What is whistleblowing?
Many people wonder what whistleblowing is and how to define it. Below we try to answer these questions.
What does it mean to blow the whistle?
Whistleblowing means informing someone who can take action about issues deemed worthy of criticism. In this context, matters worthy of criticism are those that contravene:
- laws and regulations
- written ethical guidelines
- ethical standards that have broad support in society
Violations of the law and criminal acts are always considered matters worthy of criticism. Examples include:
- risks to life or health
- corruption or other economic crime, abuse of authority
- unsafe working environments
- breaches of personal data security
If I believe something is worthy of criticism, does this count as whistleblowing?
Not necessarily. You might feel that something is worthy of criticism, but unless it involves a breach of laws, workplace ethical guidelines, or widely recognised ethical standards, it is not necessarily considered whistleblowing in a legal sense.
You should still report it, of course, but the employer or organisation is not required to treat it as a whistleblowing case.
What is not considered whistleblowing?
Be aware that any employee may voice professional, political, or critical opinions about pay, workload, task distribution, and general collaboration issues without it being regarded as whistleblowing.
It only counts as whistleblowing when the employee reports or expresses concern about what the law defines as a matter worthy of criticism.
Sometimes, it can be difficult to determine if a matter is worthy of criticism or not. In such cases, those considering whistleblowing can seek advice from their employer, the health and safety representative, union representatives, or contact the Labour Inspectorate for guidance.