Introduction 

Under certain circumstances, employees are protected from suffering any detriment or termination of employment if they make disclosures about organisations for whom they work. 

Qualifying Disclosures 

Certain disclosures are prescribed by law as ‘‘qualifying disclosures’’. A ‘‘qualifying disclosure’’ means a disclosure of information that the employee genuinely and reasonably believes is in the public interest and shows that the company has committed a relevant failure by:

a) Committing a criminal offence. 

b) Failing to comply with a legal obligation. 

c) A miscarriage of justice. 

d) Endangering the health and safety of an individual. 

e) Environmental damages; or 

f) Concealing any information relating to the above. 

These acts can be in the past, present, or future, so that, for example, a disclosure qualifies if it relates to environmental damage that has happened, is happening, or is likely to happen. The company will take any concerns that you may raise relating to the above matters very seriously. 

We encourage you to use the procedure if you are concerned about any wrong doing at work. However, if the procedure has been invoked for malicious reasons or in pursuit of a personal grudge; you may be liable to disciplinary sanction as may be appropriate in the circumstances. 

The Procedure 

In the first instance, you should report any concerns you may have to your manager who will treat the matter with complete confidence. If you are not satisfied with the explanation or reason given to you, you should raise the matter with the appropriate official organisation or regulatory body. 

If you do not report your concerns to your manager, you should take them direct to the appropriate organisation or body. 

Treatment by Others 

Bullying, harassment or any other detrimental treatment afforded to a colleague who has made a qualifying disclosure is unacceptable. Anyone found to have acted in such a manner will be subject to disciplinary action.