Whistleblowing Awareness Week – Update 20th – 24th March

Plans are now moving quickly to ensure that Whistleblowing Awareness Week (WBAW) includes and engages with as many people as possible. The key objective is to get everyone talking about whistleblowing and the value of whistleblowers in the fight against crime, corruption and cover up. Whistleblowers are the first line of defence and lives depend on them feeling safe to speak up.

In a week when the Government seems to be softening in its approach to the proposed Whistleblowing Bill support across all parties is growing steadily, demonstrated by boisterous debates seeing Dame Margaret Hodge MP once again on her feet speaking up for the introduction of the Office of the Whistleblower. In the House of Lords on the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill Lord Agnew and Lord Fox were also banging on the Government’s door for whistleblower protection. In the Higher Education Bill Dame Maria Maria MP successfully persuaded the Government to adopt amendments to ban the use of NDA’s in higher education. During WBAW, Maria will be chairing a discussion on the abuse of NDA’s in support of the Whistleblowing Bill.

Tuesday 21st is lobby day – the chance to meet your MP and ask them to #BackTheBill using our letter. Also on Tuesday 21st March Westminster will be hosting a discussion chaired by Mary Robinson, chair of the APPG with healthcare professionals, professional and support organisations to highlight the improvements contained in the Whistleblowing Bill.

On Wednesday 22nd there will be a range of discussions across the public and private sector and a chance to look at what happens in the rest of the world and how the UK is now lagging behind in protecting whistleblowers. On the 23rd WhistleblowersUK and Grant Thornton will be hosting a conference to hear from Whistleblowers, NGO’s, professionals and board members on the future of Whistleblowing. The week will conclude with a number of online training and awareness sessions.

See the websites for details of the sessions and timings and how to access them.

This week is only possible with the generosity of the public as WhisteblowersUK and the APPG receive no public funding please donate.