PARIS, FRANCE — October 10, 2024 – NAVEX,the global leader in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) management software and services, announced the launch of “Compliance in France: The ultimate guide”. NAVEX is helping more than 13,000 businesses around the world manage and mitigate risk with confidence. Compliance programs must play a critical and daily role to both ensure regulatory compliance and cultivate an ethical culture. Whistleblowing is a key part of these efforts.
Jan Stappers, Director of Regulatory Solutions at NAVEX, said: “Organisations could miss opportunities if they don’t have a channel to speak up about potential risks or hazards. Whistleblowing is the best source of information about actual or potential misconduct, but with so many regulations to comply with, the current risk is that companies are conducting audit exercises rather than taking a more integrated approach.”
The first part of the guide provides a detailed overview of the current whistleblowing landscape in France, including an explanation of the cultural context and information on how the French system compares to others around the world. A dive into whistleblowing data shows that French reporting levels are increasing but remain low compared to European standards, while French reports are less likely to be anonymous and tend to take longer to process than those in other countries.
In addition, the second part of this guide introduces the French regulatory framework, focusing on critical compliance challenges and extraterritorial issues that can be particularly difficult for businesses to manage. Broadly speaking, complying with all existing regulations has become a major challenge, with many companies lacking the bandwidth to keep up with the changing regulatory landscape.
Finally, the third part of this report covers in depth the laws and regulations that are important for any company seeking to navigate the compliance and whistleblowing landscape in France.
France and the world: the main differences to know according to NAVEX data
- France has a lower whistleblowing rate than Germany or the European average, with reporting levels rising but still below regional standards. There is evidence that French reports are more likely to be validated, with more than half proved true against only one third that are certified in Germany.
- French reports are much less likely to be anonymous than common practices in other countries and regions. Only half of French whistleblowing is made anonymously, compared to more than two thirds in the UK, which has only increased slightly in recent years. It is suggested that people raising concerns today will only do so if they are more confident and direct in their allegations.
- HR, diversity and workplace issues dominate reporting in France. HR, harassment and discrimination matters combined accounted for nearly two out of three complaints to French companies in 2023, while reports related to conflicts of interest were the fourth most common issue and made up a further 10% of reports.
Click here to view the definitive guide to compliance in France.
About NAVEX
NAVEX is trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to help them achieve the business outcomes that matter most. As the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services, we deliver our solutions through the NAVEX One platform, the industry’s most comprehensive governance, risk and compliance (GRC) information system.