Encouraging employees to report wrongdoing ("or blow the whistle"), and protecting them when they do, is an important part of corruption prevention in both the public and private sectors. Employees are usually the first to recognise wrongdoing in the workplace, so empowering them to speak up without fear of reprisal can help authorities both detect and deter violations.
In the public sector, protecting whistleblowers can make it easier to detect passive bribery, the misuse of public funds, waste, fraud and other forms of corruption. In the private sector, it helps authorities identify cases of active bribery and other corrupt acts committed by companies, and also helps businesses prevent and detect bribery in commercial transactions. Whistleblower protection is thus essential to safeguarding the public interest and to promoting a culture of public accountability and integrity.
INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
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THE ROLE OF WHISTLEBLOWERS AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION IN THE DETECTION OF FOREIGN BRIBERY
This report, originally published in the OECD study on The Detection of Foreign Bribery, looks at the key role that whistleblowers and whistleblower protection can play in the detection of foreign bribery when legal frameworks and appropriate channels are in place to report alleged instances to law enforcement authorities. COMMITTING TO EFFECTIVE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION This report analyses whistleblower protection frameworks in OECD countries, identifies areas for reform and proposes next steps to strengthen effective and comprehensive whistleblower protection laws in both the public and private sectors. Highlights of the report (PDF)
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DOCUMENTS AND LINKS
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LEGAL PROTECTION IN SELECTED COUNTRIES
For more information contact the OECD Public Sector Integrity Division (GOVintegrity@oecd.org) or Leah Ambler, OECD Anti-Corruption Division (leah.ambler@oecd.org)
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