to a complaint system, but the office is intended to function, and to appear to function, independently from all regular line and staff managementand to report to the CEO or Board of Directors. Impartial third party role Currently, the role is considered by some as a hallmark of an ethical organization and a key component of an integrated dispute resolution system, or complaint system. Sometimes referred to as the ultimate 'inside-outsider', an organizational Ombudsman adheres to professional standards strictly governing their confidentiality and neutrality. By virtue of their protected and highly placed internal role (e.g., reporting to a board of directors rather than to line or staff management), they can be particularly effective at working long-term with management to help effect change in policies, procedures, systems or structures that are problematic for employees or inefficient for the organization. Associations and professional standards The International Ombudsman Institute supports ombudsmen institutions to cooperate. The umbrella professional association for organizational ombudsmen is the International Ombudsman Association, which provides training and establishes standards of practice. Other non-profit think tanks, such as the Institute for Collaborative Engagement, have strongly supported the work and growth of the profession, as has the American Bar Association, through its support of standards and guidelines to establish organizational ombudsman offices. Specific examples Universities appoint ombudsmen to handle student and staff complaints and grievances. Corporations and businesses contract or hire an ombudsman to enable businesses and organizations to realize their goals. Some practitioners are certified mediators from organizations such as The Center for Dispute Resolution. Other practitioners have received a masters or Ph.D. in programs such as Mediation and Conflict Studies. In this case study involving a home services organization, the organization used an ombuds office for monitoring, reporting, conflict resolution and engagement. Team coaching tools were deployed as well. In a case study involving a manufacturing business, the role of the ombudsperson included mediation, coaching individuals within the team, coaching with leadership to discover overall goals, team diagnostic assessments, ongoing team coaching centered on organizational culture, communications, team agreements, etc., and finally, training in conflict awareness. See also Complaint system References Howard, Charles, The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations - A Legal Guide, (Chicago, IL, American Bar Association, Jan. 2010) Rowe, Mary, An Organizational Ombuds Office In a System for Dealing with Conflict and Learning from Conflict, or Conflict Management System in the Harvard Negotiations Law Journal, 2009, at