Reflect with us on the successes of 2023.
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December Newsletter
Wrapping up the year there is much to reflect on from the past 12 months. The highlight of 2023 has to be our 30th anniversary conference which saw more than 350 people come together in-person and online to listen, learn and discuss the biggest issues facing employers, whistleblowers and wider society.
All the sessions from the conference are now live and available to view. Below we introduce our latest video, featuring whistleblower Johannes Steffanson who exposed corruption in Namibia – now known as the “fishrot” scandal.
Beyond the conference there has been much to celebrate this year. There are always too many to mention but my top moments of the year are:
Protect's new Environmental Whistleblowing Toolkit – a fantastic new resource providing step-by-step guidance for anyone speaking up about green issues.
The launch of the Whistleblowing Scanner Assessment Tool for small businesses, to review what is working and what needs to improve across governance, engagement, and operations.
Our Member-exclusive Forums and Drop-in sessions, allowing them to share best practice, learn from each other and Protect, and discuss challenges and progress in a confidential environment.
Our report into whistleblowing in educational settings: Blowing the Whistle in Schools
Providing training for Scottish MSPs as part of their process of becoming “Prescribed Persons” under PIDA.
Submitting evidence to the independent public statutory inquiry into the use of infected blood.
Co-writing the Signals Network’s new whistleblowing guide for tech workers.
For the past thirty years our dedicated Advice Line team of legal professionals have been on hand for anyone concerned about wrongdoing in the workplace. This year we’ve spoken to around 3,000 whistleblowers in sectors ranging from health and social care, to finance and education. It’s always good to hear the feedback from calls – and to know that our work is making a real difference, as recent feedback demonstrates.
Equally important has been our consultancy, training and work with our network of member organisations who are committed to creating trusted and transparent whistleblowing and speak up cultures in their workplaces. Our 2024 training calendar is now live, and we start in January with an ESG & Whistleblowing MasterclassWhistleblowing & ESG Masterclass - an exciting new course that tackles this emerging area around governance and environmental accountability.
Thank you for your continued support of Protect and wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy New Year.
Liz Gardiner, Chief Executive, Protect
The Protect office and Advice Line will be closed over the festive period, from Friday 22nd December re-opening on the 2nd January.
Key Whistleblowing Cases of the year
From senior civil servants to leading NHS consultants our summary of key whistleblowing cases picks out the most important developments affecting whistleblowing through 2023.
Government is asking the wrong questions when it comes to whistleblowing in the civil service
A new report from The National Audit Office into whistleblowing in government reveals only 52% of civil servants feel secure enough to challenge established practices, a lower figure than in the NHS. The comprehensive analysis shows progress to improve whistleblowing has been slow and inconsistent. Sadly this report will do little to assure civil servants – or indeed the wider public – that it is safe to speak up, that departments are listening or acting on concerns raised. If we don’t learn, we’ll carry on making the same mistakes: good government relies on good whistleblowing.
Training dates 2024
We have a comprehensive calendar of training scheduled for the coming year - covering everything from whistleblowing essentials to best practice in investigating concerns. Make sure your place is secure.
ESG & Whistleblowing Masterclass: 25 January 2024 - 10AM-12PM GMT. Book now.
Financial Services Whistleblowers' Champion Masterclass: 15 February 2024 - 9:30 AM-12:00 PM GMT. Book now.
Environmental Whistleblowing
In November 2019, WikiLeaks began publishing what it called the Fishrot Files, a collection of thousands of documents and emails from employees of one of Iceland's largest fish industry companies. The documents showed that the company had paid hundreds of millions of Icelandic Krona to high-ranking politicians and officials in Namibia with the aim of accessing the country's coveted fishing quota.
The man behind the leaks was whistleblower Johannes Steffanson. He had worked at the Icelandic company at the heart of the scandal, Samherji, and had moved to Namibia in 2011 to sign deals and manage the business.
With the case now progressing through the Namibian courts Johannes spoke to Protect to support our Environmental Whistleblowing work – and explained his path to blowing the whistle and how it has affected his life and career.
Whistleblowing and Autism
When it comes to calling out wrongdoing in the workplace, could it be that some people are more likely to speak up than others? At Protect, a notable number of callers to our Advice Line identify as being neurodivergent and/or on the autistic spectrum. While this observation doesn’t prove a link, we think this warrants exploration, as discussed in this blog by Legal Adviser Phoebe.
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Protect in the news 
“It’s the cheapest form of risk assessment – listen to your staff,” says Elizabeth Gardiner, chief executive of the charity Protect, in this Observer column calling for more protections for whistleblowers from Martha Gill. |
As the National Audit Office calls for action to address whistleblowing arrangements across government - Protect CEO Elizabeth Gardiner stresses that lessons should be learned from those speaking out. |
Pro Bono Awards
Earlier this month we attended the annual Law Works Pro Bono Awards. We were nominated in the Best New Pro Bono Activity for our Environmental Whistleblowing Toolkit. While we didn’t walk away with the prize this year it was great to meet all the other inspiring nominees and make connections for the future. It was also a lovely team outing and chance to kick off the festive season in style.
