What you need to know for 2022

In 2021, something has changed, and in 2022, much more will therefore change! With the so-called Whistleblower Directive, the European Union has offered companies a great opportunity.

This may sound paradoxical at first: Why should a whistleblower system offer entrepreneurs an opportunity?

But let's take it one step at a time:

What is the EU Whistleblower Directive?

Those who have been following this blog for a while know this. Nevertheless, very briefly: The EU Whistleblower Directive obliges companies to introduce anonymous reporting systems with which employees and third parties can report wrongdoings within the company (e.g., corruption or mobbing) to a company-internal compliance office.

The directive will apply from 17 December 2021 for companies with 250 or more employees. Later companies with 50 or more employees are to follow.

Why an opportunity?

Reporting systems are much more than a legal obligation. Above all, they are an opportunity for companies to shine.

With a reporting system, employers show that they care about the ethical management of their company - and that they take their workforce seriously.

You don't need a reporting system for that?

Probably not, you could theoretically solve this in another way.

BUT: Can you really do that in practice? Do you know what is happening everywhere in your company? Certainly not. Your employees, on the other hand, do.

So, what, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs?

Yes, perhaps. There are grievances everywhere and no company is 100 per cent in the clear.

Nevertheless, with today's technological possibilities, it is much easier to keep order than was previously possible. The excuses of the past no longer apply today.

Entrepreneurship with attitude

Soon whistleblower systems will be the standard. Then every company will have to introduce such a system, either by law or out of peer pressure.

Conversely, a whistleblower system today is an opportunity where you make it quasi "voluntary". As soon as something is obligatory, you can no longer boast about it. That would be like falling off a horse and then trying to give the impression that you wanted to get off anyway.

For large companies, this opportunity has almost passed. Because the obligation to have reporting systems has already arrived for them at the European level anyway. A German law for its implementation is also already in the drafting phase.

Small businesses will probably have until 2023 before they too "fall off the horse". So, it would be better to dismount elegantly already now.

Demonstrate your company's attitude and values. Both internally and externally.

Seize the opportunity

By the way, whistleblower systems are not even expensive: you can get whizzla for as little as 49 euros a month! And they are not expensive either. All you must do is assign a compliance officer to take care of a report from time to time.

It's not as if reports are constantly coming in. And if they do, you should have a reporting system anyway, because then something is wrong in the company.

Use the opportunity to shine. Companies with an attitude use reporting channel.