Ethicast Episodes

The Speak-Up Gap

According to Ethisphere data, 93% of employees say they would report workplace misconduct if they witnessed it. But when the moment of truth arrives, only 50% actually report. The most common reasons cited are fear of retaliation and professional harm. 

This delta between intent to report and actual reporting is what Ethisphere calls the speak-up gap. The DOJ Whistleblower Pilot Program is meant to help address that unfortunate reality. 

What this means for companies is that the DOJ is incentivizing individuals to take advantage of both internal and external whistleblowing avenues when it comes to reporting misconduct. 

“We are not only incentivizing individuals to come forward and report corporate crime to the department,” Argentieri said. “We are also incentivizing companies to invest in strong internal reporting structures and to report crime when they learn about it.” This includes giving greater rewards t companies that voluntarily report misconduct within 120 days of discovering it, and before the DOJ reaches out to the company.

To learn more about how your organization can advance speak-up culture, please visit the Ethisphere Resource Center for a host of free policy examples, best practices reports, interviews, and more. 

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