Safeguarding

Every individual at the Mastercard Foundation is responsible for safeguarding. Our highest priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of those participating in our program. Many of the individuals we work with are vulnerable and may already be at risk due to their circumstances.

Safeguarding is non-negotiable and goes beyond having a policy in place. It is a practice that should be embedded in everything we do daily. As a Foundation, we are working towards a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper. Within this vision, there is implicitly a deep commitment to building trust. We must create a safe space for people to express themselves and their agency. We risk everything if we do not create an environment where they can trust us. Without a foundation of trust, we cannot build a lasting relationship that allows us to work with others to achieve real impact. Safeguarding needs to be an integral part of how we design and deliver programs.

Safeguarding at the Mastercard Foundation

Safeguarding means more than simply preventing harm; it means creating spaces where program participants feel safe, respected, and empowered to participate in decisions that affect them. The Mastercard Foundation has a deep commitment and responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals who participate in our programs and activities. We honour our position of trust and do not tolerate exploitation or abuse in any form.

Since many of the young people we serve already face barriers and risks in their daily lives. The impacts of abuse on the physical, mental and emotional health of a young person can be severe and long-lasting. We therefore need to proactively ensure that our activities don’t result in program participants being harmed.

Safeguarding and Our Work Together

The Mastercard Foundation works with partners and vendors who share a commitment to providing safe, respectful, and inclusive environments for the young people that we serve. Safeguarding is an essential part of quality programming, risk management, and responsible organizational practice. Together, we work to ensure that no young person is harmed, excluded, or placed at unnecessary risk while participating in Foundation-supported activities or services.

Safeguarding is not a separate requirement; it is an integral part of how program is planned, delivered, and reviewed with the Foundation, whether that involves direct engagement with young people or support functions that impact their safety and well-being.

Core Safeguarding Responsibilities

Organizations that work with the Foundation, including partners and vendors, are encouraged to:

• Maintain a clear safeguarding policy that applies to staff, volunteers, contractors, and associates.
• Conduct regular safeguarding risk assessments and update mitigation plans.
• Train staff, contractors, facilitators, and volunteers on safeguarding.
• Set up accessible, confidential reporting channels.
• Ensure safe behaviour and appropriate boundaries when interacting with young people.
• Communicate safeguarding expectations to other partners working on the program.
• Communicate safeguarding expectations to participants where relevant.
• Notify the Foundation of any safeguarding concern within 72 hours.