Integrity
Integrity is an important condition for fulfilling our mission ‘Together we improve the health of people and create the healthcare of tomorrow'. We are actively working on this through This is Us. Whether in the way we act towards each other (social integrity), how we do research (scientific integrity), how we handle business choices (business integrity), or how we act towards patients and stakeholders in research (professional integrity). Our way of working is described in our Integrity code of conduct and in our Research code. These codes also indicate to whom a (suspected) breach of (scientific) integrity can be reported.
Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs
Employees of UMC Utrecht, medical students, and students of the UMC Utrecht Academy can confidentially seek advice from the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs. A central confidential counselor, together with six decentralized confidential counselors, provides support and guidance to employees who experience unwanted behavior and informs them about possible solutions.
The actions and interventions of the ombuds officers are aimed at informing, advising, mediating, and referring in questions, reports, or disputes regarding employment relations, working conditions, and the application of terms of employment. Conducting investigations in response to reports is also part of their responsibilities.
The ombuds officers and confidential counselors are independent and impartial.
In 2025, the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs received 327 notifications (as opposed to 322 in 2024). In 176 situations, the reports were handled by the ombuds officers, and in 149 situations by the (central or decentralized) confidential counselors. In two cases, the scientific integrity contact person was involved.
As in previous years, most of the notifications in 2025 pertained to questions and issues related to problems in collaboration and/or conflict situations, legal position, unwanted behavior, and performance evaluation issues.
Interventions from the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs mainly consisted of offering advice, guidance or mediation, aimed at de-escalation and restoring cooperation between employee(s) and manager(s) or between employees themselves. When multiple reports were received about a specific department or supervisor, the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs initiated an investigation, mapping the situation through interviews (hearing both sides) and subsequently issuing recommendations. In some cases, this resulted in long-term follow-up monitoring of the situation.
Reports related to unwanted behavior decreased from 48 in 2024 to 36 in 2025. These mainly concerned issues in the category of moral and psychological intimidation, and in a very small number of cases, sexual intimidation. The latter category is particularly difficult to detect, partly due to shame and guilt, insufficient trust in follow-up, and fear of negative career consequences.
Mostly, employees who report unwanted behavior wanted to talk with a confidential counselor from the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs, but did not want to have it discussed with the person who is accused. To increase willingness to report, possible interventions are being explored and implemented where possible.
Regarding social safety in general, the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs collaborated, when possible and appropriate, with our ‘This is Us’ program. This included jointly contributing to components of the Connecting Leaders leadership program and referring employees to one another when needed. In addition, the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs organized presentations and workshops on ‘Wanted behavior in the workplace’ within teams and departments.
In its separate annual report for 2025, the Bureau for Ombuds- and Confidential Affairs provides anonymized reporting on reports, interventions, and results, and issues recommendations in response to signals received.
Whistleblower procedure
At UMC Utrecht we want to avoid malpractices in as far as we can. It is therefore important for (serious suspicions of) malpractices to be reported. Our Whistleblower procedure describe the procedures for reporting and investigating malpractices in our organization. All alerts are handled with care.
In 2025, no alerts were made to the Whistleblower Commission in the scope of the UMC Utrecht Whistleblower Procedures.
In 2022, Utrecht Holdings declared irregularities in which three (former) employees were involved. The criminal investigation into those involved is still ongoing. It will take some time before the outcome is known.