force to review professional Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics as part of the Board's regular review cycle. The task force shared its proposals on January 28 and now solicits feedback from members for input on the meaning, interpretation, and practice alignment of the proposed revisions. Online feedback sessions and regional meetings are offered over the next several weeks. In general, the revisions aim to better reflect the complexities of modern workplaces and to better integrate the primary ethical standards.

Conflict Resolution Framework Developed by Ombuds Practitioner

Kira Nurieli, an Organizational Ombuds and conflict resolution consultant, has developed a new conflict-navigation framework known as 3D Harmony. The model is structured around three core elements of dignity, dialogue, and discovery, and is intended for use in workplace and organizational conflict settings. 

Journal of IOA: Managing Professional Conflicts Between Ombuds

The latest article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association is "We’re Human, Too: Conflict Among Ombuds." The authors are Tessa Tompkins Byer, the University Ombuds at Clemson University, and Scott B. Cantor, an Ombuds for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. They explore the underexamined issue of conflict between Ombuds professionals and provide practical strategies to normalize and manage these disputes effectively. The full article is now available online.

AI and the Humanizing Role of the Organizational Ombuds

A new article in Conflict Resolution Quarterly addresses the role of Ombuds and the effects of AI. Brian Green, the Associate Ombuds and Director of Programs at Emory University is the author of "Artificial Intelligence, Bureaucratic Dehumanization, and the Organizational Ombuds." He argues that Ombuds should approach AI cautiously and critically, viewing it through their core function as humanizers within organizational systems. 

Guest Post: Reese Ramos on the Impact of AI

In this special post, Reese Ramos, the University Ombuds & Director at Virginia Tech, offers his perspective on the growing impact of AI on Ombuds work. I deeply appreciate and respect his insights on the Ombuds profession.

Here is his full essay:

Prince William County Public Schools Ombuds Posts 2024–25 Annual Report

PWCS in Virginia has issued the 2024–25 annual report from its Office of the Ombuds. Monique “Mo” Bookstein and Ombuds Specialist Rosamaria Manzines recorded 368 cases, a 15% increase from the prior year. The annual report uses IOA reporting categories and this year added a new case type, “Educational Partners,” to better classify school-related concerns.

Canada's Organizational Ombuds Council Document Guides Practice for Federal Ombuds

In July 2020, OOC (Conseil des ombuds organisationnels) issued "Standards of Practice for Organizational Ombuds of the Federal Public Service." These standards are designed to be "consistent with those of the International Ombudsman Association (IOA) and the Coalition of the Federal Ombudsman of the United States to guide the organizational ombuds practice within the Federal Public Service." This document is therefore another crucial, foundational document that supports and defines work of Organizational Ombuds.