Whistleblower protection

Public officials are most likely to detect wrongdoing in the workplace, such as fraud, misconduct or corruption. However, experience shows that when a so-called whistleblower reports such cases they may suffer various forms of retaliation. The protection of whistleblowers is therefore an integral tool in an integrity framework to prevent and combat corruption. In Italy, until the adoption of the new Anti-Corruption Law, no legal protection was provided to whistleblowers. In line with the G20 Guiding Principles for Whistleblower Protection Legislation developed by the OECD, this chapter analyses the relevant provisions in the new Anti-Corruption Law. It also provides a gap analysis assessment and mitigation strategy to ensure the effective protection of whistleblowers in Italy.