EICE is a member of a network of related professional organizations from various European countries in the field of business compliance. ENFCO – European Network for Compliance Officers.

Within this European network, Andrijana Bergant, EICE’s president, also participates in the international working group on whistleblower protection. In this way, common European professional standards and best practices are being developed to strengthen integrity and effective early-warning systems within organizations. In this context, ENFCO has introduced a new and important document:

ENFCO – Whitepaper Whistleblowing Framework

This is a comprehensive frameworkdesigned to help organizations transform whistleblowing systems from a formal legal requirement into an effective early-warning mechanismbased on trust, protection of individuals, and responsible governance 

Who is it intended for?

The framework is designed for multiple stakeholders within the business ecosystem,as it views whistleblowing as a collective responsibility 

• Compliance Professionals & MLROs: It provides them with granular, forensic guidance for the entire whistleblowing lifecycle, from initial triage to final resolution and remediation. 

• Boards of Directors and Audit Committees: It helps them understand the commercial and strategic value of a transparent culture as a primary tool for risk mitigation, reputation protection, and long-term value preservation. 

• External Stakeholders (Suppliers, Contractors, and Partners): It defines the "Extended Perimeter of Protection," ensuring these parties understand their vital role in the reporting ecosystem and the statutory safeguards that protect them from commercial or professional retaliation. 

• Regulators and Governments: It serves as evidence of how private-sector excellence can support public-sector goals of crime prevention, anti-money laundering (AML), and market stability. 

 

Top 3 benefits for businesses

The sources emphasize three key strategic benefits associated with implementing this framework:

1. An early warning system for preventing damage: Whistleblowing serves as a primary tool for detecting fraud and systemic failures before they result in irreversible financial or legal damage.

2. Greater corruption resilience: The framework shifts whistleblowing from the category of “compliance risk” to the category of “corporate resilience,” where corporate integrity becomes the company’s greatest competitive advantage.

3. Enhanced culture of trust and ESG outcomes: By establishing psychological safety, a company attracts talent committed to ethical values while improving its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance indicators through transparent reporting, which is crucial for institutional investors.

The document does not treat whistleblowing as an administrative obligation, but rather as a key tool for risk prevention, strengthening transparency, and safeguarding organizational integrity..  

Discover more in the document below.