Dear members, The Executive Board of the RIPE NCC held a meeting on 15 May 2022 and decided to start an investigation into an allegation from a RIPE NCC staff member of bullying and intimidating treatment by an Executive Board member. The legal firm BenninkAmar Advocaten has been hired as an independent investigator to conduct a neutral investigation of the matter and to make a report on the matter to the rest of the board. The investigator for BenninkAmar is Tomasz Kodrzycki (tomasz.kodrzycki@batradelaw.com) who will be the sole point of contact for staff, members and community regarding this matter. This action is in line with the RIPE NCC’s whistleblower policy. We want to make sure that all legal safeguards are in place to protect the rights of those involved. This is a difficult matter for the RIPE NCC, but I want to be clear that the well-being of staff is of paramount importance. We will allow the investigation to run its course and will not comment on the details of the case while that investigation is ongoing. The investigation will be conducted in strict confidentiality and I ask that you respect the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of those involved. Regards, Christian Kaufmann Chairman of the RIPE NCC Executive Board