Legally Compliant Implementation of Whistleblower Protection Act

Since July 2023, companies with 50 or more employees in Germany are required to establish internal reporting offices for whistleblowers. Datenschutz Nordost provides comprehensive support for legally compliant implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG) – from consulting through technical implementation to ongoing support.

Our services in whistleblower protection:

1. Consulting on legally compliant setup

• Analysis of your corporate structure and legal requirements

• Conception of internal reporting office according to HinSchG requirements

• Development of reporting channels (digital, telephone, written)

• Creation of procedural regulations and policies

• Training of internal responsible persons

2. External Reporting Officers

• Assumption of the neutral function of reporting officer

• Receipt and processing of reports

• Maintaining confidentiality and anonymity of whistleblowers

• Communication with whistleblowers according to legal deadlines

• Documentation of all processes

• Reporting to management

3. Secure Digital Reporting Channels

• Provision of GDPR-compliant, encrypted reporting systems

• Possibility of anonymous and non-anonymous reports

• Intuitive user interface in multiple languages (DE/EN/PL)

• Secure communication between whistleblower and reporting office

• Mobile-optimized access

• Hosting on German servers with highest security standards

4. Training for Employees and Managers

• Awareness-raising for whistleblower protection in the company

• Training of internal reporting officers

• Information events for all employees

• Multilingual training materials

• E-learning modules for self-study

5. Process Integration and Documentation

• Integration of whistleblowing system into existing compliance structures

• Connection with data protection and IT security management

• Complete documentation of all processes and reports

• Regular review and adjustment of procedures

• Preparation for official inspections

Special relevance for international companies: For companies with cross-border structures (e.g., German companies with Polish subsidiaries or vice versa), we offer:

• Multilingual reporting channels and communication

• Consideration of different national regulations

• Culturally sensitive implementation

• Coordination between different locations

• Uniform standards despite different legal frameworks

Technical Security:

• End-to-end encryption of all communication

• Separate storage of identity and report data for anonymous reports

• Access rights management according to need-to-know principle

• Audit-proof logging of all system access

• Regular security audits

• GDPR-compliant deletion concepts

Advantages of cooperation with external reporting officers:

• Neutrality and independence

• Expertise in legal and procedural requirements

• Relief of internal resources

• Professional case processing

• Avoidance of conflicts of interest

• Continuity even with staff changes

With our whistleblower protection system, you not only fulfill legal obligations but also create a corporate culture that preventively counteracts misconduct and detects legal violations early.