Page 43 - MiNDSPACE Issue 2 2022 - Old Mutual Corporate

There is also the law to consider. The Protected Disclosures Act and the Company’s Act compel companies to have whistleblowing management processes and channels in place.
‘These channels could require employees to report wrongdoing to their line manager, another manager, internal audit committee, risk management committee or the person responsible for ethics management. Such internal channels often are not as effective as external, independent hotlines and the policy remains just words on paper,’ says Groenewald.
‘It is therefore imperative that organisations conduct an investigation or preliminary investigation into every report of wrongdoing they receive. In this way trust
in the whistleblowing mechanisms will increase and more people will come forward. Managers on all levels must be trained about the importance of keeping whistleblowers’ identity confidential, as well as the content of reports made to them. In many instances managers are unsure of how to deal with reports
of wrongdoing.’
workSPACE whistleblowers
PRACTICAL ADVICE FROM THE TRILLIAN WHISTLEBLOWER
Bianca Goodson was a State Capture whistleblower who had resigned as Trillian CEO after revealing the company’s dubious dealings with Eskom. Her decision to speak up in 2016 kickstarted the process that led to the arrest of Rajesh and Atul Gupta in Dubai in June this year.
Her experience has taught her that these practical steps will ease the experience for the whistleblower and encourage others.
Keep those involved apart from each other. ‘A whistleblower
will always be reporting the behaviour of someone else. While the investigation is hopefully taking place, the two parties should not be forced to communicate and work together. The employer should find a civil way of separating them without any prejudice to either party until the matter is resolved.’
Don’t use in-house investigators. ‘The investigation should ideally be conducted by completely neutral and independent persons.‘ Acknowledge them in public. ‘If the whistleblower provided information to stop ill behaviour, they should be recognised in
some way, even with a simple acknowledgement that says that the organisation endorses and supports such behaviour. Whistleblowers should not be suspended, fired or demoted.’
independent psychologists to guide them through the process and assist them in case of victimisation,’ adds Groenewald.
RESOURCES
FOR CORPORATES
Guidelines for Evaluating Whistleblowing Channels: Institute of Directors South Africa
The Ethics Institute: tei.org.za
FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS
The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa: pplaaf.org The Whistleblower House: whistleblowerhouse.org M
CEOs can play a powerful role in shifting culture
in their organisations. If they embrace the individual and publicly celebrate and acknowledge their act rather than treat them as an outcast, others will see the example and follow suit. This could lead to a societal revolution in how we treat those who speak up about wrongdoing.
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