Background to the guide

Whistleblowing is vital, as it allows organisations to hear concerns of public interest about serious wrongdoing that may not otherwise be discovered. But the process of raising, investigating and concluding a whistleblowing case is often challenging for the whistleblower and the organisation involved.

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In a previous investigation on whistleblowing we outlined 3 areas where government should make progress and this guide shares our own insights.

The areas to make progress on are:

  • raising awareness of whistleblowing and encouraging people to raise concerns
  • ensuring a positive experience for whistleblowers
  • using learning to improve an organisation’s whistleblowing arrangements

Scope of the guide

Our guide is for people who deal with whistleblowers, investigate concerns or manage whistleblowing processes in government organisations.

You might:

  • work in HR policy
  • work in a team that oversees progress with whistlebowing cases
  • design whistleblowing processes in your organisation
  • be the first point of contact for whistleblowers who raise concerns by email or phone
  • investigate concerns raised by whistleblowers
  • be a nominated officer or senior member of staff that people can raise concerns with

Every organisation is different, so there is no single approach to follow for improving whistleblowing. Our guide is not a comprehensive list of everything you need to know or do. It does tell you what you need to be mindful of and what other organisations find helps them. But you will need to consider your organisation’s context and think about how the challenges and ways of working apply in your situation.

How to use the guide

You can read our ‘how to’ guide in one go or just dip into individual sections.

It includes:

  • 10 good practice points to focus on
  • ‘what works well’
  • ‘keep in mind’ prompts
  • case studies from government organisations

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