Handle a whistleblowing case
3:03 · · English · captions included
For case handlers. A fictional case in EthicsPortal, from receipt to closure: assign an impartial handler, acknowledge receipt, assess the risk, ask questions, keep internal notes separate, give feedback in time, and close with a complete record.
Chapters and transcript
Handle a report from receipt to closure, and keep a complete record. These are the EU minimum rules. Your procedure and national law also apply.
Sign in with your own account. Select the correct organisation. Open Reports. Check which cases wait for acknowledgment, which deadlines are near, and which cases have new replies. Read the full report and all files before you act.
First, check for conflicts of interest. An administrator selects the assignee and adds participants. Give access only to authorised people. Administrators and viewers can see all cases. Assignment does not hide a case from them.
Select Acknowledge. This records receipt and informs the reporter. The EU minimum is seven days. Check your national rules. Acknowledgment confirms receipt. It does not mean that the allegation is proven.
Check for immediate safety risks, retaliation, and evidence that can disappear. Escalate urgent risks to the correct emergency or specialist service. Decide if the procedure applies, and who will investigate. Treat every allegation as unproven.
In Messages, ask for the missing facts. Here, we ask for the supplier and the delivery date. Then select Send to reporter. Ask neutral questions. Never ask for the reporter’s identity. Never ask them to collect evidence unlawfully. Explain the next step, but promise no result.
Record your assessment in Notes. The reporter never sees Notes. Record the evidence, the decision, the reasons, and the next step. Include only relevant personal data. The Audit trail records case events. It does not replace your investigation record.
In Messages, tell the reporter what action was taken or is planned, and why. Protect identities, third parties, and the investigation. If the work continues, report the progress and the date of the next update. The investigation does not need to be finished at the feedback deadline.
Feedback is due three months after acknowledgment. If there was no acknowledgment, it is due three months after the first seven days. EthicsPortal uses the earlier date. A late acknowledgment never extends the deadline.
After you give feedback, select Record feedback sent. This only marks a step. It does not write the response. When appropriate, choose the outcome, and whether the concern was confirmed. Send the outcome and the reasons before you close. A closed case does not prove compliance.
Review the Audit trail. Keep the case for your legal retention period. Ask the responsible person about legal holds and deletion. Treat every downloaded PDF as sensitive. Reopen the case when new facts arrive. Continue to address any retaliation.