[author: Cherelle Johannes]
On December 7, 2022, NAVEX hosted a Whistleblowing in the U.K. event at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. Our guest speakers for the session were MP Mary Robinson, who has been pivotal in driving the new U.K. Whistleblowing Bill currently being debated in Parliament, and Whistleblowers U.K. CEO Georgina Halford-Hall. Jan Stappers, whistleblowing expert at NAVEX, joined Georgina and Mary on stage. This article summarizes some of the discussions covered during the session.
Whistleblowing is increasingly important for corporate transparency and accountability. Even so, the whistleblower is often viewed with suspicion. Whistleblowers are vulnerable to reprisals, victimization and stigma which often outlives the resolution of the issue raised.
To move out of this rut, Mary Robinson, MP Cheadle, stated that we must separate the act of whistleblowing from the whistleblower and dissolve the cultural stigma attached to the reporter.
The U.K. Whistleblowing Bill – also known as the “10-minute rule bill” – aims to do this by championing whistleblowing as a tool for business improvement and safeguarding. With minimum standards for what “whistleblowing” and “a whistleblower” mean and a dedicated office for support and advice, the bill offers a framework for taking a step back from the “who” and instead focusing on the “what” involved.
The goals of the new bill depart from older legislation, the Public...
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