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Background
In the event of any ambiguity or discrepancy, the original Finnish-language text on the website will always take precedence and constitute the legally binding source of information.
The Whistleblower Protection Act, based on the EU Whistleblower Directive, requires companies and organisations to provide a channel for reporting suspected misconduct. The Act protects those who report misconduct. A whistleblower is a person who, in connection with their work, becomes aware of a breach of European Union or national law, for example in public procurement or consumer protection, and reports it through a reporting channel. Reporting misconduct is important in preventing threats and serious harm to the public interest.
Purpose and objectives
Helsinki City Theatre strives to act responsibly in all circumstances, both now and in the future. However, if you become aware of any misconduct in our operations, we encourage you to report it to us through the reporting channel. At the time of reporting, reasonable grounds are sufficient: you are not required to provide concrete evidence of the misconduct you have observed. Please note, however, that knowingly submitting a false report may result in criminal proceedings.
What does whistleblower protection mean?
Whistleblower protection means that a person who reports misconduct must not be subjected to retaliation, such as dismissal, temporary lay-off, intimidation or similar action, for making a report.
The prohibition of retaliation applies to all organisations, regardless of whether the report was submitted through the company’s internal reporting channel, the centralised external reporting channel maintained by the Office of the Chancellor of Justice or disclosed publicly. As a rule, reports must always be submitted through the internal reporting channel first.
In addition to the prohibition of retaliation, organisations are subject to an obligation to keep the whistleblower’s identity confidential and to a reversed burden of proof. Whistleblowers are exempt from liability if, at the time of reporting, they have reasonable grounds to believe that the report is necessary to reveal a breach.
Scope of application
You may submit a report and qualify for whistleblower protection if you obtained the information to be reported in the course of or in connection with your work and have reasonable grounds to suspect that Helsinki City Theatre has acted unlawfully in one of the following areas:
Please also note that, under European Union or national law, the reported breaches must
Reports must be submitted in Finnish.
Reporting procedure
The primary reporting channel is ToymeLab’s anonymous reporting channel. If the whistleblower has reasonable grounds to believe that sufficient action has not been taken in response to the report within the statutory time limit, or that they are at risk of retaliation as a result of reporting, they may submit the report through the centralised external reporting channel maintained by the Office of the Chancellor of Justice.
Submitting a report
Instructions for using Helsinki City Theatre’s external reporting channel are available on the website of the Chancellor of Justice of the Finnish Government.
Processing reports and processing times
Reports are processed by designated individuals. Where necessary, they may also involve other Helsinki City Theatre employees or external parties in the process. The designated individuals ensure that those processing the report have no conflicts of interest.
The individuals responsible for processing reports carry out an initial review and assessment of each case. This also includes confirming that the report falls within the scope of the Whistleblower Protection Act. Where there is any uncertainty, efforts will be made, where possible, to determine with the whistleblower whether the matter could be handled through another channel.
The whistleblower will receive confirmation that the report has been received within seven (7) days of its receipt and information on the measures taken within three (3) months of the confirmation of receipt. Please note that information on the measures taken will be provided to the extent permitted by the time limit and any other matters requiring investigation. Please check the progress of the reporting process regularly and provide additional information if necessary.
Helsinki City Theatre is responsible for storing and archiving all material produced during the processing of a report in accordance with the applicable legislation and records management plan. Once archived, the documentation will be deleted from the reporting channel.
Consequences of submitting a false report
Whistleblower protection applies only to reports that fall within the scope set out in the Act and concern breaches of provisions in the areas specified in the Act. Reports that intentionally contain false or misleading information do not qualify for protection.
Intentionally reporting false information is also a criminal offence, and a whistleblower who intentionally provides false information may be liable for any resulting financial loss.
Confidentiality
All reports submitted through the reporting channel are treated as strictly confidential.
Privacy
Although you log in to the reporting channel, your identity cannot be verified at any stage of the process. After submitting an anonymous report, you can monitor its progress using the username and password generated for you by the system.
Other enquiries and feedback
Matters other than reports of misconduct, such as customer feedback, should continue to be submitted through the appropriate channels. Contact details are available on the Helsinki City Theatre website.