Objective
Evidence is considered impartially, with an open mind maintained throughout the investigation and conscious steps taken to minimise bias and assumptions.
ORP Investigations helps organisations address concerns, establish what happened, identify lessons and move forward with clarity.
Independent investigations.Clear, evidence-led findings.Better-informed outcomes.
Delivered through a robust, impartial and fair process — handled in confidence and with care.
Discuss an investigationOur philosophy
The ORP approach
Reasonable
Lines of enquiry are pursued where they are reasonable in the context of the investigation, with conclusions grounded in the evidence available.
Proportionate
The scope, depth and methods used are matched to the seriousness and complexity of the matter — thorough enough to reach reliable findings without making the process unnecessarily long or costly.
Independent expertise
What we investigate
Grievances & employee complaints
Independent fact-finding where concerns have been raised about treatment, conduct or workplace relationships.
Misconduct & disciplinary matters
Impartial investigation of alleged misconduct to establish the facts and provide a clear evidential basis for decision-making.
Bullying, harassment & discrimination
Careful investigation of sensitive allegations, including sexual harassment and concerns relating to protected characteristics.
Whistleblowing & speak-up concerns
Independent investigation of disclosures involving wrongdoing, governance, ethics or other serious organisational concerns.
Safeguarding & duty-of-care concerns
Sensitive investigation where concerns involve vulnerable people, welfare, abuse, neglect or failures in organisational practice.
Complex & sensitive complaints
Independent investigation where the issues are high-risk, contested, senior-level or otherwise difficult to investigate internally.
Independent reviews & organisational learning
Fact-finding and review work to help organisations understand what happened, why it happened and what can be learned.
Investigation audits & case reviews
Independent quality audits of investigations and case files, including reviews of complaint handling and appeals, to assess evidential rigour, fairness and opportunities for improvement.
The difference
Why ORP
Focused from start to finish
A deliberately limited caseload allows each investigation to receive dedicated attention and momentum throughout.
Flexible and responsive
External investigative support when it is needed, without the cost or commitment of permanent internal resource.
Experienced judgement
Investigations are informed by extensive experience across workplace investigations, policing and regulatory environments.
Timely and proportionate
Investigations are progressed efficiently, with the scope and depth matched to the seriousness and complexity of the issues — avoiding unnecessary delay or cost.
Trauma-informed and inclusive
Recognising the impact an investigation can have on those involved, the process is designed to minimise unnecessary distress. Individual needs, vulnerability, disability, neurodiversity and protected characteristics are considered throughout, with appropriate adjustments made to support equitable participation and a fair opportunity to be heard.
Trusted to act with integrity
Entrusting an investigation to ORP means placing confidence in our judgement, conduct and care. That responsibility is taken seriously. Integrity guides how evidence is assessed, people are treated and findings are reported — including when those findings are difficult to hear. Sensitive matters are handled discreetly and securely, supported by appropriate professional insurance, vetting and data-protection controls.
Quality without compromise
High standards always maintained — from scoping and evidence gathering to analysis and reporting — producing clear, carefully reasoned work that organisations can rely on.
Learning-focused
Where appropriate, investigations look beyond what happened to help organisations understand the reasons why it may have happened, identify lessons and reduce the risk of recurrence.
Meet the founder
Independent by design
Jamie Williams
Founder & Lead
Independent Investigator
Receiving a serious allegation or workplace concern can be a difficult moment for any organisation. Investigating properly is a specialist skill, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be significant — for the organisation and for the people involved.
Not every concern requires costly legal advice, but it does require a fair, objective, reasonable and proportionate investigation. Even organisations with experienced internal teams can face capacity pressures, conflicts of interest or allegations serious enough to require genuine independence.
Outsourcing to an experienced investigator provides reassurance that the matter will be handled professionally, confidentially and impartially.
I have seen the difference a well-run investigation can make: establishing what happened, restoring clarity and confidence, identifying lessons and helping organisations and the people involved move forward. Whatever the size of your organisation, ORP Investigations can provide the independent expertise needed to manage difficult situations while controlling cost, risk and disruption.”
Jamie is an experienced investigator with a background spanning workplace conduct, policing, and regulatory investigations. He has led complex and sensitive investigations involving misconduct, harassment, discrimination, safeguarding, whistleblowing and other serious concerns.
View Jamie’s LinkedIn profile → (opens in a new tab)ORP Investigations was founded to provide organisations with independent, high-quality investigations that combine evidential rigour with a fair and thoughtful approach to the people involved.
