The implementation of the EU Whistleblower Directive is on the agenda of many small and medium-sized companies. Managing directors and compliance officers immediately think of lawyers and software, but it takes a lot more to implement the guideline not only in a legally secure way, but also in a motivating and profitable way.
Our expert Karin Scherer puts it in a nutshell: “Many managing directors would like to receive information from the staff when the company is damaged, whether negligently or intentionally, internally by employees or by external persons. Our experiences range from reaching into the till, theft of goods to sexual harassment at the workplace. All incidents in which those in the know or affected did not know how to act, looked a way as a precaution – and in which the management would have liked to have been informed at an early stage, to protect the employees affected and the company.”
Whistleblowing systems have a preventive effect
The EU directive, which is now being implemented, not only protects those who draw attention to misconduct. It also increases the chance that honest employees will be able to respond more quickly to incorrect behavior. Relevant research has shown that the preventive effect of whistleblower systems is far greater than the negative impact of possible denunciation.
The introduction of the whistleblower system must of course be legally secure. A web-based system from established providers is recommended here. THE MAK’ED TEAM has examined the most important systems and has a good impression of which system can be suitable for which company.
Only providers of systems that offer the necessary data protection, master the complete process for a whistleblowing and can also establish independent contact points are even considered by THE MAK’ED TEAM. All other variants lead to massive difficulties sooner or later.
A whistleblower portal as an important part of the existing compliance infrastructure in the company
The whistleblower portal is integrated into the existing compliance framework from the very beginning. Neither the level of compliance maturity nor the existence of a compliance management system is important. The decisive factor is rather to find an individual approach within the company. What sounds complicated and expensive has turned out to be a lean process in the first projects.
The contact persons of THE MAK’ED TEAM consider the key factors for implementation to be the motivation of the management and a technically clean implementation. Those who only implement the guideline as a burdensome duty miss many opportunities. Entrepreneurs who involve the managers in the company at an early stage and who ensure proactive communication to the employees strengthen the preventive effect and increase the chance of uncovering rule violations at an early stage.
This is a good opportunity for organizations to once again take a close look at themselves, their values, processes, tasks and risks, away from the pandemic circumstances, and to deepen teamwork by implementing a project.
