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RUSI Report on Whistleblower Rewards' Programme on Fighting Economic Crime

03 January 2025

RUSI Report on Whistleblower Rewards' Programme on Fighting Economic Crime

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published a report exploring the transformative role whistleblower reward programmes can play in combating economic crime.

 

It highlights how economic crime costs the UK £350 billion annually, with businesses facing rising risks such as supply chain and procurement fraud at double the global average. Policymakers are now re-examining whistleblower reward programmes as a way to tackle these escalating challenges.

Key Takeaways include:

  • North American reward programmes demonstrate the value of incentivising whistleblowers, leading to actionable intelligence and improved financial recovery rates;
  • UK regulators like the SFO and FCA are signalling openness to exploring financial rewards for whistleblowers, marking a shift in long-held opposition;
  • Reward programmes must be part of a broader framework, combining compensation, protections, and legal reforms to optimise whistleblower engagement; and
  • A pilot initiative targeting high-value economic crimes could serve as a testbed to refine mechanisms and gain public and private-sector confidence.

✅ Financial institutions should strengthen their fraud detection frameworks and support regulatory innovations to address rising financial crime risks.