Your questions
Frequently
asked questions
When should an organisation appoint an independent investigator?
An independent investigator can be particularly valuable where allegations are serious or sensitive, senior leaders are involved, internal impartiality could reasonably be questioned, specialist expertise is needed, or your HR team simply does not have the capacity to investigate properly.
Independence can also strengthen confidence in the process — for the organisation and for those involved.
Why use an external investigator instead of investigating internally?
Many workplace investigations can be handled internally. Others benefit from genuine independence.
An external workplace investigator brings specialist investigation skills, additional capacity and separation from internal relationships or competing interests. That can strengthen both the reality and perception of impartiality, while providing a robust evidential basis for whatever decision the organisation ultimately makes.
Does every workplace concern need a formal investigation?
No. A proportionate response is important.
Some concerns can be clarified quickly or resolved informally without a full investigation. Others require structured fact-finding because the facts are disputed, the allegations are serious, or important decisions may depend on what happened.
ORP can help determine an appropriate and proportionate investigative approach, rather than making the process larger than it needs to be.
Do I need to investigate at all?
Where important facts are unclear or disputed, making decisions without first establishing what happened can expose an organisation to unnecessary risk.
A fair investigation gives everyone involved an opportunity to be heard, tests the available evidence and provides a reasoned basis for decisions. Done well, it can also protect working relationships, organisational confidence and reputation — and identify lessons before problems recur.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) (opens in a new tab) describes investigation as an important part of a fair disciplinary or grievance process. Acas states that if an employer does not carry out a reasonable investigation, decisions made in the disciplinary or grievance case are likely to be unfair and could risk legal action.
What types of organisations does ORP work with?
ORP supports organisations of different sizes across England and Wales, including large businesses, SMEs, start-ups, charities, professional organisations and public-sector bodies.
Whether you have an established HR function or no dedicated investigation resource at all, the service can be adapted to your organisation, policies and circumstances.
What happens when ORP is appointed?
Every investigation starts with scoping.
ORP will meet with you to understand the concerns, relevant policies, background and the questions the investigation needs to address. Clear terms of reference and an investigation plan can then be agreed.
The investigation may involve reviewing documents and other evidence, interviewing the people involved, pursuing reasonable lines of enquiry and analysing the evidence before producing a clear investigation report.
The report is designed to clearly answer the questions set out in the terms of reference. Where appropriate and agreed, ORP can also make learning recommendations and consider wider implications, including whether further steps could help prevent similar issues from recurring.
Who decides whether an allegation is upheld?
That depends on the terms of reference.
ORP can make evidence-based findings on individual allegations where commissioned to do so. However, any subsequent disciplinary, management or organisational decision will generally remain with the organisation.
Keeping investigation and decision-making appropriately separate can provide an additional layer of objectivity: ORP establishes and assesses the facts, while the organisation decides what those findings mean for it.
How long does an investigation take?
There is no standard timescale. A focused investigation may take a matter of weeks, while a complex case involving numerous witnesses, substantial evidence or multiple allegations may take considerably longer.
ORP prioritises momentum throughout, while ensuring that speed does not come at the expense of fairness or quality. You will be given a realistic timescale at the outset and kept informed if circumstances change, so that any impact on the scope or timetable can be discussed and agreed with you.
Can ORP work with our existing policies and procedures?
Yes. ORP can work within your existing disciplinary, grievance, whistleblowing or investigation procedures while maintaining an independent investigative approach.
Relevant policies are considered during initial scoping so that the investigation is designed around both the issues being examined and the framework your organisation is required to follow.
How is confidentiality handled?
Workplace investigations often involve highly sensitive information. ORP handles information discreetly and securely, with appropriate data-protection and information-security controls in place.
Confidentiality is maintained as far as reasonably possible, while recognising that a fair investigation may require relevant allegations or evidence to be put to the people involved so that they have a proper opportunity to respond.
What does an independent investigation cost?
Costs depend on the scope and complexity of the investigation, including the number of allegations, witnesses and volume of evidence involved.
ORP will provide an estimated timescale and cost before work begins. If new evidence or issues significantly expand the agreed scope, this will be discussed with you before additional work is undertaken and the estimate revised where necessary.
Get in touch
Discuss an investigation
If your organisation is dealing with a workplace concern, or you are considering whether an independent investigation is the right approach, get in touch for an initial confidential discussion.
Prefer email?
enquiries@orpinvestigations.co.ukORP Investigations works with organisations across England and Wales.