Why This Matters for Your Charity.
Like any organisation, charities face issues such as fraud, culture, safeguarding, and other risks. But operating under unique challenges, including resource constraints, funding shortfalls, and staffing shortages can significantly impact the ability to respond effectively.
Last year, just under a quarter (23%) of the calls to our whistleblowing advice line came from people working for charities. And The Charity Commission recorded a 72% increase in disclosures to the regulator from 2023 – 2024, predominantly concerns spotlighting governance, safeguarding and financial management.
Whistleblowing reports are rising across the third sector, but is your charity able to handle concerns correctly when they come in? Do you have the right measures in place?
How could your charity benefit from effective whistleblowing?
Developing a robust whistleblowing policy that’s both compliant with legal requirements and sensitive to the charity sector’s distinctive culture is no easy feat. But getting the right whistleblowing arrangements in place takes more than just a policy – that is really just the starting point. Making sure you’re thinking about secure channels to report concerns, how to ensure anonymity and factor against victimisation are all important.
The callers to our advice line regularly share the bad and the good of what happens when someone blows the whistle, and how their employers respond. We also talk to charities and not-for profit organisations about their whistleblowing systems and hear about their common and shared challenges. We’re also the go-to organisation for the Charity Commission and run their free-to-call 0800 number whistleblowing advice line.
All this means that we’re perfectly placed to help you co-ordinate and manage your whistleblowing systems.
Find out more
On Thursday 27th February, we’re running an event, in partnership with Bates Wells, to showcase the ten mistakes charities are making when it comes to managing whistleblowing – and how to avoid them.
To sign up for your free place – click here.
We only have a limited number of spaces available – so don’t delay.