SOP 17.17 – Whistleblowing Policy

# SOP 17.17 – Whistleblowing Policy

**Little Coffee Bean Co**
**Section 17: Company Policy**
**Effective Date:** 29 October 2025
**Review Date:** 29 October 2026
**Owner:** Dan Kane, CEO

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## 1. Purpose

This policy encourages employees to report suspected wrongdoing, illegal activity, or dangers in the workplace without fear of retaliation, in line with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA).

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## 2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, workers, contractors, franchisees, and agency staff at Little Coffee Bean Co.

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## 3. Policy Statement

Little Coffee Bean Co is committed to maintaining the highest standards of honesty, integrity, and accountability. We encourage staff to speak up about genuine concerns regarding:

– Criminal offences or fraud
– Health and safety risks
– Environmental damage
– Miscarriage of justice
– Breach of legal or regulatory obligations
– Concealment of any of the above

**All disclosures made in good faith will be treated seriously, confidentially, and without retaliation.**

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## 4. Procedures

### 4.1 How to Raise a Concern

**Step 1:** Report the concern to your line manager or site lead.

**Step 2:** If you are uncomfortable speaking to your manager, or the concern involves them, contact:
– **Dan Kane, CEO** (email/phone provided internally)
– **HR or Senior Manager**

**Step 3:** Provide as much detail as possible:
– What happened
– When and where
– Who was involved
– Any evidence or witnesses

**Step 4:** You may raise concerns verbally or in writing, and anonymously if preferred.

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### 4.2 Investigation Process

**Step 1:** The company will acknowledge receipt of the concern within **5 working days**.

**Step 2:** An impartial investigation will be conducted by a senior manager or external investigator if appropriate.

**Step 3:** The whistleblower will be kept informed of progress, subject to confidentiality and legal constraints.

**Step 4:** Findings and any corrective actions will be documented and reported to the CEO.

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### 4.3 Protection from Retaliation

**Employees who raise genuine concerns in good faith are protected from:**
– Dismissal
– Disciplinary action
– Harassment or victimisation
– Any other detriment

**Any retaliation will be treated as gross misconduct and may result in dismissal.**

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### 4.4 Confidentiality

**All disclosures will be treated confidentially.** The identity of the whistleblower will only be shared:
– With their consent
– If legally required
– If necessary for a fair investigation

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### 4.5 Anonymous Reporting

Employees may report concerns anonymously. However, this may limit the company’s ability to investigate fully or provide feedback.

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### 4.6 External Reporting

If internal reporting is not appropriate or has been unsuccessful, employees may report to:
– **Prescribed external bodies** (e.g., HSE, ICO, FSA, local authority)
– **Legal advisors**
– **In extreme cases, the police or media** (subject to PIDA protections)

Employees are encouraged to seek legal advice before making external disclosures.

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## 5. Responsibilities

### 5.1 Employees
– Report genuine concerns in good faith
– Cooperate with investigations
– Maintain confidentiality

### 5.2 Managers and Leads
– Take all concerns seriously
– Escalate to senior management or CEO immediately
– Ensure no retaliation occurs

### 5.3 CEO and Senior Management
– Ensure investigations are impartial and thorough
– Protect whistleblowers from retaliation
– Implement corrective actions as needed
– Review and update this policy annually

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## 6. Compliance and Legal Framework

This policy complies with:
– **Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA)**
– **Employment Rights Act 1996**
– **ACAS guidance on whistleblowing**
– **Health and Safety at Work Act 1974**
– **UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018**

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## 7. Related Documents

– SOP 17.2: Health and Safety Policy
– SOP 17.3: Disciplinary Procedure
– SOP 17.4: Grievance Procedure
– SOP 17.5: Data Protection and Privacy Policy
– SOP 17.6: Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy

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## 8. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or following significant incidents, legal changes, or operational updates.

**Next Review Date:** 29 October 2026

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**Document ID:** SOP-17.17-Whistleblowing-Policy
**Version:** 2.0
**Author:** Penn, Copywriter
**Approved by:** Dan Kane, CEO