A Gathering of Ombuds
The International Ombuds Association (IOA), of which I am a member, met in Miami this week for its 2025 annual conference. The conference provided a rich tapestry of programming, with breakout sessions that focused on everything from creating an effective charter to working without an operating budget to the impacts on organizational climate of current policy out of Washington.
Many of our ombuddies were unable to join this year, including many who are based in Canada and others who were unable to secure visas. We missed seeing them in-person. That said, the conference had an enthusiastic group of attendees and represented a wide variety of sectors, including higher education. And, because a good number of organizational ombuds work alone, we appreciated the opportunity for conversation and sharing best practices.
As is becoming increasingly standard for professional and academic conferences, the organization supplied an independent ombuds to be available to all participants during the proceedings. The conference ombuds also provided input into the planning of the overall event and will provide input and feedback for post-event evaluation. (You will find a separate column at this site on the value-added in embedding an ombuds within an academic conference.)
While many of the breakout sessions provided fascinating insights into ombudsing practice, I found particularly interesting a panel that included Donna Douglass Williams of Pinterest. Some readers here may recall that Douglass Williams undertook the role at Pinterest in 2021 as part of a settlement agreement between shareholders and management that alleged racial and gender discrimination and harassment. I was interested to hear her evaluation of the strides that her office (now also including three associate ombuds) has made.
Douglass Williams opened her talk with a data point often referred to by management experts: conflict costs $359B in lost productivity per year. And yet – though ombuds are particularly adept at conflict preemption – it is all too often the case that we are brought into an organization only after a crisis has developed. At that point, we are tasked not only with providing services to individual visitors, but also to trying to shift organizational awareness and culture.
The existence of the ombuds office itself will convey the message that employees are valued and respected by the organization and that a healthy workplace culture is consistent with the mission, values, and corporate responsibility goals. The greatest challenge, however, is that organizational culture is set at the top. Efforts toward change and cohesion can work only when leadership is responsive.
For those of you interested in learning more about the IOA, you can visit this link: https://www.ombudsassociation.org/.
For those of you who wish to research ombuds organizations more broadly, you might start with the list below.
In peace,
Marguerite
United States
- United States Ombudsman Association (USOA) – serves governmental ombudsman offices across the United States and member offices in Canada and other parts of the world.
- The Coalition of Federal Ombuds (COFO) – exists to support, assist, advance, and edify those who serve federal government institutions as ombudsman; those institutions considering, developing, and hosting these programs; and those who benefit from these programs.
- Board of Certification for Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioners (CO-OP®) – The certifying body authorized to award the Certified Organizational Ombuds Practitioner (CO_OP) credential. The purpose of organizational ombuds certification is to define the essential knowledge and experience required for the role, establish eligibility criteria for initial certification and re-certification, promote consistency in professional standards, recognize certified ombuds practitioners to peers and the public, and advance the organizational ombuds profession.
- National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (NORC) – Supports the work of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs by providing training, technical assistance, and resources to advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. It helps ensure that residents’ rights, dignity, and quality of life are protected by strengthening ombudsman services nationwide.
- Organization of News Ombudsmen – dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of journalism by encouraging respectful and truthful discourse about journalism’s practices and purposes.
- Nursing Home Abuse Justice: Nursing Home Ombudsmen – Helps protect residents from neglect and abuse by addressing complaints and advocating for better care. Ombudsman is a public official who works to resolve resident issues in nursing facilities.
International
- African Ombudsman and Mediators Association – Mission to advance the development of the ombudsman institution for the furtherance of good governance, the rule of law, and human right in Africa. There are now 36 ombudsmen at a national level of government in Africa.
- Association of Canadian College and University Ombudspersons (ACCUO)
- Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA) – ANZOA is the professional association for Ombudsmen in Australia and New Zealand
- British and Irish Ombudsman Association (BIOA) – A professional association for ombudsman schemes and complaint handlers in the UK, Ireland, British Overseas Territories and British Crown Dependencies.
- European Network of Ombuds in Higher Education (ENOHE) – an informal network established in for academic ombudsmen to learn from each other, and to create a possibility for a more solid base for the ombudsman function in the European educational field.
- European Ombudsman Institute (EOI) – an independent organization that promotes cooperation among ombudsman institutions across Europe, supporting their role in protecting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. It facilitates the exchange of knowledge and best practices among its members while advocating for the development and strengthening of ombudsman systems.
- Forum of Canadian Ombudsman (FCO) – a national organization that supports ombudsman professionals across Canada by promoting best practices, professional development, and collaboration. It serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and advocacy, strengthening the role of ombudsman offices in ensuring fairness and accountability in various sectors.
- Mediterranean Network Mediators and Ombudsmen – The Association presents an institutional framework that links institutions working in mediation and Human Rights field located in the Mediterranean region. Goals common to the members of the Association comprise the advancement of the principles of democracy and good governance, rule of law and social peace, raising among the citizens regarding their rights and obligations.
- Peacemakers Trust – a Canadian charitable organization for research and education on conflict resolution and peacemaking.
