Last week we spoke about avoiding adverse impact as a whistleblower by staying anonymous.  But staying anonymous is not an option in every situation.

For example, people in roles and professions that require them to be guardians and gatekeepers of an organisation’s finances don’t always have that avenue. They are compelled in terms of their professional obligations to speak up openly in the face of illegitimate activity in their organisations.

If the core purpose of your job is to protect the purse, you are failing in your core role if you allow the abuse of the organisation’s finances, either directly or through the diversion of procurement decisions in favour of corrupt suppliers. In addition to being derilict in your duty to your current employer, and its stakeholders, you can be disbarred from your profession.

What we need is for those who are contemplating blowing the whistle to know that there are support structures available to guide them through the process, helping them to handle the consequences.

Guest 1 on the line: Penny Milner-Smyth of Ethicalways Contact:

Guest 1 on the line: Cynthia Stimpel, the courageous whistle-blower