If they are best placed to detect the negative impact of their company on the environment, many workers give up denouncing problematic practices, points out a study.
Illegal dumping of chemicals, false claims about the ethics of a product… Employees are often at the forefront of detecting bad behavior by their company towards the environment. However, few people dare.
According to an investigation commissioned by Protect, a British organization which defends whistleblowers, and taken up by the Guardianemployees refrain from alerting their employer or denouncing it for fear of being fired or being the subject of reprisals at work.
“74% of workers have suffered negative treatment for expressing concerns about the environment,” Protect reveals on its X account.
Lack of awareness of their rights
Employees are also deterred by the fear that their concerns will not be taken seriously, according to the study. And for good reason: a third of workers who dared to report a failure say that their alert was ignored.
The organization also points to a lack of awareness of the rights that protect whistleblowers. Only 36% of workers are aware of the legislation governing this practice. This is why Protect has published a guide intended to provide information on the subject.
“Workers are the eyes and ears of an organization and are best placed to spot problems,” says Caitlín Comins, lawyer at Protect.
According to the latter, “with the right information, they can raise their concerns and damage can be avoided.”
2023-10-15 00:12:07
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