Colin Calleja
Director of Risk
Private organisations employing 50 or more workers are obliged to have in place internal reporting channels for the protection of whistleblowers. Organisations must have secure and confidential internal reporting channels in place, including a dedicated and independent whistleblower officer or unit, to receive and follow up on reports concerning breaches of EU law. All workers within the organisation are to be fully aware of the internal reporting mechanisms in place. Furthermore, the Whistleblower Officer/Unit is to be sufficiently trained on handling such reports in a confidential manner and keeping whistleblowers informed throughout the process.
Organisations are to further ensure that such reporting persons are protected against all forms of retaliation, including dismissal, demotion, threats, undue pressure and intimidation. In cases of extended workers - such as subcontractors, suppliers and freelancers - retaliation can take the form early termination or cancellation of a contract for service, loss of business, loss of income, blacklisting, business boycotting or damage to their reputation.
The internal reporting channels and procedures are to cater for adequate support measures and independent remedial measures (such as in cases of breaching NDAs or other legal agreements in the course of whistleblowing); thereby encouraging workers to report internally in a secure, safe and reliable manner.
Establishing the required user-friendly and secure reporting channels requires professional training and the development of written as well as practical whistleblowing policies and procedures, easily accessible and understandable by all workers, suppliers and business partners.
Our Whisteblower Protection Services for You
BDO Malta can assist organisations by offering the following services:
setting up a Whistleblower procedure;
defining Internal Reporting Whistleblowing channels; and
establishing a whistleblower officer/unit.
In the course of developing a tailored organisational framework, BDO Malta will hold discussions with the top management to ensure the internal mechanisms in place reflect the internal processes, values and set up.