Whistle-Blowing

“Whistle-blowing” in the context of business ethics refers to a practice of informing either a superior, a compliance or regulatory agency, or the general public of some action done or about to be done by an organization or some individual in that organization that would be harmful, unjust, in violation of human rights, illegal, run counter to the defined purpose of the [Page 2225]organization, or otherwise immoral. An alternative definition of whistle-blowing stipulates that it is a purposeful revelation made by a person who somehow has special access to information concerning the organization. This person is aware of either an actual or suspected noninconsequential wrongful action that either concerns or implicates the organization and proceeds to inform an individual in the organization or outside of ...