Summary

The Board of Directors has critical oversight responsibility in relation to managing whistleblower risk as part of their broader duty to ensure governance, compliance and management. Their responsibilities include establishing and overseeing a whistleblower policy; ensuring proper reporting channels; monitoring the effectiveness of the programme; fostering a speak-up culture; overseeing investigations and responses and risk oversight and integration. These issues are reviewed and illustrated through a range of case studies and the lessons to be learned from these illustrations.

The course also examines the regulatory framework applicable to whistleblowing, why common failures occur and the significance of having an effective framework.

This course is one of several courses within the Professional Certificate in Risk Management. If you wish to achieve this award, you must complete this course along with all other mandatory courses in the associated learning plan.

Audience

Designed for C-Suite executives in financial services, including CEOs, Chief Risk Officers (CROs), Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) and Board members including NEDs. Also aspiring executives and senior managers.

Course Objectives

• Understand the role of whistleblowers in financial integrity and corporate governance

• Identify key legal and regulatory frameworks governing whistleblowing, including the Dodd-Frank Act, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, UK Public Interest Disclosure Act, and new U.S. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Whistleblower Provisions

• Recognise the financial, reputational, and legal risks associated with whistleblower claims

• Develop an effective corporate whistleblower policy and escalation framework

• Learn best practices for board-level oversight of whistleblower protection and internal reporting mechanisms

• Analyse real-world case studies of whistleblower claims and corporate responses

• Understand how to foster a corporate culture that encourages ethical behaviour and transparent reporting

Course Structure

• Section 1: Introduction to Whistleblower Risk

• Section 2: Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Whistleblower Protection

• Section 3: Common Failures in Whistleblower Programmes

• Section 4: Case Studies of Whistleblower Reports and Corporate Responses

• Summary

• Knowledge Evaluation

Duration & CPD Hours

This course should take you between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on your pace of learning. Additionally, this course is accredited by The CPD Certification Service and carries 1.5 CPD hours.