RegulationMay 4 2023

FCA sets out steps to improve whistleblower confidence

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FCA sets out steps to improve whistleblower confidence

The Financial Conduct Authority has set out actions to improve the confidence of whistleblowers who contact the regulator about misconduct within firms.

As part of the changes, the regulator said it will share further information with whistleblowers on how it acted on their information.

It will also be improving the use of information provided by whistleblowers and improving how it captures information from whistleblowers.

The changes come as FCA research shows most whistleblowers found the reassurances the FCA provided on progress to be "not at all reassuring".

It also showed most whistleblowers found the FCA's handling of their report "extremely or somewhat dissatisfying".

Therese Chambers, executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said: “We need the intelligence whistleblowers provide to identify and act on problems in the firms we regulate. 

“We want to make sure we’re capturing and using the information provided by whistleblowers as effectively as possible, and to give them as much information as the law allows on how we have acted on their concerns.”

The changes announced follow on from a qualitative survey of whistleblowers who had provided information to the FCA to understand their experience and identify areas for improvement. 

As part of the changes, the FCA will:

  • provide whistleblowers with more detail on what has been done with the information provided, or reasons for taking or not taking action;
  • improve the use of whistleblowers’ information across the FCA
  • enhance its webform – which is the most popular way for whistleblowers to contact the FCA 
  • engage with the Department for Business and Trade to support a review of whistleblower legislation to enhance the wider whistleblowing system

The FCA said its ability to share information about how it has acted on the information provided by whistleblowers is often restricted by legal confidentiality obligations. 

The City watchdog said its revised approach will provide as much information as possible within these legislative constraints.

The FCA said whistleblowing provides the regulator with unique insights from inside the firms and markets it regulates. 

It has allowed it to identify and correct problems including consumers being mis-sold loans, unauthorised firms taking on customers, and failings in firms’ own internal whistleblowing procedures.

sonia.rach@ft.com

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