Policy Adopted on 14/01/2021 / Revised on 04/07/2023 and will be reviewed Q2 2024 – Revision 2.0
1. Policy Statement
Whistleblowing is the name given to the act of the disclosure of information to the employer or the relevant authority by an individual who knows, or suspects, that the church is responsible for or taken part in some wrongdoing.
Those making qualifying disclosures are protected against dismissal or detriment by The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
2. Reason for Policy
The policy aims to provide details of how Revive Church details with disclosures of information.
3. Who Should Read this Policy?
- All members of the Revive Church community
- All staff members
- All Leaders with Revive Church
- Volunteers
- Board of Trustees
4. Resources
- This policy is part of the Staff Handbook found on The Way We Work platform
- https://twww.revivechurch.uk
5. The Policy
- Qualifying disclosures
Certain disclosures are prescribed by law as “qualifying disclosures”. A “qualifying disclosure” means a disclosure of information that the employee genuinely and reasonably believes is in the public interest and shows that the church has committed a “relevant failure” by:
- committing a criminal offence
- failing to comply with a legal obligation
- a miscarriage of justice
- endangering the health and safety of an individual
- environmental damage or
- concealing any information relating to the above.
These acts can be in the past, present or future, so that, for example, a disclosure qualifies if it relates to environmental damage that has happened, is happening, or is likely to happen. The charity will take any concerns that you may raise relating to the above matters very seriously.
Employees must reasonably believe that the disclosure is “in the public interest”. We encourage you to use the procedure to raise any such concerns.
Should the concern not meet the requirement to be a qualifying disclosure, you should raise this under the church’s grievance policy. Where a concern is raised under the whistleblowing policy where it is not appropriate to do so, ie it relates to a personal grievance, the receiving manager will confirm that the matter will be addressed under the grievance policy.
- The procedure
In the first instance you should report any concerns you may have to your line manager or a charity Board Member/Trustee , where the concern relates to your line manager or it is not appropriate to make the report to your line manager. All concerns reported will be treated in the utmost confidence.
You may submit your concerns in any format. You may be asked to confirm any verbal concerns in writing or to confirm a written record of a verbal report.
If you do not report your concerns to a Board Member you should take them direct to the appropriate organisation or regulatory body with authority for that area.
Following receipt of a disclosure made under this policy, an investigation meeting will be held with the employee. The purpose of this meeting is to gather as much information as possible from the employee regarding their concerns, including whether they have any supporting evidence or can identify any witnesses.
After this meeting, the investigating manager will commence a full investigation into the concerns raised. The investigation will aim to gather all relevant information including relevant documentary evidence or witness statements.
Once the investigation is complete, the investigation manager will write to the employee confirming the outcome.
If the employee is not satisfied with the explanation or outcome, they may raise the matter with the appropriate official organisation or regulatory body. Alternatively, employees may raise a formal complaint under the church’s grievance policy.
- Formal action
Should formal action be required as a result of any disclosure made under this policy, this action will be carried out in accordance with the applicable internal policy. Any potential sanctions imposed will be fair and reasonable in line with the relevant policy.
Protection against detrimental treatment
All employees who raise matters of concern under this policy are protected against detrimental treatment, up to and including dismissal, because they have made a disclosure.
Bullying, harassment or any other detrimental treatment afforded to a colleague who has made a qualifying disclosure is unacceptable. Anyone found to have acted in such a manner will be subject to disciplinary action.
