A first-of-its-kind ASIC questionnaire has shown significant differences in the whistleblower policies and practices adopted across corporate Australia, and highlighted opportunities for companies to better support and protect those who speak up.

Report 827 Insights from the ASIC Whistleblower Questionnaire: July 2024 to June 2025 (REP 827) benchmarks whistleblower policies and practices across 134 entities in 18 industries, examining how far companies have adopted better practices outlined in previous ASIC publications.

ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland said: 'Whistleblowers play a crucial role in identifying and exposing misconduct that can harm customers, shareholders, companies and the broader community.

'Without effective policies and programs to encourage whistleblowers to come forward, misconduct may otherwise go unreported and undetected,' he said.

ASIC's questionnaire found significant variation in the maturity of whistleblower practices.

There are opportunities for companies to adopt better practices for whistleblower disclosures. ASIC's review found:

• over one third of participating entities did not provide a dedicated whistleblower web page for raising concerns
• a quarter failed to provide regular staff training on their whistleblower program, and
• more than half had not sought employee feedback on their whistleblower program in the past year.

ASIC observed larger companies and companies within the mining sector were most likely to have mature whistleblower...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigwFBVV95cUxNSVdIQ1BEd0Y4ODBnTl9RZHpR...