Whistleblower scheme for employees, partners and suppliers

Sønderborg Municipality wants an open and transparent culture in our organisation, where employees, business partners and suppliers can report suspected irregularities or illegalities.

Therefore, Sønderborg municipality has chosen to set up a whistleblower scheme, where all employees, business partners and suppliers can report illegal situations or serious mistakes or negligence.

What is the purpose of the Whistleblower scheme?

The purpose of the whistleblower scheme is that employees, partners and suppliers can draw attention to illegal or other serious conditions in the municipality in a safe, secure and anonymous manner. At the same time, the scheme ensures that the information is handled constructively and securely.

What information can be reported?

The Whistleblower scheme only deals with information on serious matters. So when a report is made to the whistleblower scheme, it is assumed that there is knowledge of or justified suspicion that serious matters have been committed. 

The following can be reported: 

• Conditions whose coverage is in the public interest - a real societal interest
• Criminal offenses - eg breach of confidentiality, misuse of financial means, theft, fraud, under tow, fraud, bribery, etc.
• Serious or repeated violations of other legislation - eg legislation on the use of force, public administration law, public access law, sector legislation.
• Serious or repeated violations of administrative law principles - eg the principle of investigation, requirements for objectivity, the principle of misuse of power and proportionality.
• Sexual harassment or other serious personal conflicts in the workplace, eg gross harassment (def: The Equal Treatment Act - no lower limit).
• Serious or repeated violations of internal guidelines - eg about business trips and receiving gifts.

How do you get feedback on your report?

The Whistleblower Unit has a duty to:

• acknowledge receipt of your report no later than after 7 days.
• To provide feedback on your report within 3 months of receiving your receipt.

Are reports anonymous?

Reports can be made anonymously or with an indication of identity and contact information. You decide. If you want to be anonymous, remember to check the box in the Whistleblower portal. 

The internal whistleblower scheme is established and operated in a way that ensures confidentiality about:

• The identity of the whistleblower
• Identity of the person concerned
• Any third party mentioned in the report

Information on the whistleblower's identity and other information from which the whistleblower's identity may be derived directly or indirectly may only be disclosed to the other public authority without the whistleblower's consent when the disclosure is made to prevent violations or to secure the rights of defendants concerned. .

The whistleblower must be notified prior to the above disclosure, unless the notification will jeopardize related investigations or lawsuits.