Operating Swedish Whistleblower Channels & Safeguarding Privacy

This course is the second in a two-part series designed for organisations operating in Sweden. Where the first course introduces all staff to the concept of whistleblowing and the protections available to reporters, this course is directed specifically at managers, HR professionals, legal counsel and compliance teams who are responsible for designing, running and continuously improving internal reporting channels in accordance with Lag (2021:890) om skydd för personer som rapporterar om missförhållanden — Sweden's Whistleblowing Act, which transposes the EU Whistleblowing Directive (2019/1937) into national law.

Participants will gain a thorough understanding of which organisations are legally required to establish internal reporting channels, what procedural obligations apply once a report is received, how to protect reporter confidentiality, and how whistleblower data must be handled under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten, IMY). The course also covers the role of external reporting channels, including the Swedish Work Environment Authority (Arbetsmiljöverket) and other designated competent authorities, and explains how to respond lawfully when a reporter chooses an external route.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to map their organisation's legal obligations, build or audit an existing internal channel, conduct fair and confidential follow-up investigations, and demonstrate accountability to regulators. Practical checklists, scenario-based analysis and a final assessment reinforce learning and support evidence of professional competence.