Whistleblower Protection Policy Launched by Higher Education Students’ Loans Board

The Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) has launched a whistleblower protection policy aimed at promoting transparency and accountability within the institution.

Key Features of the Whistleblower Protection Policy

• Designed to safeguard individuals who report unethical behavior or wrongdoing within HESLB
• Allows whistleblowers to report concerns through various channels, including:
  • Email
  • Letter
  • Phone
  • In person
• Designated contacts for reporting concerns include:
  • Audit and Risk Committee
  • Director of Internal Audit and Investigation
  • Executive Director
• Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation and aware of the contact person handling their complaint

Procedures for Making Complaints

• Providing a detailed report of the incident, including:
  • Dates
  • Type of incident
  • Description of the incident
  • Location
  • Individuals involved

Recognition and Rewards for Whistleblowers

• Recognition and/or rewards are provided to whistleblowers who report wrongdoing that leads to prevention of loss or recovery of assets
• The institution is committed to making good faith efforts to protect the confidentiality of whistleblowers, while also ensuring that investigations are thorough and effective

Protection from Retaliation

• A whistleblower shall be protected if:
  • Their disclosure is made in good faith
  • They have reasonable cause for their allegations
  • Their disclosure is made in accordance with the provisions of the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Act of 2015
• The policy also provides protection against criminal or civil proceedings in respect of disclosures made under the act

Impact on HESLB Culture

The launch of this policy marks a significant step towards promoting transparency and accountability within HESLB, and is expected to encourage employees to speak up if they witness unethical behavior or wrongdoing.