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What is a company whistleblower policy?
A whistleblower policy, sometimes referred to as a WHS policy, is a company’s internal document outlining the obligations of both employees and the company in identifying and reporting wrongdoing at the workplace. This document helps to ensure compliance with the Corporations Act 2001 and regulatory guidelines issued by the Australian Investments and Securities Commission.
This whistleblower policy template Australia provides clear terms for reporting on wrongdoing and protection of affected employees, as well as procedures for dealing with complaints effectively.
Who needs a whistleblower policy template Australia?
Whistleblower policies are widely adopted by Australian businesses, including:
- public companies and multinational businesses;
- well-established proprietary companies with a significant number of employees;
- companies operating in the financial industry;
- growing businesses, such as partnerships and startups.
A WHS policy is a complex document that sets out behavioural standards for both the company’s employees and management, supporting effective risk management and compliance with Australian laws. This is a separate policy that is being used in conjunction with the Employee Handbook.
What does this whistleblower policy template include?
A simple WHS policy template usually includes the following important sections:
Introduction
This is a part of every sample WHS policy, where every business and company provides information:
- about their business, including full legal name, address, ACN and ABN numbers;
- effective date of this policy;
- purpose of the policy; and
- optional reference to any other applicable policies, such as disciplinary policy, etc.
Eligible Employees
A good example of a WHS policy must define the categories of employees to whom this policy should apply, such as interns, volunteers, full-time employees, casual employees, remote workers, part-time employees, seasonal workers and so on. If certain categories are excluded, this should be clearly outlined in the document.
Besides that, the text of the policy should also clarify the list of situations for which this whistleblower policy template Australia cannot apply, for example:
- complaints from customers to businesses;
- complaints from independent contractors or freelancers acting outside of the employment framework;
- personal grievances concerning promotion, termination of employment, or general employment matters.
Protection of Employees
An employee who wishes to report any wrongdoing under a whistleblower policy should be able to do so without fear of jeopardising their safety, financial stability, employment, health, or reputation.
That’s why the recent standards provided by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission establish high standards to protect employees who report a wrongdoing. All these protective measures should be listed in the text of the policy, including protection against redundancy, denied promotion, unconsented disclosure of identity, termination of employment, discrimination, harassment, and physical or psychological threats or damage.
Confidentiality
Whistleblower policies should provide a clear confidentiality guarantee for employees reporting the wrongdoing. That means that an employee’s name can only be disclosed to the third parties upon the employee’s prior written consent.
Reporting Channels
Every business must work out communication channels employees can use to report the wrongdoing. A well-drafted whistleblower policy Australia template must define:
- the designated person to whom such a report could be made (for example, the head of the HR department, the compliance manager, or the immediate supervisor);
- timeframe within which a report should be made (for example, within one year after the discovery);
- communication channels (for example, in person, by email);
- expected timeframe within which the review of a complaint should take place.
Why choose this whistleblower policy Australia?
By customising this WHS policy template with FasterDraft, you get:
- a simple but workable policy template addressing essential whistleblowing procedures;
- a fully customisable template that has a clear structure and is written in plain English;
- a document compliant with the main standards set up by the Australian Investment and Securities Commission;
- a policy suitable for your specific business and needs;
- a template available for instant download in PDF and Word;
- a document ideal for internal risk management procedures within a company.
How to customise a whistleblower policy template with FasterDraft?
To get a fully customisable policy template, follow a few easy steps below:
- Click the “Create Document” button.
- Answer simple questions in the form.
- Select a template’s format – WHS policy template PDF or Word.
- E-sign the policy online for free.
- Make a payment.
Your customisable policy template is ready for instant download right after the purchase.