The recent murder of DJ Warras in South Africa is a devastating reminder that legislative protection does not always translate into lived safety. He reportedly had five protection orders in place. They did not stop retaliation. This tragedy forces an uncomfortable parallel with whistleblowing policies. Across sectors, whistleblowers are encouraged to speak up under the […]

Let’s be honest: by the time someone is forced into the role of whistleblower, the system has already failed. We romanticise whistleblowers as if they’re symbols of organisational courage. They’re not. They’re symbols of organisational breakdown. And the costs they carry — to their livelihoods, reputations, and mental health — are costs that should never […]

We’ve built laws to protect whistleblowers — but too often, those laws don’t work in real life. People still lose their jobs, their peace of mind, their sense of belonging, and even their lives. The system says “you’re protected,” yet society still whispers, “you should’ve stayed quiet.” With thanks to insights from Professor Matthew Jackson […]

You've acquired a whistleblowing hotline. You've run whistleblowing training sessions. The compliance box is ticked. You've communicated that your organisation will protect whistleblowers. A sentence about encouraging a 'speakup' culture has been added to company mission statement. So, how's it going? Do you still believe that your business would be better off by relying on […]

Let's stop acting as if the only valid form of ‘speaking-listening up’ is the formal whistleblowing game. As a whistleblower I think I'm permitted to say that. When we invert the narrative that whistleblowing is the only way to speak up, we unlock a more practical, humane, and effective approach: shifting from reactive heroics, often […]

Whistleblowing has been successfully commercialised and mythologised. Lawyers, academics, journalists, publishers, and filmmakers have turned whistleblowing into a dramatic brand — big payouts, bestseller memoirs, high-profile legal cases, prestige documentaries. This has done important work: it’s raised public awareness about abuses of power and protected some truth-tellers. But it also has an unintended consequence: It […]

The false comfort of Whistleblowing Protection Policies Whistleblowing policies are designed to “protect” whistleblowers but the word protect comes from Latin 'protegere' – to cover upfront. Like a prophylactic—it’s a surface-level barrier, not a deep engagement with what's happening emotionally, neurologically and psychologically. “Aggression is only rated as pleasant when it occurs after provocation.” — […]

The House of Lords Whistleblowing and Oversight Body recently sent a clear message: “We need a much earlier mechanism to raise a danger flag… because there is a reluctance to tell truth to power.” “No bureaucracy can overcome the wrong culture.” They’re right. This isn’t just about laws, policies, or hotlines. It’s about culture. A […]

In a world full of megaphones, we’re drowning in noise. Our feeds, our workplaces, our communities—everywhere we turn there’s a system carefully designed to capture attention, not to foster clarity. And yet, in this environment, organisations still expect Gen Z (and everyone else) to drop their megaphones and quietly blow the whistle through a hotline. […]

In the wake of tragedy, many choose silence and self censorship. I choose dialogue. For years after whistleblowing, my life’s mission has been to explore the behavioural intersection of democracy, free speech, whistleblowing, and generative dialogues. The murder of Charlie Kirk has added an urgency to this mission. In times like these, the instinct is […]

The Whistleblowing Hotline Trap - we were not shaped by evolution to press buttons and wait on hold. We did not survive ice ages and wars to be redirected to a menu of options.Yet here we are—in a civilisation where the primary mode of dispute resolution is a hotline, not a face, not a voice […]

Sometimes doing the right thing feels lonely — especially when it comes at a cost, and society doesn’t quite know what to do with that. There are days I catch myself slipping into old habits, measuring my worth by the usual markers: success, money, things. And on those days, I feel like I’ve failed. Then […]

Traditional whistleblowing and “speak up” narratives often emphasise the courage required for employees to raise concerns. While well-intentioned, this framing highlights a deeper problem: if employees must be brave simply to voice concerns or fulfill their responsibilities, then the organisation’s culture is already failing them. Through the Courageous Conversations training lens, where we teach the […]

The sweet spot of ethical communication lies where Courageous Conversations intersect with whistleblowing — where speaking up with integrity challenges systems, not just individuals. Because I've been a whistleblower, I’ve developed human-centric ways of communicating about unethical behaviour — approaches that allow us to make progress on the issues that matter and strengthen our relationships […]

Watch this short video as an example of how Conversational Goals can go awry. Recently a relative initiated a conversation with me that at first felt like a very personal attack on my character.  I felt  defensive, upset and angry but thankfully I was able to recognise this as an opportunity to follow my own […]

We live in an environment that is drenched in misinformation, “fake news”, and propaganda, not because of an unavoidable accident but because it has been created by people in pursuit of political and economic objectives.  This is not a natural disaster, it’s human-made. On a positive side, this implies that, unlike for earthquakes or tsunamis, […]

See update as at 15th January 2023 on Point 9 (who funds WhistleblowersUK?) and Point 8 (Twitter sock accounts) Without Prejudice I am writing this as a long term, respected and active participant in the international whistleblowing space and especially as a legitimate whistleblower.  In the spirit of transparency, openness, and courage, I have a […]

Referring to his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, U.S. President Bill Clinton claimed “there is not a sexual relationship.” The Starr Commission later discovered that there “had been” a sexual relationship, but that it had ended months before Clinton’s interview with Jim Lehrer. During the interview, Clinton made a claim that was technically true by using […]

What does the stoic reserve clause and whistleblowers share in common? Hupexhairesis is the stoic reserve clause meaning to undertake any action while accepting that the outcome isn’t entirely under your control. A stoic minded archer’s true goal is to fire his bow skilfully knowing he controls his aim but not the arrow’s flight. I was […]

The ‘do no significant harm’ principle must extend to whistleblowers “Do no Significant Harm” is the principle that underscores the EU's approach to sustainable growth, following the adoption of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  The EU Commission has expressed in the Action Plan “Financing Sustainable […]