The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has published a commitment to promote incentives for corporate whistleblowers. With workplace wrongdoing under the spotlight following revelations arising from the Inquiry into the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower, the Horizon Inquiry into the Post Office Scandal, sexual harassment allegations at Harrods, and with a 92% increase in employment tribunals from 2015 to 2023, there is a progressive desire to do more to combat wrongdoing in the workplace through intelligence, enforcement and prevention.
Current Protection
In the UK, whistleblowers are protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) which ensures individuals who disclose information about wrongdoing in the workplace are safeguarded from retaliation. The protections cover disclosures including criminal offences, health, safety and environmental concerns and miscarriages of justice. Individuals should be able to report concerns confidentiality however critics argue that existing legislation does not go far enough to protect whistleblowers and that more needs to be done to encourage individuals to come forward with information about wrongdoing.
Calls to Go Further
Effective whistleblowing procedures are highlighted in the government’s guidance to organisations on the proactive fraud prevention procedures that will be expected when the new offence (Failure to prevent Fraud) comes into force in September 2025. The current guidance is under review however promotes an anti-fraud culture, including a top-level commitment from organisations. Read more here.
The SFO’s business plan for 2025-26 goes further, listing a commitment to ‘progress whistleblower incentivisation reform’ as one of its planned outputs for the year ahead. The SFO’s business plan can be viewed on the Gov.com website here.
It is clear from the proposed reforms that organisations must go beyond mere lip service towards employee protection measures. Employees should be considered an integral part of creating and contributing to the procedures to demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to its culture. Not least to ensure that the system is fit for purpose and employees trust that they will be protected following the submission of a report.
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Disclaimer: This information is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. Please contact us for specific advice on your circumstances.