A whistleblower service is a hotline or reporting system that helps employees report misconduct or unlawful activity or behaviour in the workplace. The whistleblower service can be managed internally by the organisation or externally by a third party.

Having a whistleblower solution for employees to report malpractice indicates that an organisation stands for transparency, security, and responsibility.

When a whistleblower service is in place, employees and other stakeholders in the organisations can inform management about suspected or actual wrongdoing. This means the organisation has a better chance of staying one step ahead to prevent a situation from escalating before it gets out of control.

Risks that a whistleblower service can bring to an organisation’s attention include,

• Fraud or financial crime
• Bribery or corruption
• Environmental damage
• Leakage of sensitive information
• Serious misconduct
• Security flaws

There are therefore three main reasons why your company should have a whistleblower service:

1. To minimise potential costs

Fraud and financial crime cause great financial damage to organisations every year. Investment in a whistleblower solution could actually minimise much larger costs due to fraud or financial crime. If you discover irregularities at an early stage, it could help you avoid financial damage while protecting your reputation and brand.

2. For better control and transparency

A well-functioning whistleblower service with clear guidelines minimises risks that can seriously harm your company or organisation. You get control of the situation and can always be one step ahead. At the same time, you show your employees and other stakeholders that you are an open and transparent company.

3. To protect your employees and stakeholders

When an external whistleblower service handles reports, you protect your employees and create increased trust in the management. By handling the matter outside the organisation, bias, self-control and attempts to silence can be prevented. The whistleblower should be guaranteed anonymity and feel protected throughout the process.

If you’d like to know more about how Whistlelink can help your organisations with a Whistleblower Service, please get in touch!

Would you like to learn more about the EU Whistleblowing Directive? The Directive is also available at EUR-Lex, in most languages.

Are you looking for a safe and secure whistleblowing solution or would you like to discuss a whistleblowing system for your organisation? Please contact us or book a free demo!