Whistleblowing is the process where an employee or any other individual in an organization reports an instance of wrongdoing or criminality. In the past, this was done through offline means such as a phone line, trust box, or in person, whereas these days, whistleblowing reports are often submitted through a piece of whistleblowing software, such as FaceUp.
As the world places more and more emphasis on open and ethical business practices, having a clear whistleblowing policy in place has become critical. When they are developed and implemented properly, whistleblowing policies give employees a clear path to report problems, reduce or eliminate fallout from internal issues, and promote and protect a culture of transparency and accountability in the workplace.
There are a variety of standards and certifications which your organization can apply to ensure that your workplace and processes are ethical, transparent and responsible. Many require or suggest the implementation of whistleblowing system, such as the following:
Social Accountability International (SAI) is a global non-government organization that protects and advances human rights at work. The Library of Congress in the United States includes the SAI as one of the recommended organizations providing policies and guidelines for socially responsible companies.
The subject of whistleblowing has been gaining traction in recent years, with both companies and the authorities looking for ways to protect whistleblowers when they speak up about unethical conduct in their workplace.
On December 9th, 2022, the Italian Government approved a draft implementing the EU Whistleblowing Directive into national law. The draft expands the retaliation protection for whistleblowers in Italy. Previously, only employees were protected from retaliation.
Finland’s Whistleblower Act went into effect on January 1st, 2023. Private sector employers with at least 250 employees and public sector employers with 50 or more employees will be required to set up a whistleblowing channel by April 1st, 2023.
On December 15th 2022 Belgium passed a bill transposing the EU Whistleblowing Directive into national law.
Whistleblowing - just a bureaucracy or an opportunity for your company?
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