As we emerge from the pandemic and employees revaluate their relationships with their employers, an increasing number are feeling emboldened to speak up against corporate misconduct. This trend has put the Asia-Pacific region under the spotlight, where organisations are playing catch-up with the evolving legal and regulatory landscape. The inadequacies strike even starker as jurisdictions within the European Union have been safeguarded by a comprehensive and unified legal framework for whistle-blowers since 2019.
According to a report by Baker McKenzie, 41 percent of 523 surveyed APAC business leaders saw an increase in whistleblower reports over the past year. Most companies in mainland China (74 percent) and Hong Kong (61 percent) registered a climb in cases, compared to respondents in Japan, Singapore, and Australia. Topping the pile were complaints about bullying, discrimination and/or harassment, which comprised 72 percent of the total case volume.
When handling whistleblower reports, 30 percent of businesses were found to have accidentally breached confidentially obligations. Most of them, again, were in mainland China and Hong Kong, with the jurisdictions rated the poorest performers in addressing whistleblowers’ concerns.
“It is clear that employers that lack the mindset and tools to navigate whistleblowing complaints will become more vulnerable to risks such as regulatory sanction, reputational damage and employee disengagement or claims,” the report notes.
Mini...
Park Filed Complaint Against President Lee Ahead of 2021 Election Jang Youngha Sentenced to One Year in Prison, Two Years Probation Confirmed The police have launched an investigation into Park Chu...