February 2025 | SPECIAL REPORT: CORPORATE FRAUD & CORRUPTION
Financier Worldwide Magazine
February 2025 Issue
FW discusses whistleblower protections and reporting mechanisms with Pavel Petrov at Novartis.
FW: What trends do you believe have dominated the corporate whistleblowing landscape in recent years? To what extent has there been an uptick in the number of employees blowing the whistle?
Petrov: Post-pandemic, most companies saw an increase in the number of whistleblowing reports. Various factors have come into play, such as an increased awareness of and support for people exposing potential wrongdoing, higher rewards given by authorities for tips, new pieces of legislation such as the EU Whistleblowing Directive and expanded legal protections for whistleblowers in many jurisdictions. Also, advances in technology have facilitated the creation of user-friendlier, more secure and anonymous reporting platforms. Whistleblower hotlines, encrypted messaging apps and online platforms have supported easier and safer reporting of misconduct.
FW: Are there any common factors driving whistleblower reports? Could you highlight some of the common themes?
Petrov: Several factors are driving whistleblowing reports. Increasing awareness and access to information and social media have made it easier for people to gain courage and identify channels to speak up. The introduction of whistleblower protection laws and financial incentives, such as reward programmes, have incentivised...
Police said there were no injuries and no shots fired after false reports of an active aggressor at the Kentucky Expo Center and Kentucky Kingdom on Sunday.