German Whistleblowing Protection Act (HinSchG)
The EU whistleblowing directive
In June 2023, the Act for Better Protection of Whistleblowers (“HinSchG”) was published, which came into effect on 2 July 2023.
The law requires the establishment of an internal reporting channel and the appointment of an ombudsperson for companies and organisations in the public and private sectors employing more than 50 people.
The law serves to improve the protection of individuals who report legal violations within companies and organisations – known as whistleblowers. The internal reporting channel serves as the organisational point of contact for receiving reports on violations.
A successful whistleblowing system provides employees, as well as business partners, customers and other stakeholders with a safe to raise awareness about potential misconduct. Companies then have the opportunity to respond to any violations, adjust their processes and, avoid reputational damage. In addition to complying with legal obligations, an effective whistleblower system can become a competitive advantage.
The data protection and compliance experts from ePrivacy are ready to take on the tasks of the internal reporting office in accordance with sec. 13 HinSchG, assuming the role of the ombudsperson as a new service. As part of this activity, ePrivacy is setting up a whistleblower system including reporting channels and the necessary software within the company.
As part of our activities, we set up the internal reporting channels and the necessary software, within the company. We are collaborating with the whistleblower system “Whistly” (www.whistly.org) and have pragmatically implemented the Whistleblowing Protection Act for many of our clients.
Do you employ more than 50 employees and seek coverage by external experts?
