Whistleblower protection: first report by the Defender of Rights

In this first report on ‘Whistleblower Protection in France’ published on September 25, 2024, the Defender of Rights states that it is ‘regularly contacted by complainants who denounce the absence of internal whistleblowing procedures within entities required to implement them.’

‘This first report paints a mixed picture of the application of the new whistleblower protection framework and the handling of their reports by designated authorities.’

Among the 11 improvement recommendations addressed to the government by the Defender of Rights, notable ones include :
– Assess the rate of companies and administrations compliant with their obligations to implement internal whistleblowing systems (recommendation #7)
– Where applicable, assess the conditions for implementing a monitoring and sanction system, including financial penalties, for non-compliant public or private organizations (recommendation #8)