Expert solutions for complex people challenges
Independent ethics and integrity specialists for education, charity and nonprofit organisations across New Zealand and Australia.
Welcome
I’m Tim Sterne, Founding Director of Basalt Solutions. Every organisation that works with people will receive concerns and complaints about behaviour or organisational performance. Those concerns vary enourmously – from concerns about a single interaction to allegations of serious misconduct – and it’s not always obvious which issues will stay small and which will grow into something more serious.
How these situations are handled has an outsized effect on the people involved and the organisation. Concerns that aren’t taken seriously don’t disappear. They grow, involve more people, and become harder to resolve fairly.
The organisations that come through the most difficult situations well aren’t the ones that avoid them. They’re the ones that set themselves up to hear concerns early, take them seriously, and respond with fairness and competence. Before the crisis comes.
That capability is built through well-designed systems, effective training, and relationships with the right independent specialists. Organisations that invest in this aren’t just protecting themselves. They’re creating an environment where every person is treated with the care they deserve.
Trusted to deliver
How we help
Basalt Solutions provides expert independent support to education providers, charities and nonprofits across Australia and New Zealand.
Specialist training and capability-building for leaders dealing with complex complaints, concerns, and conflicts. Focus areas include investigation leadership, investigative interviewing, and navigating high-stakes conversations.
Evidence-based reviews of systems, processes, decisions, and culture. Reviews are often used where a formal investigation is not required, learning and improvement matter, and leaders want an independent perspective they can trust. This service includes assessments of complaint-handling systems. We identify gaps, benchmark against best practice, and provide actionable recommendations. Reviews can be delivered in-person and remotely.
Expert independent investigations into workplace misconduct and sensitive complaints involving your staff, volunteers, students or people in your care. We are engaged when a case requires more than just basic procedure, including allegations against senior staff, conflicting accounts, or situations with significant risk. Our approach delivers detailed analysis, credible conclusions, and reports that stand up to scrutiny. Investigation services can be delivered in-person and remotely.
Independent support for leaders navigating fast-moving or high-pressure situations where judgement, decision-making and proportionate responses are critical. This includes specialist support for staff tasked with conducting internal investigations. We bring operational leadership, clear planning, and calm judgement to ensure defensible decisions under pressure.
Expert solutions for complex people challenges
Whether you’re building capability through training or need immediate support for a sensitive matter, early engagement enables us to find the right solution for you.