Integriteit en klokkenluiden: Terugblikken is vooruitkijken

Abstract

Almost four decades ago Bovens raised the question on which basis public servants can voice concerns on how the government operates, and which risks it entails. This question is still very topical. Speaking truth to power remains challenging and whistleblowers often experience retaliation. In this article we reconstruct Bovens’ ideas about whistleblowers, how they should be protected and which role a whistleblower authority should have (or not). We first look back at the moment Bovens coined the concept of whistleblower (‘klokkenluider’ in Dutch). How was it defined and which connotations did he want to evoke? Then we describe whistleblowing protection in the Dutch law and the role of the Dutch Whistleblower Authority, of which Bovens was very critical. Because whistleblower legislation is not sufficient to protect reporters, we plea for a broader and better protection through integrity management systems, ethical leadership and speak-up cultures. We reflect on the risks Bovens foresaw in (overly) emphasizing integrity in the government. We conclude with three challenges: the negative connotation of the ‘whistleblower’ label, opportunities and risks of anonymous reporting and financial compensation (or rewards) for whistleblowers. While Bovens raised these issues already in the 1980s, they are still topical and unresolved.