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Message
From:
on behalf of
Sent:
To:
Subject: FW: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Grrrr.
From: Malcolm Staite
Sent: 08 October 2012 13:55
To: Georgina Blair
Subject: FW: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Need to speak asap to ensure the below.
Kind regards
Malcolm
From: Susan Crichton
Sent: 07 October 2012 09:59
To: Georgina Blair; Malcolm Staite
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Malcolm — can I ask you to review this and make sure that we are procuring the right service for POL.
Thanks
Susan
Susan Crichton
HR and Corporate Services Director
Post Office Limited
148 Old Street
London
ECIV 9HQ
Telephonel_ GRO
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From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 05 October 2012 10:34
To: Malcolm Staite
Cc: Susan Crichton
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Hi,
The current set up is as follows:
The 'Speak Up' line is provided by a third party, In Touch (MCS) Ltd - calls are taken 24/7 and there is also a web
reporting function. In Touch send call reports (‘disclosures’) to a dedicated RMG e-mail address (I think there is also
some level of encryption).
Asmall team (approx 4 managers) in RMG Internal Audit have a rota for checking the mailbox, and prioritise the
disclosures in order of severity. Most disclosures are sent out to nominated people within the business units, and
as Susan says most calls relate to grievances or bullying and harrassment complaints. Internal Audit operate a tracker (a
simple excel spreadsheet) to keep track of who is responsible for investigating each disclosure, and to record the results
of each investigation. Limited feedback is given to callers (generally along the lines of ‘Thank you for your call; the
matter is being investigated.")
A quarterly report on calls recevied is prepared for the ARC.
This line is available to POL under an existing TSA until 31 March 2013. Very few calls are currently received on POL
matters, as the line is not well publicised.
What we need to do in POL:
Get the business case approved (Mick Gordon said he would advise who needs to sign it off)
Start the procurement process to find a replacement for the Group provided line (Michael Hallinan in procurement was
involved earlier in the year and will be able to assist)
Make contact with the relevant person in HRSC and discuss how they would manage call reports received from a third
party (In Touch or new provider) (confidentiality is paramount)
Identify the right person/people in each business unit within POL to be responsible for investigating reports (& make sure
they are aware of Public Interest Disclosure Act requirements)
Agree ideal timescales for investigating reports, and the level of upward reporting, & who is going to compile the data
(HRSC?)
Plan a comms campaign to raise the profile of the line
Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Georgina
From: Malcolm Staite
Sent: 05 October 2012 10:01
To: Georgina Blair
Cc: Susan Crichton
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Georgina
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I had a brief chat with SC this morning. She would like us to develop the process for this activity,
cantered around HR shared service as an intermediary.
This approach has a number of advantages:
- they are independent and can act as go between for both parties anonymously
- they can filter and field complaints to relevant people (provided we supply them with an
appropriate list)
- most complaints apparently are around bullying and harassment, so as an activity this should not
be anything new to HR
Can you please appraise me of the current position in it's entirety this morning please, so that we
can progress to next steps.
Kind regards
Malcolm
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 04 October 2012 16:49
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Works for me — in that case are you happy with the business case?
From: Susan Crichton
Sent: 04 October 2012 16:46
To: Georgina Blair
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Well why not keep it in Compliance until you/we see what the volume is like?
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 04 October 2012 16:44
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Thanks.
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In RM there are about 4 audit managers who take turns monitoring the relevant inbox and performing a triage on
reports, along with their regular audit work. The investigations are generally carried out in the line, unless it’s a ‘the
chief exec is fiddling the books’ type of disclosure. The volume of calls to the Group line mean this is not a terribly
onerous task, so I would have thought any senior team ought to be able to take it on.
Will speak to Malcolm Z/Chris Day, with Malcolm S’s help!
Georgina
From: Susan Crichton
Sent: 04 October 2012 16:31
To: Georgina Blair
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: RE: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Georgina — in RM this sits with Internal Audit, can you discuss with Malcolm/ Chris Day as to whether it would be better
with their team... HR have no resources to run this unless it goes to the HR Service Centre and instinctively I don’t think
that is the right place to manage this.
Susan
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 04 October 2012 15:59
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: FW: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Hi Susan,
Sorry to chase, but I wondered if you had any opinions on this?
Thanks,
Georgina
From: Georgina Blair
Sent: 27 September 2012 11:54
To: Susan Crichton
Cc: Malcolm Staite
Subject: Disclosure (whistleblowing) line
Hi Susan,
The time has come to procure our own disclosure line and the key thing I need to know is where do we want it to sit in
POL? Malcolm feels it sits naturally in HR. Could you let us know if you agree, and if so, who within HR?
I'd like to include whoever will be owning and running the line internally in the procurement process! The TSA for the
Group line runs out at the end of March 2013, and I have procurement lined up to start the process. We have £45k in
the budget (although I hope it won’t cost that much) and Mick Gordon tells me that we need to do a business case in
order to release the money (draft attached).
Thanks,
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Georgina
Georgina Blair
Regulatory Risk Business Partner
Post Office Ltd
148 Old Street, LONDON, EC1V 9HQ
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