Reports Dominated By Efforts To Protect And Encourage People To Come Forward

A series of recent developments have highlighted the growing prominence of whistleblowing in the news agenda, with a focus on steps to ensure people are protected and encourage to come forward particularly in relation to insider fraud, bribery corruption and non-compliance.

One of the stories to highlight the issue related to Rolls-Royce establishing a 24-hour ‘ethics line’, designed to encourage employees to report any concerns regarding alleged bribery or corruption within the organisation.

The step has reportedly been taken in response to a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation.

This came after suggestions that the Home Office has in recent months been considering the introduction of financial rewards for whistleblowers who come forward and expose wrongdoing within organisations.

In addition, at the end of last year an independent commission established by the charity Public Concern At Work published its review into whistleblowing policies and practices and made 25 recommendations on improving the framework to support such procedures.

Expert Opinion

The current political climate continues to focus on encouraging, protecting and incentivising whistleblowers and pushing employers to do the same. <br/> <br/>"The use of 24 hour ‘ethics line’ like the one introduced by Rolls Royce earlier this month in response to the SFO investigation is likely to increase with time as companies become increasingly aware of the benefits that such procedures can provide, allowing them to identify and deal with insider fraud and corruption much earlier than may otherwise be the case. <br/> <br/>"The incentives of US-style percentage-of-penalty financial rewards proposed by the Home Office for whistleblowers in cases involving fraud, bribery and corruption last year is also likely to encourage companies to deal with whistleblowers by educating and supporting, rather than ostracising. <br/> <br/>"However despite the additional employment protection now afforded to whistleblowers by making employers vicariously liable for bullying of whistleblowers by colleagues, the commission of independent experts set up by the charity Public Concern at Work (PCAW) reported in November last year that the current legislation is “not working” and immediate change is needed to ensure whistleblowers are given the confidence to speak out without fear of adverse repercussions. <br/> <br/>"Without better protection whistleblowers are unlikely to make full use of an employer’s offer to provide confidential reporting lines or any other."