You only need to turn on the news to hear the latest scandal that’s come to light – all down to revelations made by a brave and concerned whistleblower.
And with Ofwat now releasing its new set of expectations for whistleblowing in the water industry, it has never been more important for business and HR success to stay ahead.
Ofwat’s new set of expectations outline what good whistleblowing policies and procedures look like with the bodies they oversee. They recognise that whistleblowing can play an important role in transforming the water industry, by identifying areas that need improvement to build public trust in how companies are delivering for both the environment and customers. These have come out after some stark revelations about management failures by water companies.
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is the term used when a worker raises a concern about wrongdoing they have witnessed at work. This can be raised internally and/or externally (e.g. to regulators, MPs, the media). For water companies, this can cover everything from an illegal discharge of sewage to financial misconduct or bullying and harassment claims.
Ofwat’s updates
Protect has played a key role in formulating the 10 Expectations set out for good practice, which are relevant to all water companies.
- A clear understanding of whistleblowing law
- An open and honest culture
- Multiple and alternative channels for staff to speak up
- A comprehensive, accessible, written policy
- Regular reviews of whistleblowing policies
- A clear process for managing disclosures
- Clear outcomes and insight
- An Executive team and Board that have oversight
- A Board that regularly considers the effectiveness of its whistleblowing policies and procedures
- Regular communications and training for workers on whistleblowing
All of the standards aim to improve whistleblowing culture within water companies, so staff feel able to raise a concern at work. It’s no secret that there have been recent and prolific failings by water companies to contain sewage leaks into UK seas and rivers. Ofwat’s standards recognise that workers are best placed to spot a problem early and report on it, saving both the environment and the reputation of the company.
Protect has been operating for 30 years providing support to organisations to better their whistleblowing set up and were delighted to be involved in the consultation to build these standards.
We believe that having a robust whistleblowing structure within water companies will improve the function of treatment and supply, as staff will be listened to when they report a concern over wrongdoing or malpractice, and this will reduce levels of pollution.
Protect can provide support for an organisations Whistleblowing arrangement through a health-check Benchmarking tool to spot areas for improvement, as well as training and resources for operational staff.
