Olio relies on the goodwill of wonderful people like you who want to help reduce waste and make a valuable contribution to their community.
This document is designed to set out some principles to help keep you safe, confident and empowered when sharing.
This policy complements existing Olio App guidance and policies, including the Acceptable Use Policy (which all Olio users agree to when creating their account) and the Volunteer Agreement (which all Food Waste Heroes (FWH) accept when registering).
Our Safety Principles:
Your safety is paramount: No collection or share is worth risking your personal safety. If something feels unsafe, stop, step away, and report it to Olio (see Reporting & Escalation below).
Set and keep clear boundaries: Keep communications on‑platform, avoid sharing sensitive and personal information and choose safe times to share.
Zero-tolerance for abuse: Bullying, threats, harassment, discrimination, stalking/trolling, or sharing someone’s sensitive and personal information without consent is never acceptable. Report it to Olio, and where relevant, the Police on 999.
FWH Volunteering is always voluntary: You can pause or unassign yourself from a slot at any time. If you’re unsure or uncomfortable, don’t go.
Issues at a partner site: If there’s a disagreement or you feel uncomfortable, step away from the situation. Do not contact a partner’s head office; instead, report it to Olio via the Volunteer Hub.
Supporting your decisions
As an Olio app user or FWH, you will encounter a range of different interactions as part of collecting and sharing with your local community. The majority of these will be positive and enjoyable experiences; every collection and share is different, and there may be times you face unexpected situations.
You are the best judge of your own boundaries, and we ask you to use your judgement at all times to protect your personal safety.
However, if you are unsure, here’s a simple decision tree you can use to help clarify your position if you are faced with a challenging situation:
Reporting & Escalation
At Olio, we take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. If you find yourself receiving offensive/abusive content within an Olio message, please take the following steps as appropriate:
Take a screenshot of the conversation
Record the Olio User ID which you can find at the top of the user’s profile page
Use in-app message flag option to report offensive/abusive content within Olio messages
Block the user by clicking the flag on their profile and selecting ‘Block User’
Email: [email protected] with the Olio User ID, a brief description of the situation, a screenshot of the abusive/offensive message, and a screenshot of the Police report if relevant
When we receive a report of some behaviour that goes against our guidance and policies, we will investigate it and take action. Taking action is based on the evidence we find and our judgement of the situation. Depending on the severity of the report, these actions can range from a warning to immediate suspension. Repeated, verified reports may also lead to removal from the Olio app.
If a crime has occurred, you must contact the Police directly to report the incident. Olio cannot report on behalf of its users or FWHs as the Police require your consent to act, unless there is an immediate safeguarding or public safety concern.
We fully cooperate with Police data requests, which are legal requests for personal information by law enforcement for purposes of preventing and detecting crime, or for apprehending offenders.
For any other issues our in-app ‘Help Centre’ will guide you through all our support channels, whether you are sharing for the first time, need to review an FAQ, or are a FWH submitting a report.
Thank you for keeping yourself, and our community, safe.
Case Studies
Example 1: Using the app for dating
After a successful share, User A messages User B asking for their phone number and for a date. User B keeps communication on-platform, reports the message, and blocks User A. Olio reviews the report and bans User A from the platform for breaching the Offensive Conduct Policy.
Example 2: Requesting delivery
User A repeatedly pressures User B to deliver items and even requests payment. User B refuses, flags the messages, and keeps the items available for other users to request. Olio reviews the messages and suspends User A for breaching the Acceptable Use Policy.
Example 3: Food Waste Hero late sharing
User B has an evening collection and can only share the food late at night, which they don’t feel comfortable with. After speaking with their Squad Captain, User B unassigns from their evening slot and opts for earlier ongoing collection that suits their schedule. This allows them to continue volunteering comfortably.
Example 4: Food Waste Hero no contact pickups
User B has a weekly collection from a supermarket. Their neighbours have complained about people waiting outside when they’re picking up the food. User B decides to follow Olio’s guidance for no contact pickups using a cool box. Requesters can now collect food straight away without waiting for User B to answer their door. This allows User B to continue volunteering and maintain a good relationship with their neighbours.
Example 5: Bullying on the Forum
User A strongly disagrees with User B’s community post and begins leaving rude, harassing comments. User A finds previous community posts by User B and starts leaving comments on those too. User B reports the comments using the in-app message flag. Olio reviews the report, finds the behaviour breaches the Offensive Conduct Policy, and bans User A from the platform.