The number of whistleblowing reports across the UK continues to rise with modern slavery emerging as an issue among organisations, according to a new report produced in the North East.
Whistleblowing continues to play a crucial role in exposing misconduct within organisations with areas of concern including risk-taking behaviours, deteriorating corporate governance, substance abuse and bullying.
However, it is the issue of modern slavery that stands out as a matter of concern in Safecall’s Whistleblowing Benchmark Report 2024. It is the first time that modern slavery has appeared as a statistically significant area of concern within organisations since the report started in 2019.
Report author Greg Ogle, operational excellence manager at Sunderland-based Safecall, said: “There has been growing concern among UK businesses regarding modern slavery over the past year, and the findings of our Benchmark Report support this as an issue. Construction companies have been identified as hotspots for reports surrounding modern slavery.
“It should be noted that the emergence of modern slavery reports does not mean it has suddenly become an issue for the first time, rather it is an indication of a growth in awareness and confidence in raising such concerns.”
He added that whistleblowing requirements have been extended to supply chains in many national legal frameworks. This means that organisations must take proactive measures to identify and eradicate these exploitative practices from their supply chains.
The annual Safecall Benchmark Report highlights the rise in reporting rates, the trends, and areas of reported wrongdoing in different sectors. The data contained within this annual report – based on anonymised data from more than 1,000 organisations with over five million people in total – is aimed at helping companies and organisations understand the trends in misconduct.
During 2023 there was a sharp increase in the share of reports from the education sector, and the logistics and manufacturing sectors. Safecall observed a decrease in reports from the construction and healthcare sectors.
Safecall – a leading independent, specialist whistleblowing and compliance services provider – says the postpandemic environment has accelerated greater awareness and appreciation of whistleblowing. In turn, this is driving a worldwide growth of this specialist business sector.
While legislation (notably the EU Whistleblowing Directive) and compliance are among the drivers of change, many businesses and organisations are discovering that whistleblowing improves workplace environments, in turn helping employees feel respected, experiencing benefits to their overall wellbeing.
Greg explained that more employees are being encouraged and empowered to do the right thing and report wrongdoing at work; likewise, more employers are recognising the ethical benefits of supporting staff to report wrongdoing safely.
The latest Report, which covers 2023, reveals that Safecall received reports from more than 130 countries across the world. The company also received the greatest number of reports it has ever recorded.
Joanna Lewis, Safecall managing director, said the one thing abundantly clear from this year’s Benchmark Report, is the importance of organisations offering multiple reporting channels to employees. Through Safecall, employee can raise concerns either by telephone or a dedicated online portal.
Provision of a whistleblowing hotline is still key for organisations that want to capture as many reports as possible from their employees and stakeholders.
Joanna Lewis added: “Implementing a whistleblowing hotline optimises trust in your organisation and ensures your whistleblowing policy has true reporting channel choice. By offering a choice to your employees when they make a report, your organisation can demonstrate your commitment to combatting wrongdoing and empowering the voices of your employees.
“I am pleased to see more companies and organisations see the benefits of creating a safe space for employees to live and work. Employers are increasingly seeing how such services protect the integrity of an organisation as well as the reputation of a brand.”
For more information and a full data breakdown, visit: www.safecall.co.uk/ resource/whistleblowing-benchmarkreport-2024