Whistleblowers offered safe option

A free whistleblower service is being offered by a leading independent risk management service provider.

Risk Management International (RMI) encourages anyone who fears being victimised or damaging their career prospects by reporting a wrongdoing to management to use the confidential service.

Tony Hickey, former assistant Garda commissioner and a member of RMI’s advisory board, said many of the highly experienced people providing the service were former Garda and military investigators.

Information can be provided anonymously through an agreed codeword system if the person contacting the service does not want to give personal details.

“Anybody who sees wrongdoing of any description can contact us and we will deal with it,” said Mr Hickey.

All information received is filtered and assessed by an evaluation board. If it is considered credible, the organisation is contacted.

It is up to the organisation whether to pursue the matter themselves, use a third party or ask RMI to pursue the matter further.

Mr Hickey said the risk management firm was set up in 1993 and, since then, had investigated hundreds of cases where the risks uncovered had the potential to damage reputations and businesses.

RMI chairman, Peadar Duffy, said the group was a safe alternative to silence for concerned people with truthful information.

“We empower responsible people to raise concerns within our shield of confidentiality.” he said.

Mr Duffy said that it was far better that businesses and other organisations were informed of issues before too much damage was done or losses areincurred.

* www.rmi.ie.