By Elizabeth Gardiner, CEO of Protect, the UK’s leading whistleblowing charity
Charities rely on public confidence more than most. One of the best ways to build trust, externally and internally, is to get whistleblowing right.
At Protect, the UK’s leading whistleblowing charity, we hear the same problems cropping up time and again across the charitable sector. Last year, we had over 500 calls, and far too many callers told us that they had been victimised or felt forced to resign due to raising concerns.
Yet whistleblowers are good for organisations. They are people who want to stop wrongdoing and who care about your charity enough to let you know when things go wrong. Whistleblowers give you a gift of information and are a vital early warning system, allowing you to take action while risks are small.
Here are our top tips on the measures chief executives should take to foster a healthy speak-up culture.
Appoint a whistleblowing champion
Trustees have obligations to report serious incidents affecting a charity, but do they know what’s really going on? We’ve all read of boards “kept in the dark” or “lacking curiosity” – notably during public inquiries into the Post Office/Horizon IT scandal. Chief executives have to walk a difficult line between deciding what is operational and ensuring that the board hears the truth, however uncomfortable, about emerging risks.
Most concerns will be raised and dealt with at line manager level, but it is crucial to have clear routes within the charity for serious whistleblowing concerns to be escalated. This might include one trustee acting as a “whistleblowing champion”, tasked with overseeing speak-up arrangements and trained in handling whistleblowers. A trustee as a final “internal” reporting channel could provide a valuable alternative to staff going straight to the regulator or to the press.
Ensure your whistleblowing policy is up to date
A high-quality policy is the cornerstone of your whistleblowing arrangements. Staff won’t trust their concerns to a process that has not been updated in decades. Think about who you want to hear from. If your policy only offers whistleblowing routes to workers and employees, you may miss out on concerns that volunteers or even trustees might have.
Prepare for conflicts of interest
A wonderful benefit of working in the third sector is the passionate, public-spirited colleagues you meet. It is common to have tight-knit teams and friendships in and outside of work. However, when investigating concerns, these relationships can open the charity to accusations of bias. Build trust by clearly setting out in your whistleblowing policy who will handle concerns and how you will address potential conflicts to ensure independence in the process.
Proactively protect whistleblowers
No one should be treated badly for bringing a concern to you, and charities are at risk of legal claims if they do. So, do not wait for grievances to be raised. Take victimisation seriously at the very outset. Conduct a whistleblowing risk assessment when a whistleblower first approaches you – ask the whistleblower where they see risks, and work with them to put preventive measures in place. Ensure you keep their name confidential and share information only on a need-to-know basis. Keep the whistleblower updated as the investigation progresses and give and seek feedback at the end of the case.
Welcome whistleblowers
Managers are likely to be the first to receive reports of problems, and it can be difficult not to be defensive and “shoot the messenger.” Management training is vital if you want your managers to be good recipients of bad news.
Whistleblowers can be real assets, saving you time, money and potential legal claims, as well as protecting your staff and beneficiaries from harm. The tone in all your communications should not be solely one of trepidation. Don’t just tell people how to speak up, remind them that you want to hear from them. Encourage whistleblowers and share the good news when changes are made because someone spoke up. Positive stories can help to educate staff on whistleblowing and build trust in the process.
Find out more about Protect and how they can help with your whistleblowing processes: https://protect-advice.org.uk/whistleblowing-support-for-employers/ or read Protect’s blog on the top 10 things charities get wrong in whistleblowing: https://protect-advice.org.uk/top-ten-things-charities-get-wrong-in-whistleblowing-2/.