Whistleblower policy

Dear colleague,

 

The Whistleblower Policy has been in force for all EU companies since 18 December 2023 and has now been implemented in Dutch law.

 

The new law contains rules for both employees and employers.

Gooiland Elektro is part of a holding company, which means that the new regulation applies not only to all EU subsidiaries, but also to all international branches.

 

This isn’t a bad thing at all, as Gooiland Elektro does not tolerate any form of retaliation against anyone for raising concerns or reporting what they believe to be genuinely inappropriate or unethical.

We strive for a ‘Speak Up!’ culture. Everyone within Gooiland Elektro should feel safe and free to share criticism and/or new ideas with each other.

 

Employees receive additional protections thanks to the regulation. Not only employees are protected by the new law, but also a consultant, freelancer, contractor, supplier, a director, volunteer, (un)paid intern, contractor staff, job applicants and business partners with whom there is a work-related relationship.

 

In the new Whistleblower Policy, they are designated as reporters. The protections are mentioned in the Whistleblower Regulations. Some examples are: protection against dismissal or suspension, a fine, negative assessment, discrimination and withdrawal of a permit.

 

The regulation also gives employees (and other reporters) the opportunity to report, both internally and externally, ( possible) misconducts and violations of EU law in an organisation.

The burden of proof no longer lies with the employee, but with the employer.

We would like to encourage all colleagues to  report (suspected) misconduct via the portal: Salor Spakenburg B.V. (integrity-speakingup.com)

 

This can also be done anonymously. An (anonymous) report can be made  via the portal.

Of course, reporting internally is often the best option. Thanks to internal reporting, information about misconduct or breaches of EU law reaches the person concerned more quickly. In this way, reporters help to remedy misconduct instead of supervisory authorities.

 

In the event of an anonymous report, the management, your supervisor and colleagues from Gooiland Elektro cannot retrieve the details of the reporter in any way. The organisation has deliberately opted for an external programme to encourage all potential reporters to make a report.

 

Of course, the regulation also offers the possibility of being able to report directly to a supervisory authority. Of course, where you can make an external report differs per country. You can consult digital search engines to find contact details of the agencies.

 

After making a report, the reporter will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within seven days. Gooiland Elektro or the regulatory body must send the reporting person information within three months of the sending of the acknowledgement of receipt, including the assessment and the next steps of the situation.

 

On our website you can consult the Whistleblower Policy of the SALOR group, if you have any questions about this you can feel free to contact the Compliance Department of Salor via compliance@salor.com