Some charities are required to have a whistleblower policy. The requirement applies to charities structured as public companies limited by guarantee with annual consolidated revenue of $1 million.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission recently reviewed more than 100 whistleblower policies, including some charitable companies, and found the majority did not include all the information required under the Corporations Act.
ASIC is concerned that means whistleblowers may not get the important information about their legal rights and protections and how they can report misconduct. It is calling on companies, including charitable companies, to ensure their policies comply with legal requirements and has published a guide which explains how to do that. Read more on the ASIC website.
The ACNC recommends that all charities consider having a publicly available whistleblower policy even if they are not legally required to have one.
See ACNC guidance about whistleblower protections.
Story updated: 10 January 2022