Labour Research June 2001

Law Matters

Whistleblowing policies

A survey of whistleblowing policies in universities and colleges found that most have policies in place, although more than half had been in operation for less than a year.

In nearly nine out of 10 institutions the policy had never been used, and in the others it had been used less than five times, most commonly in cases of malpractice or fraud. About half the procedures allowed for anonymous reporting and most guaranteed confidentiality.

Report of a survey on whistleblowing procedures in further and higher education, Lewis, Ellis, Kyprianou and Homewood, Middlesex University.