The number of whistleblowers in the public sector is on the rise, according to the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO).
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jc
The SFAO received 164 reports from whistleblowers last year, up from 122 in 2017, according to its 2018 annual reportExternal link.
It says 101 reports were used for ongoing or future audits, “or else triggered new investigations in the not-too-distant future”. Two reports were referred to the Office of the Attorney General and the military justice authorities.
The audit office estimates that more than 60% of the whistleblowers’ reports are therefore useful and “help to improve how the [federal] administration functions”. For example, tip-offs led it to examine the financial management of the Swiss Railways transport police and the profit margins of the state-owned defence company RUAG.
The SFAO has recorded a steady increase in the number of whistleblowers since 2011, the year a new article of the Federal Personnel Act came into force to protect federal employees acting in good faith when reporting felonies and misdemeanours. Tip-offs are handled anonymously through an online platform introduced in 2017.
Of the 164 tip-offs recorded last year, 75 came from federal employees, while the rest came from suppliers or individuals in contact with the federal authorities. Some 125 reports were submitted anonymously, while the SFAO exchanged with 86 whistleblowers through encrypted emails. Less than 20% came through other channels, such as telephone, letter or in person.
More
More
New online platform for anonymous tip-offs
This content was published on
The whistleblowing platform announced on Thursday – available in German, French and Italian online at whistleblowing.admin.chExternal link – lets federal employees and taxpayers connect through a secure channel. “Its purpose: to exchange information anonymously, independently and securely between employees, suppliers, taxpayers and anyone who wants to improve the efficiency of the administration and fight fraud…
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Whistleblowers to get new legal guidelines
This content was published on
Workplace whistleblowers are to be better protected by law. But a transparency group says the move does not go far enough.
This content was published on
In 43% of the cases, the denunciations concerned federal government employees and the remaining 57% were directed against outsiders, announced the Federal Audit Office on Saturday, confirming articles in the weekly publications Schweiz am Wochenende and the Südostschweiz am Wochenende. According to the papers, the majority of alerts involved suspicions of corruption, irregularities in the…
This content was published on
The protective veil of Swiss banking secrecy was famously dealt a fatal blow by the testimony of a handful of whistleblowers in recent years.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.