Whistleblowing
What is whistleblowing
This is when a worker reports a private or public organisation for certain types of wrongdoing.
The wrongdoing you disclose must be in the public interest. This means it must affect others, for example the general public.
We are listed as a prescribed person for wrongdoings relating to the environment and natural resources.
This means that if you work for another organisation outside of NRW, and you do not want to report your concern to your own employer, you can report it to us.
All employees are protected by law from being dismissed or penalised by their employers for 'blowing the whistle'.
You can raise a concern about an incident that happened in the past, is happening now, or you believe will happen in the near future.
Complaints that count as whistleblowing
ou are protected by law if you report any of the following:
- a criminal offence, for example fraud
- the company is breaking the law
- a miscarriage of justice
- someone's health and safety is in danger
- damage to the environment
- improper conduct or unethical behaviour
- if you believe someone is covering up a wrongdoing
Get free confidential whistleblowing advice from Protect.
Complaints that do not count as whistleblowing
Personal grievances (bullying, harassment, discrimination) are not covered by whistleblowing law, unless it is in the public interest. Check your your organisations grievance policy or contact a Trade Union representative.
Speak to your employer if you have concerns about your terms and conditions or any matters affecting your employment.
Contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) for help and advice on resolving a workplace dispute.
Raise a concern
You can raise a concern with us anonymously.
Online form
Whistleblowing hotline
You can report your concern to us by contacting our Incident Communications Centre on 0300 065 3000. You can contact this number 24 hours a day.
Or you can write to:
Colette Fletcher, Head of Governance and Board Secretary and Jacqueline Kedward, Head of Internal Audit
Natural Resources Wales
Cambria House,
29 Newport Road,
Cardiff,
CF24 0TP
What to include
If you choose to raise your concern in writing, you should outline:
- the nature, background, and history to your concern, giving any relevant names, dates, times, locations, what was said, what you observed
- the reason and/or grounds for your concern
- the name of any individuals suspected of malpractice
- the extent to which you have personally witnessed or experienced the problem
- any documentary evidence available
You should be able to demonstrate that there are reasonable grounds for your concern and should include as much supporting evidence as possible.
You may find it easier to raise a concern collectively if there are two or more of you with the same concern.
Confidentiality
We treat all reports confidentially and make every effort to protect your identity. There are many ways you can contact us to raise a concern, and some of them allow you to raise your concern completely anonymously, if you chose to.
In some cases you may need to provide a statement, or there may be a legal obligation to reveal the discloser’s identity. If this happens, we will make every effort to inform you in advance and protect you from any victimisation or harassment.
If you report your concerns publicly before reporting (for example, to the media or on social media), in most cases you will lose your whistleblowing rights.
What happens next
We will be in touch within 10 working days to acknowledge your concern.
You will be contacted as soon as reasonably possible to discuss your concern. You may have a Trade Union representative or colleague present at any interviews.
We can't say exactly how long the investigation will take. But the investigating officer will ensure it is done as quickly as possible without affecting the investigation. You will be kept informed of progress and given a written summary of the outcome.