Whistle-blowing Policy Statement

Purpose and Scope

Whistle-blowing Policy is where an employee raises concerns about underhand or illegal practices within his or her organisation or an associated organisation. Security Scotland’s policy is to operate within the country’s laws and regulations, and all employees are expected to cooperate in this by adhering to all laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

Security Scotland is committed to maintaining an open culture with the highest standards of honesty and accountability, where employees can report any legitimate concerns in confidence. Security Scotland takes all malpractice very seriously, and this document sets out the procedure by which employees can report any concerns.

Safeguards

Security Scotland offers protection to any employee who honestly and reasonably believes that underhand or illegal practices are taking place. Security Scotland undertakes to comply with all applicable laws relating to the prohibition of retaliation against good-faith whistle-blowers; see the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1988, which gives protection against victimisation or dismissal to workers who whistle-blow.

Assuming the requirements of this policy have been met, Security Scotland undertakes to protect the employee from any personal claims and from any victimisation, harassment or bullying occasioned as a result of his or her disclosure. Security Scotland also undertakes not to initiate any disciplinary action. The aim is that the career of any employee should not in any way be harmed or hindered as a result of his or her disclosure (whether the item reported proves to be true or not, provided the reporting was carried out in good faith).

Any reprisal or similar action taken against a discloser because he or she has made a protected disclosure under this policy may be regarded as gross misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

Responsibilities

Security Scotland would expect all employees to report any of the following:

• A criminal offence
• A failure to comply with a legal obligation
• A miscarriage of justice
• The endangering of an individual’s health and safety
• Damage to the environment
• Deliberate concealment of information relating to any of the above.

Where the nature of a disclosure is not included in the above list, it should be made by way of the organisation’s grievance procedure and not under this whistle-blowing policy.

This has been approved by James Glackin, Managing Director