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As football clubs continue to suffer at the hands of unscrupulous owners and poor governance the Government is proposing a new Regulator to protect the financial stability of the beautiful game. We believe a new body should have Prescribed Person status to give workers a mechanism to blow the whistle with confidence.

A breach of confidentiality can put enormous pressure on a whistleblower and have a significant impact on levels of trust in an employer’s whistleblowing systems. There are simple steps to ensure the impact of a breach can be contained and whistleblowers protected. In this blog we lay out 5 top tips for any employer to follow.

The most effective way to protect a whistleblower is often to shield their identity while investigating the concerns they have raised. If staff believe their confidentiality won’t be protected this can be stressful for the individual or make other staff reluctant to come forward in the future. 

With more than half a million staff working in the civil service its vital to public accountability that Government departments are getting whistleblowing right – especially as they’re funded through the public purse. Following a critical report senior officials from the Cabinet Office, HMRC and DWP have reported back on how they’re improving their whistleblowing arrangments across the civil service.

The Veterans’ Affairs Minister Johnny Mercer has confirmed he is challenging an order to name the source of his claims about alleged war crimes by British special forces in Afghanistan. He could face jail or a fine. At Protect we believe it is paramount that the identity of these whistleblowers are protected.

With the growth in anonymous whistleblowing reporting platforms we look into the pros and cons of trusting an external reporting tool – and what this means for both employers and whistleblowers.

Sharing information and raising concerns anonymously is a cornerstone to whistleblowing. With the Veterans Minister, Johnny Mercer, under pressure to provide whistleblower names at the Afghan Inquiry there are fears MPs’ trusted roles are under threat.

The findings of the Sexism in the City report come as no surprise. We hear everyday from whistleblowers reporting sexual and non-financial misconduct in the workplace whose employers are failing to address their concerns.

The whistleblowing charity Protect has been recognised as an accredited CPD (Continued Professional Development) provider for four of its instructor led training courses. With this quality of stamp of approval delegates to Protect’s training courses can attend training confident that they can develop and demonstrate their professional development enhancing their understanding and knowledge to help them make better decisions when receiving whistleblowing concerns.

From advertising and fashion to the music industry, every sector is now seemingly having its own #MeToo moment. One of the latest embroiled in scandal is the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service where matters have advanced so far that the Welsh Government has been forced to step in and take over. Another stark reminder that culture really matters and there needs to be a duty to investigate claims for all organisations.

In 2023, Protect significantly impacted the lives of thousands of whistleblowers by providing practical and legal advice on how to safely and effectively raise workplace concerns. The UK’s leading whistleblowing charity worked on 3047 total cases, a rise of 23% on 2022.

The largest bank in the United States – JP Morgan – has been fined $18 million for breaching whistleblower protection rules – one of the most significant penalties imposed by the American financial regulator. As concerns grow in the UK that wealthy corporations are abusing the law to silence their critics, the story offers a timely lead on what the UK could be doing better.