In recent years, awareness of whistleblowing has become more prominent regardless of industries – amongst the public and employees – following more regular articles in the press and widespread coverage of high-profile cases. With more awareness around this topic, new data* reveals that whistleblowing reports in 2024 increased by 16% year-on-year, reaching its highest level ever.
The annual Benchmark Report*, which tracks the trends and fluctuations in global reports to the leading whistleblowing and investigations provider, reveals the non-profit sector was the most active in making reports, with one report being made for every 100 employees. Other sectors reporting more than the Safecall average (one report for every 370 employees) include the food processing/wholesale sector and emergency services.
When looking at what drives reports, HR-related complaints continue to top the list. This includes bullying, discrimination, and unfair treatment, perhaps because this is the easiest to identify within the workplace, with over half of these reports falling under this category (55%).
On the other hand, reports related to bribery, corruption, fraud and theft – dishonest behaviour – now make up nearly one in five reports (19%), a record high from previous years. Housing associations see the largest number of these reports, with 60% reporting about dishonest behaviour.
The Benchmark Report also reveals that anonymous reporting is on the rise, with the majority of whistleblowers within the emergency services opting to remain anonymous (86%), followed by those within the aviation industry (76%). Meanwhile, reporters within support services are more likely to share their identification details (58%).
A few key trends account for this difference – ‘blue-collar’ sectors and industries where workers are less often office-based tend to have a higher percentage of phone reports, and those reporting over the phone are more inclined to share contact details for further questioning as trust is built between the whistleblower and call handler.
Joanna Lewis, Managing Director at Safecall, comments: “It’s clear to see that employees across various sectors are becoming more confident making reports, utilising their whistleblowing facilities and highlighting wrongdoing in their workplace. Our report shines a light on sector-wide issues, and highlighting these trends helps industries take decisive action to improve their workplace culture and the wellbeing of their workforce.
“Ultimately, we are taking a step in the right direction, and as organisations continue to promote ethical practices and build trust within their speak-up systems, we should expect to see a continued increase in reporting levels – allowing companies to investigate appropriately and ensuring malpractice does not slip through the cracks.”
Report from Safecall*
