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Whistleblower Protection

Are you ready for whistleblowing law?

Welcome to the Whistleblower section on CMS Insight

The Whistleblower Protection Directive was approved by the EU Council on 7 October 2019.

The Directive was originally proposed by EU Green Party MEPs who believe that, had stronger whistleblower protection been in place, the VW emissions scandal might never have happened. The Directive therefore aims to encourage whistleblowing on all kinds of wrongdoing, corruption and immoral behaviour by corporations, including illegal mass surveillance and industrial-scale tax avoidance. 

How is your companies’ whistleblower infrastructure?

Companies have a lot of time to implement a suitable and effective whistleblower infrastructure:  National parliaments have two years to transpose the Directive into law. In various jurisdictions outside the EU there are similar regulations, while others are currently developing them. 

How we can help?

The purpose of this Whistleblower Insight section is to draw companies’ attention to the EU Directive and similar regulations outside the EU, and to inform you via CMS publications, events and trainings on this important piece of legislation. 

We can help you by showing, among other things: 

  • how to put an internal whistleblower system in place 
  • set up a process for handling notices and investigations 
  • make sure that data protection regulations are observed in the process 
  • develop a communication strategy

Contact

Would you like any assistance with ensuring that your company successfully complies with these regulations, please contact us via our key contacts on the page.

Explore more

CMS Expert Guide to whistleblower protection and reporting channels
In this Guide, CMS compares not just how the directive has been implemented...
28/07/2020
Lawyers on Whistleblower Protection and Internal Investigations
In October 2019, when the European Union approved the Whistleblower Protection Directive, many EU jurisdictions re-examined their internal investigations systems. At the same time, an open discussion...
Internal investigations in HR cases – best practices
Webinar series recordings

Select a jurisdiction

Feed

16/08/2023
CMS Expert Guide to whistleblower protection & reporting channels
In October 2019, in the wake of a number of whistleblower revelations (especially the industrial-scale tax avoidance schemes revealed in the LuxLeaks scandal), the European Union adopted the Whis­tleblower...
Comparable
01/06/2022
CMS Next
What’s next? In a world of ever-ac­cel­er­at­ing change, staying ahead of the curve and knowing what’s next for your business or sector is essential. At CMS, we see ourselves not only as your legal advisers but also as your business partners. We work together with you to not only resolve current issues but to anticipate future challenges and innovate to meet them. With our latest publication, CMS Next, our experts will regularly offer you insights into and fresh perspectives on a range of issues that businesses have to deal with – from ESG agendas to restructuring after the pandemic or facing the digital transformation. We will also share with you more about the work that we are doing for our clients, helping them innovate, grow and mitigate risk. To be able to provide you with the best support, we immerse ourselves in your world to understand your legal needs and challenges. However, it is equally important that you know who we are and how we can work with you. So, we invite you to meet our experts and catch a glimpse of what is happening inside CMS. Enjoy reading this publication, which we will update regularly with new content. CMS Executive Team
18/01/2021
Simpson v Cantor Fitzgerald Europe: Whistleblowing reminder – new year,...
In the realms of whistleblowing protection under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA), establishing if a worker has made a qualifying protected disclosure is a key hurdle in determining whether...
14/10/2020
Overview on the Guidelines on Anti-Monopoly Compliance for Undertakings
On 11 September 2020, the State Administration for Market Regulation (“SAMR”) issued the first compliance guidelines on state level from the perspective of the PRC Anti-Monopoly Law (“AML”), i.e...
28/07/2020
Lawyers on Whistleblower Protection and Internal Investigations
In October 2019, when the European Union approved the Whistleblower Protection Directive, many EU jurisdictions re-examined their internal investigations systems. At the same time, an open discussion...
07/07/2020
Internal investigations on the rise in Switzerland
What you need to know about best practices and how to protect your company from liability Whistleblower series: Switzerland A combination of laws and corporate best practices have created a system...
29/06/2020
Best Practices in HR Internal Investigations
This article is produced by CMS Holborn Asia, a Formal Law Alliance between CMS Singapore and Holborn Law LLC. Whistleblower series: Singapore The months of March, April and May 2020 have seen most businesses...
19/06/2020
Romanian businesses increasingly turn to internal investigations
When establishing the general legal framework for a company's investigation procedures, managers must consider the following general principles: data privacy, confidentiality, anti-dis­crim­in­a­tion and...
16/06/2020
Monaco business community turns to corporate internal investigations
Whistleblower series: Monaco For an internal investigation in Monaco, the specific type of allegation will – in many cases – determine how an inquiry should be conducted. For example, if an employee...
03/06/2020
Russian business able to implement internal investigations despite no state...
Whistleblower series: Russia Although Russian law contains no specific statutory regulations on conducting internal corporate investigations, these types of inquiries are common in the Russian business...
01/06/2020
Strategic guide: internal investigations in the UK
Whistleblower series In recent years there has been a sharp increase in internal investigations in UK businesses. This is in part due to an increased focus on ethics and governance and, within certain...
26/05/2020
China boasts strong tradition in conducting internal investigations
Whistleblower series The Chinese economy may be young and growing, but its business community already boasts an established and sophisticated tradition for conducting internal investigations. These traditions...