Whistleblowing Policy¶
| Document Reference | POL_HSQE_27 |
|---|---|
| Revision | 3 |
| Issue Date | 1st July 2025 |
| Next Review | 1st July 2026 |
| Status | Uncontrolled when printed |
Purpose¶
This policy encourages our workforce to speak up about wrongdoing and ensures they are protected when raising genuine concerns about misconduct, illegal acts, or failures within A M Water Services Ltd operations.
Scope¶
This policy applies to all employees, directors, contractors, and visitors to A M Water Services Ltd premises and sites.
Legal Requirements¶
This policy ensures compliance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the Employment Rights Act 1996, providing legal protection for workers who report wrongdoing.
Policy Statement¶
A M Water Services Ltd maintains the highest standards of integrity across all our water infrastructure and grab operations. We actively encourage everyone to report concerns about wrongdoing, considering whistleblowing a positive act that protects our business, our people, and the communities we serve. Whistleblowing means reporting suspected misconduct, fraud, illegal acts, abuse of resources, safety violations, environmental breaches, or failures to take necessary action by anyone connected with our company. The concerns raised must be in the public interest, meaning they affect others such as employees, clients, or the public, not just personal grievances.
We want our people to raise concerns internally first, allowing us to investigate and address issues promptly rather than going directly to external authorities or media. This approach helps us maintain our reputation while fixing problems quickly. Examples of concerns that should be reported include safety violations on water main repairs/maintenance, improper disposal of excavated materials from grab operations, discrimination or harassment, environmental pollution, bribery or corruption, and any criminal activity. We particularly encourage reporting of issues that could affect water quality, public safety, or environmental protection given the critical nature of our work.
Protection for whistle-blowers extends beyond legal requirements, as we guarantee that anyone raising genuine concerns will not face retaliation, dismissal, or unfair treatment. This protection applies equally to employees and non-employees such as contractors or agency workers. We maintain strict confidentiality throughout any investigation, though we may need to reveal identities if legal proceedings require it. Anyone who victimises a whistle-blower will face disciplinary action, potentially including dismissal.
Implementation and Reporting Procedures¶
Concerns should initially be raised with your line manager or supervisor, but if the concern involves them or you're uncomfortable approaching them, you can contact any director directly. We've established multiple reporting channels including face-to-face meetings, written reports, our confidential email system, or through trade union representatives if applicable. All concerns will be acknowledged within 48 hours, investigated promptly and fairly, with findings communicated while maintaining appropriate confidentiality. We keep detailed records of all whistleblowing cases, monitoring for patterns that might indicate systemic issues requiring broader action.
Responsibilities¶
The Directors hold overall responsibility for maintaining this policy and ensuring all concerns are properly investigated, providing resources for investigations and protecting whistle-blowers from retaliation. Managers must take all concerns seriously, maintain confidentiality, escalate issues appropriately, and ensure no one under their supervision faces retaliation for whistleblowing. All employees and contractors have a duty to report wrongdoing when they become aware of it, cooperate with investigations while maintaining confidentiality, and use this procedure responsibly, avoiding malicious or false allegations which themselves may result in disciplinary action.
Review¶
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Directors to ensure it remains effective and continues to encourage open reporting of concerns while protecting those who speak up in good faith.
Signed:
Aaron Mason Director A M Water Services Ltd 1st July 2025
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