Whistleblowing

Since 17 December 2023, not only large companies, but also businesses with operations in the EU with 50 or more employees have needed to comply with the Whistleblowers Directive. The directive introduces greater protection for employees who report breaches of EU law, and places a duty on organisations to implement a system for reporting and following up on reports of breaches. On this page we look at what businesses need to do to get up to speed.

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Implementing the EU Whistleblowing Directive

After a recent flurry of action by national legislatures, most EU member states have now implemented the EU Whistleblower Directive into their national law. While the primary purpose of the Directive was to harmonise national laws on whistleblowing, it left many details up to individual countries. This report summarises the current status and details of the Directive adopted by a selection of EU countries.

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Investigations

Employers may need to conduct investigations on a whole range of issues, such as bullying, discrimination, anti-competitive practices or even commercial fraud and corruption. They may also be used to deal with a suspected violation of internal policies or ethical standards. The objectives of an investigation, the way it’s carried out and the outcome will depend on the facts of the case, but there are some guidelines that are worth considering, whatever the circumstances. Take a look at our Dos and Don’ts below.

Global

29.06.2023

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Dos and Don’ts for internal investigations

Internal investigations may concern different types of misconduct and could come about as a result of a whistleblower’s report, a complaint or even an item in the media. However they arise, you will need to find out what happened and deal with it appropriately. Here are some Dos and Don’ts for investigations:

Norway

05.07.2023

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Who needs an anti-money laundering officer?

Both individuals and companies risk severe penalties if they contribute to money laundering, even if the contribution is the result of negligence. By appointing an anti-money laundering officer organisations will reduce their risk, protect their reputation and comply with the law.

United Arab Emirates

31.08.2023

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Employee whistleblowing in the UAE

While the area is still developing, some whistleblower protections are already on the books in the UAE.

Germany

18.08.2023

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Whistleblowing in Germany: what employers need to know

Germany’s new Whistleblower Protection Act is now in force. Large and medium-sized companies need to act quickly to comply and avoid possible fines.

EMEA

13.04.2023

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Implementation of the EU whistleblowing directive across Europe

EU Member States had until 17 December 2021 to implement the EU Whistleblowing Directive, but a coupe have still not completed the process. Our quick-view map shows the status of implementation of the Directive across EU jurisdictions, plus some others that are not in the EU, but geographically close by.

European Union

14.03.2023

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Where are we on implementing the EU Whistleblowers’ Directive?

Contact our Taskforce

We represent the Ius Laboris investigations expert group, with experts from 50+ countries from around the world. We’re here to support your business through internal investigations of all kinds, including whistleblowing. Contact any of us to find out more.