Whistleblower web pages to be set up in EU countries

Updated on: 08 February 2023

Damien Black
Senior Journalist

anonymous man with a computer behind a plastic curtain

Companies in some parts of the EU will be adding dedicated back channels to their flagship websites that allow whistleblowers to anonymously report on wrongdoings such as bribery, corruption, and other illegal activities within their organizations.

The move comes in tandem with new laws about to be passed in Germany and Austria that will “bring incentives and protections to whistleblowers so that violations of the law are noticed earlier and can be stopped,” according to Tutanota, the company responsible for the new digital service.

Secure Connect is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises and allows these to create a secure reporting page annexed to their websites and intranet portals within half an hour, the company claims.

Tutanota says the application allows tip-offs to be communicated to the relevant authorities in “a legally secure and anonymous way” in 30 languages and benefits from end-to-end encryption.

“The launch of our whistleblower system comes right before the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive comes into force in Germany and Austria,” said the company.

In both countries, the new law is expected to be enforced in stages that will essentially mean that by December 17, any firm with 50 or more employees must have measures in place to ensure employees exposing malpractice within their organizations are duly protected.