Whistleblowing lessons from the BBC, and the value and public savings of free legal advice…

As we emerge from the quiet of the summer months at Protect we’re heading “back to school” with a busy September planned with our autumn training courses, speaking appointments and key cases to focus on. Read on for more…?

This month:?

• What can we learn from Boeing’s handling of their whistleblowers??

• Who’s who in Parliament tackling fraud and corruption?

• And a small step forward in the fight against SLAPPs?

As a legal advice charity it was heartening this month to read a new report from the Access to Justice Foundation “The value of justice for all ” that shows that free specialist legal advice could save the government ￡4.5billion for every half a million people who receive it. In 2023 there was a saving to the public purse of ￡2.71 for every ￡1 the Treasury spent on legal advice. It’s a stark reminder of the impact and importance of free legal services like Protect.

While August is often known as the silly season for the media, the BBC hasn’t been having the easiest time managing headlines about its own staff, including a catalogue of concerns about a challenging workplace culture from junior staff on Strictly Come Dancing. The whistleblowers who raised concerns about former presenter, Huw Edwards, say they weren’t kept informed during the investigations, and anonymous BBC News sources have shared their feelings on the risks and dangers of speaking up .??

It is clear that the media and creative industries are precarious places for staff to work in and there is the potential for workplace behaviour to become challenging and inappropriate due to the power dynamics at play.??

On the positive side, there is an interesting development with the establishment of? the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) , set up to uphold and improve standards of behaviour across the creative industries and to prevent and tackle all forms of bullying and harassment. We’re working with them as they firm up their purpose and strategy to improve working environments for the future.

Finally, we're delighted to welcome former FCDO whistleblower Josie Stewart to Protect's Advisory Council and look forward to working with her in the years ahead. More details here.

Elizabeth Gardiner, Protect Chief Executive

Safety First: Safe skies rely on trusting whistleblowers

What does it take to ensure the safety of the skies we fly in? The aviation industry is one of the most meticulously regulated sectors, but even giants like Boeing can stumble. The recent Boeing whistleblower saga serves as a stark reminder of the importance of paying attention to those raising safety concerns and, sadly, the ultimate price that some whistleblowers pay. Check out our recent blog for more .

Parliamentary watch

With key ministers now announced and confirmed in post all eyes are now turning to the make-up of the influential Select Committees. From Business and Trade to Justice and Standards these bodies have the power to bring organisations and individuals to account – just think about the recent committee hearings lead by Liam Byrne over the Post Office Horizon scandal. They’re also high-profile arenas for ambitious politicians to demonstrate their worth and might. We’re expecting a flurry of appointments this coming month.??

Elsewhere APPGs are now popping up again following the dissolution at the end of the last parliament. One group we’re always keen to follow is the All Party Parliamentary Group on Anti-Corruption & Responsible Tax. The new Chair has been confirmed as Joe Powell taking over from Baroness Hodge who’s now entered the House of Lords. He’ll be sitting alongside new co-chairs Rachel Blake, Paul Kohler, and Lord Agnew and 2024 intake Yuan Yang, Luke Charters, Lloyd Hatton, Steve Race, and Phil Brickell. They’ll be focussing on delivering the reforms set out in their Economic Crime Manifesto ,?which includes a call to require companies to hold investigations into whistleblowing concerns related to economic crime.?

SLAPPs??

Positive noises coming from the government regarding SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). As a threat to freedom of speech and a free press – affecting whistleblowers and journalists alike – we’re encouraged to hear that the Minister responsible for Civil Justice, Heidi Alexander MP, is planning to review this thorny issue in detail with her officials and consider next steps. We expect this will mean the reinstatement of the SLAPPs task force in due course.?

Meanwhile we now have a?guest blog on our website by Lucy Nash of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, outlining the steps you can take if you are targeted by a SLAPP (including contacting Protect for legal advice).?

If you’re responsible for whistleblowing training in your organisation this September we’re offering you our three core CPD certified training courses with a 20% discount. With this multi-buy offer, if you book all three sessions, you’ll save ￡185+vat on the standard price. The training webinars delve into the essential elements of the whistleblowing process and will empower you with the tools and insights you need to handle, investigate, and help whistleblowers effectively.

Are you ready for the Worker Protection Act? Coming into force in October, this new legislation is set to dramatically change the way employers approach sexual harassment in the workplace. Non-compliance with the preventative duty could result in increased compensation claims and has the potential to damage your company’s reputation. Book onto our upcoming training, Whistleblowing and Sexual Harassment , 5th September.?

BBC Hardtalk?

And in case you missed it – this month the BBC World Service Hardtalk programme, presented by stalwart Stephen Sackur, focused on whistleblowing . While we heard from all the famous whistleblowers, from Katherine Gunn to Daniel Ellsberg, we know that behind every well-known figure are hundreds of every-day whistleblowers quietly addressing wrongdoing across the UK. That being said it's still a good refresher.