World Whistleblower Day is a global awareness day on 23 June.

This day serves as a reminder that speaking up about wrongdoing is not an act of disloyalty, it is an essential safeguard for the public interest, organisational integrity and maintaining high professional standards.

Whistleblowing is widely recognised as one of the most effective ways to detect and prevent corruption, fraud and other misconduct. In many cases, wrongdoing can remain hidden unless concerns are raised by those closest to it.

For STEP and its members, whistleblowing is not just a compliance issue. It is closely linked to professional standards, good business practice and the confidence placed in trust and estate practitioners.

Barriers to speaking up

Those working within organisations are often the first to identify risks, misconduct or poor practice. In addition, when concerns are raised early, they can be addressed before they escalate into more serious regulatory, reputational or even legal issues.

However, people do not always feel able to speak up. Barriers can include: fear of retaliation, unclear reporting channels and a lack of confidence that concerns will be taken seriously. Therefore creating an environment where individuals feel safe to raise concerns, as well as confident that they will be heard, is critical.

The role of practitioners and their firms

Practitioners operate in complex and sensitive environments, often involving fiduciary responsibilities, vulnerable beneficiaries and cross-border considerations. In this context, it is essential to maintain high standards of professional conduct.

Effective arrangements for speaking up provide a mechanism for identifying risks, escalating concerns and ensuring that issues are dealt with appropriately. In doing so, they help protect clients, uphold professional obligations and support sound governance.

Firms with strong internal cultures are better placed to manage risk, strengthen controls and avoid issues developing into significant regulatory or reputational challenges. Increasingly, whistleblowing is seen not simply as a compliance requirement but as an integral part of a well-run organisation.

There is growing emphasis across jurisdictions on the importance of robust reporting channels, appropriate follow-up and protection for those who speak up. This reflects a broader recognition that effective whistleblowing frameworks support both enforcement and prevention.

Professional standards at STEP

At STEP, professional standards are central to our work. We support members to uphold high levels of integrity, knowledge and skill to ensure they are acting in the best interests of their clients and the public.

Encouraging a culture of speaking-up supports better judgement, improved supervision and greater accountability. It helps ensure that emerging risks are identified, poor practice is challenged and firms respond in a timely and proportionate way.

This is closely connected to the value of STEP membership. Public confidence in a profession depends not only on technical expertise, but on the assurance that members are expected to meet high standards of conduct, and that those standards are upheld in practice.

Professional bodies and firms alike depend on trust. Clients, beneficiaries and the wider public need confidence that professionals act with integrity and that concerns will be taken seriously when they arise.

World Whistleblower Day is an opportunity to reaffirm a simple but important principle: speaking up protects not only organisations but also clients, colleagues and the reputation of the trust and estate planning profession.

At STEP, we support the principles that underpin strong professional standards: integrity, accountability and ethical conduct. Recognising the importance of speaking up and ensuring that concerns are heard and addressed, is an important part of demonstrating those values in practice.

Brett Martin, Head of Professional Standards, STEP