Source: Report Finds 2023 Brought More Whistleblowing Reports Than Ever
A recent 2024 Regional Whistleblowing and Incident Management Benchmark Report has shown a significant global increase in internal whistleblowing reports – a trend likely attributable to the implementation of the EU Directive on Whistleblowing, which now mandates organisations to establish internal reporting channels.
“Organisations based in Europe saw median reports per 100 employees increase from 0.53 to 0.63 comparing 2022 and 2023, while in the UK (where the Directive has not been transposed), those values decreased from 0.53 to 0.43,” the report said.
The report also concluded that higher rates of internal reporting can lead to better outcomes, emphasising the ‘business case’ for robust internal whistleblowing systems that go beyond regulatory expectations. It highlighted other unexpected benefits of whistleblower programmes, which can help identify critical issues that might otherwise damage the organisation, while also fostering trust and strengthening the organisational culture.
However, the report also raised concerns about a rise in retaliation globally, from 0.48% to 1.51%, potentially posing a serious challenge to the effectiveness of whistleblowing laws and institutional systems.
For more details, read the full report here.