1. Core Concepts and Legal Context

This video focuses on how to distinguish the responsibilities of those involved in the compliance programme. Follow the sequence of decisions in the example rather than simply memorising a list. Notice who is involved, what information is needed and the expected result. These points help turn the content into a practice that another person can verify. An integrity programme connects risks, behaviour, controls and reporting channels. The obligation to protect whistleblowers must be assessed under national law. The prevention measures used in the examples are good practice unless identified as a specific legal obligation applicable to the organisation.

In the organisational model proposed here, the responsibilities are allocated as follows. Management must provide the conditions for adopting and implementing the programme. The compliance officer monitors its application with the independence, decision-making autonomy and internal information needed. Operational teams carry out their assigned controls. Employees know and follow the procedures. The team receiving and following up reports needs defined roles and access rights; these functions should not all be assumed to belong to the same person.

Apply the following rule: Public bodies and, generally, private employers with 50 or more employees must establish, maintain and operate internal reporting channels. The threshold does not apply to employers within the specified sectors in the Annex. Employees counted for that threshold must be distinguished from the wider category of workers entitled to protection. The designated follow-up function must be impartial and competent.

2. Practical Application and National Rule

For each activity, identify who performs it, who decides and who verifies it. Also define cover for absences and arrangements for handling conflicts. A simple matrix can connect risk-plan reviews to the responsible officer and channel management to the designated team. Access to reports must follow a functional need, not merely a senior position in the organisation. Before moving on, turn this procedure into a sequence you could explain to a colleague. Identify the first check, the action that depends on its outcome and the record that allows the decision to be reconstructed. Follow the sequence on screen and identify the point where an error would change the result.

A director requests access to every report to monitor the programme. One report concerns the director's own department and possible personal involvement. Management oversight can be supported by aggregated information and an independent body, avoiding unrestricted access to the case file. Now read the case carefully. Separate established facts from information you would still need to confirm. Do not add motives or events that have not been described. This distinction matters when choosing a response proportionate to the information available.

3. Case Study and Key Decision Points

The exercise is as follows: Is membership of the management team sufficient to justify full access to every report? Choose an answer and write one sentence explaining it. During the pause, compare your choice with the criteria we have just considered. Also think about the material you would retain to explain the decision later.

No. Assess the person's role in handling the case, their need to know and any potential conflicts. Management's oversight duty does not remove the confidentiality or independence required in case management.

One mistake to avoid is: assigning all controls to the compliance officer and removing responsibility from operational teams.

Now apply the national rule to a second decision. A subsidiary copies its foreign head office's policy without assessing its own activities and size. What must it check?

Identify the local legal entity, sector, national counting method and any public-sector or territorial regimes. Then link each obligation to a source and a responsible person. A group model can support operations but does not replace this assessment.

Remember these three points. First: Management provides the necessary conditions. Second: Each control has an owner. Third: Access depends on role and need.

To apply this learning, retrieve the procedure used in your organisation or consider how you would create it. Identify one difference between that procedure and the case we have just resolved. Write down the change you would propose and the information needed to justify it. You can complete this short task in the handout accompanying the video.

The expected outcome of this unit is the ability to distinguish the responsibilities of those involved in the compliance programme. Review the explained answer whenever you are unsure and keep the summary to support a future decision.

In the worksheet, connect your proposal to this video's national rule. Identify the document or platform field that would need to change and who should approve the change. If you conclude that it is good practice, explain the risk you intend to reduce. If you conclude that there is a legal duty, record its source and scope.

National Legal Framework: Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, transposing Directive (EU) 2019/1937 on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union law.