As the EU Whistleblower Directive is being adopted in more and more EU member states, we are delighted to welcome Nordic law firm Hannes Snellman to the WhistleB Partnership Programme. While the EU Directive has not yet been transposed in Finland, it is expected to become law in the country in late 2022 or early 2023, and it has already been implemented in Sweden.
"Whistleblowing is increasingly on every business agenda with the introduction of the EU whistleblower protection directive and the implementation of new requirements in individual countries. In anticipation of whistleblower disclosures and regulatory investigations based on complaints, it is essential for companies to manage risk with clear and robust whistleblower and investigation procedures. Offering WhistleB by NAVEX helps us to provide our clients a full-scale service offering in whistleblowing matters," says Maria Wasastjerna, partner at Hannes Snellman in Helsinki.
Many larger companies in Finland already have whistleblower systems in place that are largely based on the EU Directive. However, for thousands of smaller companies, this will be the first time that they need to consider setting up a whistleblowing function. The combination of the WhistleB technical whistleblowing solution and Hannes Snellman's expertise in a wide range of corporate compliance matters, investigations and ethical business questions provides a seamless offering to help companies comply with the requirements.
"For years, the Nordics have led the way in corporate social responsibility and transparency. We are pleased to be partnering with such a strong firm as Hannes Snellman to help Nordic companies continue to build trust through a secure and compliant whistleblowing system and top-notch expertise," says Jan Stappers, Senior Manager, Partnerships at NAVEX.
Hannes Snellman's whistleblowing experts assist companies to design and implement whistleblowing systems and policy programmes and prepare requisite documentation and compliance guidance, as well as advise them on reporting requirements. In addition, Hannes Snellman can review and handle investigations related to whistleblowing reports and conduct relevant risk assessments for clients.
WhistleB by NAVEX is a user-friendly, online whistleblowing system that employees and external stakeholders can use to report suspected ethical and compliance-related misconduct. The system is highly secure, available in many languages, and complies with all applicable legal requirements, including the EU GDPR. WhistleB is just one of many solutions offered by NAVEX, the worldwide leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services that help organisations manage risk, address complex regulatory compliance requirements and foster an ethical, highly productive workplace culture.
