The chief executive of the Ethics and Compliance Initiative (ECI) on rising unethical behaviour, reporting and retaliation.

The asset manager has filed a shareholder resolution calling for Alphabet, Google’s parent company, to review its whistleblowing policies.

The pressures of the Covid-19 crisis are leading companies around the world to compromise ethical standards, researchers warn.

Effective speak-up procedures help boards to understand and improve their organisational culture. But employees won’t come forward unless they feel supported.

Following a raft of corporate scandals uncovered by whistleblowers, the business risks associated with an individual revealing wrongdoing should not be underestimated in the boardroom.

The recently revised UK Corporate Governance Code has re-emphasised the importance of whistleblowing. Resources are available to help boards ensure they are well placed to support the process.

The Ted Baker controversy over “hugging” has raised questions about ethics, whistleblowing and how boards tap into company knowledge.

The Financial Conduct Authority sees a rise in the number of cases brought to its attention by whistleblowers, and awaits its first case involving the new Senior Managers and Certification regime.

Proposals to reform whistleblowing policy in the US has met with criticism that it will focus rewards on low-ranking employees in smaller businesses, rather than big banks and large corporates.

European legislators aim to improve safeguards by proposing an EU-wide responsibility for companies to set up whistleblowing procedures.