She told HR magazine at a debate on business ethics organised by the GoodCorporation: “It’s a challenge for an organisation to see how it’s performing against its peers.
“If there are zero calls, is that a good thing or does it mean a culture of silence? There’s no data out there. If organisations see it as a good thing to go public, people can see how they are doing.”
Large organisations were already starting to see the positives in reporting on whistleblowing, she said.
James added that organisations should not view whistleblowing policy as “just another piece of red tape”. “It acts as a cultural barometer,” she said.
Concern at Work is calling for companies to sign up to its whistleblowing code of practice, drafted last year, via The First 100 campaign.