Who is a whistle blower in the business world?
James Williams
Updated on March 26, 2026
A whistleblower is anyone who has and reports insider knowledge of illegal activities occurring in an organization. Whistleblowers can be employees, suppliers, contractors, clients, or any individual who becomes aware of illegal business activities.
Who are some famous whistleblowers?
1960s–1970s
| Year | Name | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | John White | United States Navy |
| 1971 | Daniel Ellsberg | United States State Department |
| 1971 | Frank Serpico | New York Police Department |
| 1971 | Perry Fellwock | National Security Agency |
Is whistle blowing a good thing?
Whistleblowing is an ethical thing to do. It addresses wrongdoing and allows justice to reach the depths of companies that otherwise may remain unexposed. Whistleblowing is vitally important in protecting a company’s customers and in directly protecting your organisation through combatting fraud and misconduct.
Does blowing the whistle violate company loyalty?
Standard employment contracts include a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) which prohibits employees from sharing company secrets publicly. In these instances, whistleblowing absolutely violates company loyalty and is illegal.
Who is the first whistleblower?
The first act of the Continental Congress in favor of what later came to be called whistleblowing came in the 1777-8 case of Samuel Shaw and Richard Marven. The two seamen accused Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy Esek Hopkins of torturing British prisoners of war.
Are whistleblowers protected?
Whistleblowers are protected from retaliation for disclosing information that the employee or applicant reasonably believes provides evidence of a violation of any law, rule, regulation, gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety.
Is whistleblowing unethical?
The ethics of whistleblowing Fortunately we can use a simple formula to determine the morality of whistleblowing: Whistleblowing is exactly as ethical as the practices it exposes are unethical. A simple formula: whistleblowing is exactly as ethical as the practices it exposes are unethical.
Is Whistleblowing unethical?
What do you need to know about whistle blowing?
The wrongdoing you disclose must be in the public interest. This means it must affect others, for example the general public. As a whistleblower you’re protected by law – you should not be treated unfairly or lose your job because you ‘blow the whistle’.
Is the role of the whistleblower back in business?
The whistleblower is back. Instances of insiders calling out corruption, lawbreaking and unethical behavior are happening all the time. But not since the Enron and WorldCom scandals has the role of the whistleblower stepped out of the shadows as it has now.
Can a person lose their job for blowing the whistle?
This means it must affect others, for example the general public. As a whistleblower you’re protected by law – you should not be treated unfairly or lose your job because you ‘blow the whistle’.
Who are some famous people for whistle blowing?
Of course, whistle blowing goes on in the private sector, where some of the most famous figures include former Enron Vice President Sherron Watkins and tobacco executive Jeffrey Wigand.
