Research Governed by Principle.

The Chrysalis IRB establishes the ethical standards by which all research involving human participants is designed, reviewed, and conducted.

Independent Review Body

6 Core Principles

Full Research Lifecycle

Research Ethics and IRB at Chrysalis Services

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Ethics Compliance

Core Principles

The Institutional Review Board at Chrysalis

An independent body that puts participants first.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at Chrysalis Services is an independent internal body constituted to review, approve, and oversee all research and assessment activities involving human participants. Its mandate spans the full range of Chrysalis's field engagements — need assessments, baseline and endline studies, impact evaluations, and monitoring exercises — ensuring that ethical considerations are embedded into research practice from the outset.

What the IRB Covers

Need Assessments

Baseline & Endline Studies

Impact Evaluations

Field Monitoring Exercises

Partner-Led Research

Ethics at the core of every field engagement.

Every Chrysalis field engagement is reviewed for participant safety, consent, and data security before work begins. The IRB is not a checkbox — it is a foundational commitment.

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Research reviewed before field deployment

Non-negotiable ethical principles upheld

All

Partner research held to the same standard

Scope and Oversight

What the IRB reviews, and how.

Comprehensive Jurisdiction

The IRB's jurisdiction extends to all engagements in which data is collected directly from individuals, whether through interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, or observational methods. Enhanced scrutiny applies to research involving vulnerable populations — children, women, persons with disabilities, elderly individuals, and communities in conflict-affected or resource-limited settings — as well as studies that collect sensitive personal, health-related, financial, or identity-linked information.

Consistent Standards for All Partners

Where research is executed through third-party implementing agencies or external partners, the same ethical standards apply. All Chrysalis-affiliated research is held to a consistent framework of review and accountability, regardless of who conducts it.

Multi-Criteria Assessment Process

Each proposal is assessed against defined criteria: the soundness of consent procedures, the appropriateness of data collection instruments, the identification and mitigation of participant risk, and the security of personal data. Proposals may be approved, approved with modifications, or deferred.

Principles of Ethical Research Practice

Six principles that govern every engagement.

Informed Consent

Participation is contingent on the voluntary, informed agreement of each individual. Participants are clearly informed of the study's purpose, their role, how their data will be used, and their right to withdraw at any point. Consent procedures are adapted for language, literacy, and cultural context.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

All participant data is anonymized prior to analysis. Information is stored securely, accessed only by authorized personnel, and not disclosed to third parties without explicit consent.

Protection from Harm

Potential risks — physical, psychological, social, or economic — are assessed before any study begins. Where risks are identified, the research design is modified accordingly. Participant wellbeing takes precedence over research objectives.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in all Chrysalis research is strictly voluntary. No coercion, undue inducement, or implicit pressure is permitted under any circumstance.

Cultural Sensitivity

Research instruments and engagement practices are reviewed for cultural and linguistic appropriateness, ensuring that the design reflects the realities of the communities involved.

Ongoing Oversight

IRB oversight continues through implementation. Any material change to methodology, scope, or participant profile requires re-review and approval before proceeding.

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The IRB reflects Chrysalis's broader understanding that rigorous social impact work is inseparable from ethical practice. Research conducted without principled oversight risks undermining the very communities it seeks to understand. By institutionalizing ethics review as a non-negotiable step in every field engagement, Chrysalis affirms that the integrity of its work — and the trust of those who participate in it — is not incidental to its mission. It is foundational to it.

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