Secure your company in 8 easy steps – Part two 

We read it in the newspapers all the time: Corruption, bribes and scandals. Still, we think “that will never happen to us”. But how can you be so sure? In this two-article mini-series, we will help you secure your company and protect your business from different types of scandals. Here is part 2. 

If you didn’t read the first part, you can find find it here. 

• 5: Knowledge 
• 6: Follow-up 
• 7: Whistleblowing 
• 8: Consequences 

Secure your company – Step 5 – Increase knowledge about corruption and misconduct 

As written in the previous article, a procedure is of no use if no one adheres to it. Therefore, make sure to communicate the company’s policies and procedures to all employees. Conduct training and make sure to increase awareness of risky situations. It is important to note that it is not about constructing a system of informers and spies. The goal is all about working together, drawing attention to wrongdoings and various risks within the organisation. In this way, we can strive to strengthen the protection against, for example, corruption and scandals. 

Secure your company – Step 6 – Make sure to follow up 

With the ever-evolving development of technology and business opportunities, new risks and threats will also emerge. Therefore, we need to ensure a continuous follow-up of procedures and processes to make sure they are up to date and compliant. This includes, amongst other things, inspections, and evaluations of the processes in place to protect and secure your company.  

Secure your company – Step 7- Facilitate whistleblower reports 

Implement a whistleblower service for reports of wrongdoings observed by employees and others. Is it possible to submit a report about misconduct and remain anonymous? Who will manage the case and follow it up? An employee who is looking to report his/her boss for misconduct is not likely to do so if the boss is also responsible for managing the reports. That is why we need to make the threshold for reporting as low as possible, and make sure there is an appointed person or department that will be responsible for the follow-up. That way, nothing will be forgotten, overlooked, or hidden away.   

Reading tip: Key factors to make your whistleblowing system work 

Step 8 – Make it very clear that misconduct and wrongdoings will not be tolerated 

The company must be open and transparent about how the cases will be managed and communicate that illegal activities will be reported to the police. Regardless of whether the crime or misconduct is committed by an employee or a partner, the company must make it very clear that such behaviour will not be tolerated. Crimes punishable by law will not be met by reconciliation arrangements. If employees cannot trust the company’s way of addressing such problems, it will most likely happen again and result in a loss of trust and loyalty. A lost confidence will take a very long time to rebuild and cost significantly more in the long run, than dealing with the issue right away.  

Final words 

This was part two of our mini-series. By now, we hope you are closely monitoring your business and building a protection that is both effective, updated and well communicated. Essentially, securing your company is about each employee’s daily contribution to running the business in a way that does not overlook or fail to notice issues with security. Help your employees help each other and your company. This way everyone, including customers and suppliers, will know that your company is trustworthy.  

Want to know more? Keep reading our blog to find out the latest news and corporate best practices!

Would you like to learn more about a whistleblowing service and safe internal reporting channels? You can learn more about Whistlelink’s all-in-one solution here or book a free demo!