Raising Concerns – EA Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure - Section 1 - Introduction

The Education Authority (EA) is committed to the highest standards of openness, probity and accountability in the delivery of its services. Whilst EA has put in place a wide range of rules, regulations, procedures and codes of practice, we recognise that malpractice may unfortunately still occur.

EA does not tolerate any such malpractice and encourages anyone who has any knowledge of such to raise their concerns.

Policy Statement

‘The Raising Concerns – EA Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure aims to ensure that employees and the general public have a mechanism, in which to raise concerns, identify wrongdoing, risk, or malpractice. As a learning organisation EA promotes a culture of open and honest reporting and seeks to learn from all concerns raised’. 

This document will set out EA’s policy position and outlines the procedure for managing ‘whistleblowing’ using a structured and standardised approach that promotes consistency. The policy reflects the key messages from the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) Raising Concerns – A good practice guide for the Northern Ireland public sector (June 2020) 

The Raising Concerns – EA Whistleblowing Policy and Procedure will provide a step-by-step guide to how the EA manages, resolves and learns from cases of whistleblowing.

Policy Objectives

The objectives of this policy are to: 

• ensure that all employees feel supported in speaking up in confidence and reporting matters they suspect may involve anything improper, unethical and inappropriate;
• ensure that members of the public feel supported in speaking up in confidence and reporting matters they suspect may involve anything improper, unethical and inappropriate;
• provide clear procedures for the reporting of such matters;
• manage all concerns in a timely, consistent and professional manner; and
• provide assurance that all concerns will be taken seriously, treated as confidential and managed without fear of victimisation.

If the concern relates to possible fraud, it may be helpful to refer to the Anti-Fraud Policy which can be found on the EA website: Anti-Fraud policy and response plan. 

EA Values

EA values promote openness and transparency, creating an environment where both staff and members of the public feel empowered to speak up and identify potential wrongdoing.

As a public body, we have a duty to act in the public interest. This responsibility requires us to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability. Therefore, we are committed to discharging our duties in full alignment with our core values:

• Openness: 
  We will promote a culture of openness and will be transparent in our dealings with the public, our partners and colleagues.
• Respect: 
  We will listen to and respect those we serve, as well as each other and will recognise effort, achievement and contribution.
• Reflection:
  We will be a learning organisation reflecting and taking on board the lessons learned from our own experiences and from comparable organisations.

Responsibility:
We will act responsibly and acknowledge that our actions will impact on others. We will be helpful, conscientious reliable and accountable for our actions.

• Excellence:
  We will strive for quality in everything we do. We will behave professionally and take pride and ownership for everything we say and do.
• Equality:
  We will promote equality of opportunity through our employment practices, service delivery and engagement activities.

EA employees should consider the key messages as outlined by the ‘NIAO Raising Concerns – A good practice guide’, and engage in the managing whistleblowing protocol with these messages in mind:

• Organisational culture: “Organisations must take steps to instil a culture in which workers have the confidence to raise concerns openly; listen to all concerns raised; and protect those who speak up.”
• Raising concerns as part of normal business: “Organisations should strive to establish a culture in which raising concerns is regarded as natural and routine.”
• Raising concerns champion: “A raising concerns champion can be a source of advice and support for staff but, in addition, a key resource for connecting the organisation to service users and the wider public.”
• Strong visable leadership: “If senior managers and board members have a presence across an organisation and speak with staff informally on a regular basis, they are better placed to influence the culture, encourage openness and get a better understanding of the issues which are important to staff.”

Benefits of Raising a Concern (whistleblowing)

NIAO outline the benefits to organisations who encourage the raising of concerns and the potential risks of discouraging the raising of concerns, many of which are relevant to EA: