The annual Whistleblowing Awareness Week, hosted by WhistleblowersUK, brought together policymakers, legal experts, and international advocates to push for stronger protections and support for whistleblowers worldwide. Baroness Susan Kramer, in the House of Lords, sponsored the event which took place from July 3 to 11. Throughout a series of high-profile panel discussions and policy briefings, topics ranged from corporate fraud and AI ethics to whistleblower protections in conflict zones and emerging democracies.
The growing momentum for legislative reform in UK whistleblower policy was a significant theme throughout the week. There is growing support across party lines in the UK for an independent Office of the Whistleblower and a financial reward system similar to those in the United States.
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WhistleblowersUK brought together speakers from Australia, Ukraine, and the United States to highlight global trends in whistleblower legislation. Representatives from U.S. law firm Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto, known for their work on landmark whistleblower cases, spoke at several sessions. Attorney Benjamin Calitri and international liaison Kate Reeves emphasized the success of U.S. whistleblower reward programs in driving corporate accountability and transnational enforcement. Reeves highlighted the potential impacts of a qui tam whistleblower law for Ukraine in the context of the nation’s current conflict, noting that the U.S.’s hallmark qui tam law, the False Claims Act, was passed during the American Civil War.
Reeves also addressed the increasing importance of whistleblowers in the tech sector. She referenced high-profile disclosures in the AI industry and the potential impact of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley’s proposed AI Whistleblower Bill.
Australian Senator David Shoebridge and Ukrainian anti-corruption officials discussed the role of whistleblowing in upholding democratic governance and rebuilding trust in public institutions during times of conflict.
As traditional regulatory models come under pressure and the effectiveness of enforcement in countries like the U.S. appears to be shifting, participants stressed the need for international cooperation — and leadership — in protecting those who speak up.
Baroness Kramer closed the week with a call to action for UK lawmakers: “We have a moral and practical responsibility to ensure that whistleblowers are protected, heard, and empowered — not punished.”
