Employers largely unaware of whistleblower’s code of conduct
Most employers are not aware of the whistleblower’s code of conduct. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment recently ordered a study into the matter. The report shows that the majority of companies are generally unaware of the code of conduct but most of them do have provisions for people wanting to report abuses.
Minister of Social Affairs and Employment Aart Jan de Geus has written to the Labour Foundation, which drew up the code of conduct, to ask how the matter can be given higher priority among employers, branch organisations and parties involved in talks on Collective Labour Agreements (CAOs). In 2003, the Labour Foundation, an organisation representing employers and employees, established a code prescribing provisions for whistleblowers. The study shows that most of the employers (73%) and employees (64%) are unaware of the code. Only 10% of businesses have a specific procedure for whistleblowers and hardly any CAOs contain arrangements for whistleblowers.
However, the majority of employers and employees say their companies have one or more provisions for whistleblowers e.g. a representative abuses can be reported to in confidence or arrangements about how and where abuses can be reported. These arrangements correspond with some of the provisions contained in the Labour Foundation’s code of conduct and which the Foundation deems are a prerequisite for a proper procedure.
12% of the companies that claim not to have a specific whistleblower’s provision, have arrangements, which fully comply with the Labour Foundation’s code of conduct. It appears that large companies are more likely to have a provision than smaller businesses. Furthermore, businesses quoted on the stock exchange most abide by the so-called Tabaksblat Code, which stipulates that companies must have a whistleblower’s provision.
Source: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment press release, 28 June 2006
