The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched a fully encrypted online platform that allows whistleblowers to anonymously report New Zealanders’ involvement in foreign bribery.
SFO Director Karen Chang says foreign bribery risks undermining trust, transparency and fair competition. “The SFO has prosecuted cases involving foreign bribery in both public and private sectors,” she said. “One of the most effective ways to detect these cases is by whistleblowers and others being prepared to report what they know.”
But fear of retaliation, reputational damage and adverse career consequences often stopped people from speaking up.
“We know that anonymous reporting can be difficult in New Zealand’s close-knit communities and professional networks. We also recognise that foreign bribery is not widely understood as a crime type,” Chang said. “That’s why we are launching a national advertising campaign and [are] investing in a platform that protects identities while allowing secure follow-up with our investigators. The service will be accessible in multiple languages to reach as many people as possible.”
The platform is available here.
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