Protect welcomes the publication of the new report from the Committee on Public Standards in Public Life “Recognising and responding to early warning signs in public sector bodies” and calls for the introduction of a statutory duty on employers to investigate whistleblower concerns to give workers the confidence they will be listened to when they speak up.
In 2024, 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 3,336 total cases, a rise of 10% on 2023.
The government’s flagship Employment Rights Bill, rapidly moving throught the stages of Parliament, offers an opportunity to overhaul how employers and colleagues treat both whistleblowers and the how people raise concerns. We’re very pleased to see a great focus on tackling sexual harassment in the workplace, and extensions of time limits for bringing an employment tribunal claim. But as welcome as these changes are, they are not ambitious enough to strengthen whistleblowing protections which the Government committed to during the 2024 election.
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. Do you have the right measures in place to handle concerns correctly?
A case at the Court of Appeal is considering whether all external job applicants should have whistleblowing legal protection. Protect has filed a third-party intervention at the Court of Appeal to widen whistleblowing protection to all external job applicants. The charity was given permission to intervene because the case gives rise to important issues of public policy.
Responding to the judgment in the case of Josie Stewart, former FCDO whistleblower, Protect welcomes the ruling which has far reaching implications for the civil service. However, we still need to close the gap between the value whistleblowing brings in exposing wrongdoing, and the lack of protections for those civil servants who speak up.
It is well documented that when whistleblowers are not listened to organisations can collapse, livelihoods can be lost, and people can lose their lives. There’s lots of research examining the treatment of whistleblowers when they try to speak up and what employers should do to be better. But what about the bigger cost to society – and in financial terms – the cost to all of us, the taxpayers, when things go wrong and the government has to step in and pick up the pieces?
New research reveals the financial impact to the taxpayer of failing to listen to whistleblowers. The Post Office Horizon scandal, the Countess of Chester/ Lucy Letby scandal and the collapse of the construction firm Carillion alone have so far cost the taxpayer 426 million pounds.
Join us on February 27th at 9am for: “The Top Ten Things Charities Get Wrong in Whistleblowing”, in partnership with the legal firm Bates Wells. Shining a spotlight on the common pitfalls that charities encounter when managing whistleblowing cases this Breakfast Briefing will provide expert guidance on how to navigate risk and also provide a great networking opportunity.
Join us on Tuesday 25th February at 9.30am for an online webinar to hear from expert speakers who will unpack the detail of the new ‘failure to prevent fraud’ offence and provide clear actionable steps you can take in preparation. Whether you’re looking to enhance your current fraud prevention frameworks or build an anti-fraud culture from scratch, this event will provide valuable knowledge and practical tools to support you.
