Whistleblowing Policy
Statement
Last updated July 2026:
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1. Policy Statement
1.1 NU City Civils Limited is committed to conducting our business with honesty and integrity, and we
expect all staff to maintain high standards in accordance with our statutory duties. However, all
organisations face the risk of things going wrong from time to time, or of unknowingly harbouring
illegal or unethical conduct. A culture of openness and accountability is essential to prevent such
situations occurring or to address them when they do occur.
1.2 The aims of this policy are:
a) To encourage staff to report suspected wrongdoing as soon as possible, in the knowledge that
their concerns will be taken seriously and investigated as appropriate, and that their
confidentiality will be respected.
b) To provide staff with guidance as to how to raise those concerns.
c) To reassure staff that they should be able to raise genuine concerns in good faith without fear
of reprisals or victimisation even if they turn out to be mistaken.
1.3 This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and it may be
amended at any time.
2. Who is covered by this policy?
This policy applies to all individuals working at all levels of the organisation, including senior
managers, officers, directors, employees, consultants, contractors, trainees, home-workers, parttime and fixed-term workers, casual and agency staff (collectively referred to as staff in this policy).
3. What is whistleblowing?
3.1 Whistleblowing is the disclosure of information which relates to suspected wrongdoing or dangers
at work. This may include:
• criminal activity
• miscarriages of justice
• risks to health and safety
• damage to the environment
• failure to comply with any legal requirements
• financial fraud or mismanagement
• negligence
• conduct likely to damage company reputation
• unauthorised disclosure of confidential information
• the deliberate concealment of any of the above matters
3.2 A whistleblower is a person who raises a genuine concern in good faith relating to any of the
above. If you have any genuine concerns related to suspected wrongdoing or danger affecting any
of our activities (a whistleblowing concern) you should report it under this policy.
3.3 This policy should not be used for complaints relating to your own personal circumstances, such
as the way you have been treated at work. In those cases, you should use the Grievance Procedure.
3.4 If you are uncertain whether something is within the scope of this policy, you should seek
advice from the Managing Director4. Raising a whistleblowing concern
4.1 We hope that in many cases you will be able to raise any concerns with your line manager. You
may tell them in person or put the matter in writing if you prefer. They may be able to agree a way
of resolving your concern quickly and effectively.
4.2 However, where the matter is more serious, or you feel that your line manager has not addressed
your concern, or you prefer not to raise it with them for any reason, you should contact the
Managing Director.
4.3 We will arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible to discuss your concern. You may bring a
colleague or union representative to any meetings under this policy. Your companion must respect
the confidentiality of your disclosure and any subsequent investigation.
4.4 We will take down a written summary of your concern and provide you with a copy after the meeting.
We will also aim to give you an indication of how we propose to deal with the matter.
5. Confidentiality
5.1 We hope that staff will feel able to voice whistleblowing concerns openly under this policy. However,
if you want to raise your concern confidentially, we will make every effort to keep your identity
secret. If it is necessary for anyone investigating your concern to know your identity, we will discuss
this with you.
5.2 We do not encourage staff to make disclosures anonymously. Proper investigation may be more
difficult or impossible if we cannot obtain further information from you. It is also more difficult to
establish whether any allegations are credible and have been made in good faith. Whistleblowers
who are concerned about possible reprisals if their identity is revealed should come forward to the
Managing Director and appropriate measures can then be taken to preserve confidentiality. If you
are in any doubt, you can seek advice from ‘Protect Speak Up-Stop Harm’ the independent
whistleblowing charity, who offer a confidential helpline. Their contact details are at the end of this
policy.
6. External disclosures
6.1 The aim of this policy is to provide an internal mechanism for reporting, investigating and remedying
any wrongdoing in the workplace. In most cases you should not find it necessary to alert anyone
externally.
6.2 The law recognises that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for you to report your
concerns to an external body such as a regulator. It will very rarely if ever be appropriate to alert
the media. We strongly encourage you to seek advice before reporting a concern to anyone
external contact ‘Protect Speak Up-Stop Harm’. They also have a list of prescribed regulators for
reporting certain types of concern. Their contact details are at the end of this policy.
6.3 Whistleblowing concerns usually relate to the conduct of our staff, but they may sometimes relate
to the actions of a third party, such as a customer, supplier or service provider. The law allows you
to raise a concern in good faith with a third party, where you reasonably believe it relates mainly to
their actions or something that is legally their responsibility. However, we encourage you to report
such concerns internally first. You should contact your line manager for guidance.
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7. Investigation and outcome
7.1 Once you have raised a concern, we will carry out an initial assessment to determine the scope of
any investigation. We will inform you of the outcome of our assessment. You may be required to
attend additional meetings to provide further information.
7.2 In some cases, we may appoint an investigator or team of investigators including staff with relevant
experience of investigations or specialist knowledge of the subject matter. The investigator(s) may
make recommendations for change to enable us to minimise the risk of future wrongdoing.
7.3 We will aim to keep you informed of the progress of the investigation and its likely timescale.
However, sometimes the need for confidentiality may prevent us giving you specific details of the
investigation or any disciplinary action taken as a result. You should treat any information about
the investigation as confidential.
7.4 If we conclude that a whistleblower has made false allegations maliciously, in bad faith or with a
view to personal gain, the whistleblower will be subject to disciplinary action.
8. Protection and support for whistleblowers
8.1 It is understandable that whistleblowers are sometimes worried about possible repercussions. We
aim to encourage openness and will support staff who raise genuine concerns in good faith under
this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken.
8.2 Staff must not suffer any detrimental treatment because of raising a concern in good faith.
Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavorable treatment
connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you
should inform the Managing Director immediately. If the matter is not remedied, you should raise it
formally using our Grievance Procedure.
8.3 Staff must not threaten or retaliate against whistleblowers in any way. Anyone involved in such
conduct will be subject to disciplinary action.
9. Responsibility for the success of this policy
9.1 The board has overall responsibility for this policy, and for reviewing the effectiveness of actions
taken in response to concerns raised under this policy.
9.2 The Managing Director has operational responsibility for this policy and must ensure that all
managers and other staff who may deal with concerns or investigations under this policy receive
regular and appropriate training.
9.3 All staff are responsible for the success of this policy and should ensure that they use it to disclose
any suspected danger or wrongdoing. Staff are invited to comment on this policy and suggest ways
in which it might be improved. Comments, suggestions and queries should be addressed to the
Managing Director.
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10. Contacts
Whistleblowing Officer Managing Director
0141 773 5000
‘Protect Speak Up-Stop Harm’
(Independent whistleblowing charity)
Helpline: 020 3117 2520
E-mail: whistle@protect-advice.org.uk
Website: www.protect-advice.org.uk
Donald McCulloch
Managing Director