Training project for the Whistleblower Act (ISF funding)

Goals and results

The project aimed to ensure that the organisations obliged to establish an internal reporting channel under the Whistleblower Act, can better fulfil their statutory obligations as well as to increase the expertise of the persons processing the reports, and to raise awareness among employees of the Act's contents. A further objective was to increase citizens' awareness of reporting procedures and channels.

The outputs of the project include organised trainings and briefings as well as publicly available digital training materials (www.eoppiva.fi/koulutukset/ilmoittajansuojelulain-tietoisku). As part of the project, a section on whistleblower protection has been created for the Ministry of Justice’s anti-corruption website (www.korruptiontorjunta.fi/en/whistleblower-protection).

The project has also produced an informational cartoon video on whistleblower protection, aimed at raising awareness on the subject in an understandable manner. A shorter version cut from the cartoon video has been presented as a public utility information bulletin on YLE's channels from 13 to 19 January 2025. In addition, targeted advertising on social media and native advertising in Helsingin Sanomat were carried out to raise awareness.

Summary

The project providing Whistleblower Act (1171/2022) training aims to increase awareness of this Act, which will transpose the Whistleblower Directive (2019/1937/EU) into national legislation, among private and public sector organisations and among employees and citizens. The project will disseminate information through communications and training.

Starting points

This is a significant legislative reform that will affect many parties. The project aims to raise awareness in organisations and among employees and citizens. It is therefore important that practical information on the content of the Act can be disseminated as widely as possible. For this reason, the project’s key actions include comprehensive training and a wide range of communications.

The European Commission will monitor the national implementation of the Whistleblower Directive in all Member States.