Fortunately, Sanofi had the full buy-in and support for the development of the ombuds service from the senior leadership team which is one of the typical hurdles to overcome. However, a number of challenges remained:

• The global scale of the organisation meant it was critical to develop a professionally and culturally diverse ombuds team. This itself presented issues over regional interpretations of what an ombuds can and cannot do for example.
  
  
• Developing trust and belief in the ombuds service as a safe place to share concerns within the organisation.
  
  
• The breadth of issues can range from relatively minor problems, right through to potentially serious allegations with a high degree of emotion. Ensuring the ombuds team were skilled and comfortable with a full-spectrum of challenges was a key priority.
  
  
• The ombuds service is not about immediate problem solving but guiding people through a process. Equally, it is not about simply triaging, but using skills to achieve a deeper level of exploration at the first instance to best advise on the way forward.
  
  
• Linked to this, ensuring the ombuds team had a clear understanding of all the formal and informal conflict resolution processes available to deal with concerns.

The development of Sanofi's ombuds service drew on CEDR's experience of bringing together people and process to deliver better outcomes. 

Key steps in the development process included:

1. Alignment Session with Stakeholders: CEDR led an initial meeting with key Sanofi stakeholders to collaboratively design the process for developing the ombuds team, ensuring shared goals and clarity from the outset.

2. Competency Framework: A set of key competencies was developed, along with an assessment framework, to define clear expectations for the ombuds team. This framework assured the business of the team’s professionalism and efficacy, supporting both the initial and future development of the ombuds function.

3. Candidate Selection: Candidates for the ombuds role were interviewed using role-play scenarios to assess their potential. This method ensured that those selected had the necessary skills and mindset to handle the pressures and responsibilities of the role.

4. Creation of the Ombuds Office Charter: A charter was developed in tandem with training to secure buy-in from the initial ombuds cohort, establishing guidelines and expectations for the office's operation.

5. Skills Training: The selected 21-person team underwent intense, three-day skills training at CEDR offices, which included individual coaching, feedback, and role-playing exercises to simulate real-life scenarios they might encounter.

6. Competency Assessment: The team’s abilities were assessed based on the competency framework, reinforcing their credibility as ombuds professionals.

7. Ongoing Learning Reviews: Post-launch, the team participated in regular review sessions where they discussed real cases, ensuring continued learning and refinement of their skills.