- If you received a whistleblowing concern today about a senior leader, would your organisation be ready to handle this?
Whistleblowing concerns raised about senior staff are not uncommon and can be challenging to handle, one of the main challenges being identifying a suitable investigator. It is important the investigation is managed and conducted by individuals who are independent of the situation and have the authority to speak to and get information from everyone they need to, including the senior staff concerned. It is also important that the person signing off the investigation, has the authority to make decisions on any findings and recommendations.
Be prepared by thinking about different scenarios that could arise, and ensure you have strong governance arrangements in place. These should be supported by clear procedures for handling such concerns (as required by the Standards). Ask yourself the following:
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Who would receive the concern and make the initial decisions about the handling of it?
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Who would investigate a concern involving the Chief Executive, the Chair, or both? If you needed an external investigator, who would be responsible for sourcing this, and from where?
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What support is in place to assist with the investigation process?
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How can you support and protect the whistleblower and anyone else involved in the concern?
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Are all senior management and confidential contacts familiar with these arrangements?
If you would like to discuss any of the above, please get in touch at [email protected].