Whistleblowing Blog | Protect - Speak up stop harm

Protect April Newsletter

27th April 2022 by Alex Allen

Our April newsletter of 2022 is now out! It features details about our new publication: "Preventing Whistleblower Victimisation: a practical guide for employers" which provides unique advice to employers on how to protect whistleblowers. It also includes information about our launch webinar for the new guide, featuring NHS whistleblower Helene Donnelly, as well as new ... Read more

Mary Robinson MP Introduces Whistleblowing Bill to Parliament – Protect statement

26th April 2022 by Alex Allen

It is widely acknowledged that reform to the UK’s whistleblowing law, the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA 1998) is long overdue. PIDA has been the blueprint for much of the world’s whistleblowing legislation, but almost 25 years later, urgent reform is needed to reflect the modern workplace and keep pace with international best practice. Protect ... Read more

NI Whistleblower paid £1.25 million by DAERA – Protect calls for NI Civil Service to review whistleblowing arrangements

28th April 202226th April 2022 by Protect

On Sunday 24 April 2022, it was revealed that a Northern Irish whistleblower, Dr Tamara Bronckaers, has been paid £1.25 million in compensation by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Believed to be one of the biggest whistleblower settlements in Northern Irish history the agreement follows a long and exhausting fight for ... Read more

The cost of victimisation

16th October 202526th April 2022 by Protect

Kevin (not the whistleblower’s real name) became concerned that his employer’s general approach of selling products to customers could be seen as mis-selling. He raised his concerns to more senior managers at the company but was met with indifference, with a Director telling him he personally would accept the risk of such practices. Kevin felt that ... Read more

‘Organisations should want to hear uncomfortable truths’

22nd June 202225th April 2022 by Sybille Raphael

Protect's Legal Director, Sybille Raphael, reflects on byrne·dean event 'Reframing Whistleblowing', which explored how employers can create a 'speak up' culture. What makes it hard to raise concerns at work? This was the central question asked at the byrne·dean webinar 'Reframing Whistleblowing', which Protect CEO Elizabeth Gardiner spoke at on 31 March 2022. ... Read more

Protect’s Grace Wilkin to run Copenhagen Marathon to support our work

26th April 202225th April 2022 by Alex Allen

Protect's Business Support Executive, Grace Wilkin, will be running the Copenhagen Marathon on 15 May 2022 to raise money for our work protecting whistleblowers. Grace said "I wanted to do this to support Protect because I believe that employees have the right to be listened to at work, without fear of repercussions, so that concerns ... Read more

Preventing whistleblower victimisation benefits both staff and employers

22nd June 202222nd April 2022 by Rebecca Durkin

Protect Legal Adviser, Rebecca Durkin, reflects on the significant abuse of whistleblowers in the UK and how our unique new guide will help employers address this problem. Behind every scandal or story of wrongdoing, there will often be a whistleblower – someone who has brought the concerns about wrongdoing to light. Too often though, ... Read more

Whistleblowing – a rewarding act?

14th September 202221st April 2022 by Protect

Rewarding whistleblowers financially for speaking up has been offered up by some as a panacea for fixing whistleblowing law. Here Protect volunteer Queenie Sit outlines our position, highlighting the severe limits of rewards in protecting and encouraging whistleblowers. In the UK, whistleblowers bringing a claim under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (“PIDA”) before an ... Read more

PM and Chancellor fined over Partygate – Protect calls for new whistleblowing culture in government

13th April 2022 by Alex Allen

It was announced yesterday that the Prime Minister and Chancellor will both be fined for breaking the law by attending a Downing Street party during COVID-19 lockdown. At Protect we are stunned by these events. We rightly expect our political leaders to follow the laws they pass and abide by the rule of law. The fact ... Read more

Protect launches “Preventing Whistleblowing Victimisation: A guide for employers”

8th April 20228th April 2022 by Protect

We have developed a new guide in response to queries from employers about how they should respond to the victimisation of whistleblowers, or, better yet, prevent it from happening in the first place. “Preventing Whistleblowing Victimisation: A practical guide for employers” sets out insightful advice for employers of all sizes and across all sectors on how to prevent retaliation against whistleblowers in their organisations. It ... Read more