CEC responds to the public consultation on whistleblowers’ protection
CEC European Managers participated in the online public consultation on whistleblowers’ protection, launched by the European Commission. The issue about whether a EU system of protection for whistleblowers, whose activity has become more evident following the recent business scandals and the outcomes of the Luxleaks affair, should be proposed by the European Commission has been raised, also in acknowledgment of the need to protect against retaliation those who “blow the whistle” as a means to ensure more transparency, further defend the freedom of expression and safeguarding the public interest.
Based on the background document issued by the European Commission, CEC European Managers has highlighted in its response how managers, because of the role they play in companies, are very often the first to be made aware and exposed to possible wrongdoings inherent to internal practices of the company. Whenever this happens, we insist on our affiliates (who are bound to a strong sense of individual ethics and responsibility) to make use of their hierarchical power and voice the issue internally, and we therefore welcome any initiative that ensures that they are protected. At the same time though, our managers often hold responsibilities in companies that make them act as legal representatives, are more often asked to deal with very sensitive information and are equally bound by stronger obligations of confidentiality towards their employers than the other categories of workers. For this reason, we favor the adoption of a balanced system, in which recurring to internal reporting is incentivized and the rights of all involved parties (including third parties) are equally protected.
We invite you to download our position paper below.
