That's not something I can help with

Yesterday I sent LinkedIn messages to 30 Ethics and Compliance Officers at major US companies.  I suggested companies should stop blackballing whistleblowers, and asked for their support.  One of the replies was “(that's) not something I can help with.”  It was thoughtful of him to reply.  I appreciated the honesty.  Somehow though, I found it odd and funny.  My suggestion was apparently so off-putting he declined my InMail request, yet he felt compelled to reply to me.   The man has good manners; he's a gentleman. He also has a keen understanding of the limits of his role.    If I wanted to staff a compliance team that didn’t ruffle feathers, I would seek out this gentleman.  I can image he and his team are conscientious, and the reports they generate exemplify meticulous compliance.  I bet his team is so good there are no recorded material ethics violations.  This makes everyone happy.  Of course, if I wanted to detect ethical or compliance breaches, I might use a less blinkered approach.  

That said, my anonymous friend was the second most helpful ethics leader. Everyone else, except one, simply ignored me.   The lone other reply resulted in a lengthy and good discussion, but the ethics officer ultimately also couldn't agree to help. Apparently, my question "felt like an ambush." I find that strange.  My argument is almost self-evident: less blackballing will lead to less fraud.  Of course, it will.  Yet the ethics and compliance community is having none of it.  They seem allergic to talking about real change.  Instead, they want to adopt (aspirational and toothless) policies and set up hotlines to field calls about people using the wrong parking spot.  That’s not the point.  The point is to create an environment where compliance people, management and the board will learn about or prevent the big issues (not meticulously record the small ones). Whistleblowing won’t work if people who make meaningful complaints can’t get a job at another company.  Ending blackballing is the answer. Adopting anti-retaliation policies and preserving whistleblower anonymity is important, but it's not the answer.  Time and again we have learned it’s impossible to guarantee anonymity, and whistleblowers shouldn't have to risk their career on a system they have no reason to trust. Whistleblowing is not shameful, and it should not need to live in the shadows.  More secrecy is not the answer.   The answer is for the corporate world to stop punishing ethical behavior. That's painfully obvious.  

When a group of smart people ignore the painfully obvious, it’s probably because their wellbeing depends on ignoring it.  My meek friends in compliance aren't the problem.  They are doing what it takes to get through the day and feed their kids.  The problem is the compliance leaders boss, and her boss, and the bosses of all the “honest” companies that blackball whistleblowers.  Real leadership is needed on this issue.  A few brave CEOs is all it will take. Unfortunately, I don’t see any glimmer of that on the horizon.   

To the two kind souls who replied to me: please accept my apology for being glib. I will preserve your anonymity. The aspersions I am casting on the compliance function are not directed at you; rather, they are at "the system." I am open to criticism of my suggestion that we should all work (vocally and frequently) to end blackballing. Please criticize. It shows your care.