Whistleblowing : Practical Lessons and Recommendations following the Transposition of Whistleblowing Rules into Belgian Law

Event on Whistleblowing

Executive Summary

• 17th of December, ultimate deadline to put in place a whistleblowing procedure under Belgian Laws.
• Practical Lessons of the- last months and Recommendations.
• An event Co-organised by Transparency International Belgium and the IBR-IRE

Objectives of the event

• Review in detail the practical steps required to implement the new whistleblowing obligations.
• Identify issues arising in the implementation and propose concrete solutions.
• Address the challenges of ensuring acceptance within an organisation of the concept of whistleblowing, anticipating negative reactions and effects and thereby its effective and proper functioning.

Organized in English

Agenda

08.00-08.30      Registration and welcome coffee 

08.30-08.50    Welcome by the President of IBR-IRE

Introduction by Patrick van Impe – President of the IBR-IRE “Importance of Whistleblowing for IBR-IRE”

Introduction by the Executive Director of Transparency International Belgium

Introduction by Thomas Vermaerke, Executive Director Transparency International Belgium -“Why does whistleblowing matter so much to TI-BE?” 

08.50-09.15    Keynote speaker Delphine Reuter, Data journalist and researcher

“Whistleblowers: when democracy’s defenders are under attack”. 

09.15-10.45    Part I: Implementing whistleblowing

-      Deploying whistleblowing (30 min)

Ø  Reminder of the specific legal obligations:

Michaël Fernandez-Bertier, Board member of Transparency International Belgium

Ø  Local versus group-level reporting: how to effectively manage?

Ø  Are discrimination and harassment in the scope and if so how to deal with them?

Gautier Busschaert, Senior Attorney - Van Olmen & Wynant

Ø  External whistleblowing:

Alex Scheepers, Sales Manager Benelux for ComplyLog (Euronext)

-        Legal & strategic pitfalls after blowing the Whistle:

Joris Lambrecht, Manager Compliance & Forensic - FinVision

-        Data Privacy aspects: Data protection focal points to be considered for the private sector.

Florine De Ridder, Senior Associate - Affluo 

10.45-11.15      Coffee Pause 

11.15-12.00      Panel and Q&A session moderated by Michaël Fernandez-Bertier

Panellists

1.    Ann De Roeck, Secretary General - The College de Supervision des Réviseurs enterprises / Belgian Audit Oversight Board

2.    Joris Lambrecht, Manager Compliance & Forensic – FinVision

3.    Gautier Busschaert, Associate - Van Olmen & Wynant

4.    Johan Vandendriesche, Partner - Affluo and Professor UGhent

5.    Alex Scheepers, Sales Manager Benelux for ComplyLog   

12.00-13.00    Part II: Getting whistleblowing functioning: the human challenges            

This segment will focus on the human challenges associated with the implementation of whistleblowing in an organisation, such as:

Ø  Possible side effects of whistleblowing: how to anticipate and manage

Ø  How to deal effectively with the ethical aspects of whistleblowing, including the conflict between loyalty to an organization and loyalty to a colleague or a friend.

Ø  Emotional challenges faced by whistleblowers, such as stress, anxiety, and fear of reprisals/retaliation.

Ø  Role of leaders and trust within the organization to place the “common interest” as a priority consideration. 

12.00-12.20    Collective labour relations in a whistleblowing era:

Bruno Aguirre, Lawyer, Senior Associate Employment & Benefits - Liedekerke 

12.20-13.00    Panel and Q&A Session moderated by Dominique Dussard, Chair Transparency International Belgium

Panellists

1.    Bruno Aguirre, Senior Attorney - Liedekerke

2.    Barbara Giskes-Widmer, Speak Up Expert - Euroclear

3.    Marie-France De Pover, General Manager Compliance - KBC Group

4.    Eric Van Hoof, Vice-president - IBR-IRE

5.  Corentin Hericher, Professor-UCL

13.00-13.10   Concluding remarks from Dominique Dussard, Chairman of Board of Directors of Transparency International Belgium 

13.10              Networking and lunch