How to Blow the Whistle on Food Safety Issues

By Judy Sebastian

The impact of whistleblowing is a long-lasting one. By definition, a whistleblower is an individual who “reveals something covert or who informs against another.” In my opinion, a whistleblower is someone who demonstrates courage, fairness, transparency, and feels morally obligated to do the right thing – even if it means being the only voice in the room that speaks up. To someone who is new to blowing the whistle, it can feel overwhelming if you are unsure what your rights are, or if others within your organization have chosen to remain silent out of fear of retaliation.

Whistleblowing, as an idea, is not a novel one. It is however, steadily gaining momentum as a movement. A plethora of case studies on whistleblowing has demonstrated how speaking up can pave the path to reforming existing policies, changing operating procedures, enhancing the safety or security of the community, and reinforcing one’s trust in the power of ethics and compliance.