1.0 Introduction
The complex dynamics surrounding media escalation and whistleblowing in UK manufacturing settings are critically examined in this study. Organisational perceptions, strategic reactions, and production impacts are explored, and innovative solutions that manufacturing organisations would benefit from by implementing changes to whistleblowing procedures and processes and frameworks provided that aim to resolve or lessen the media-exacerbated problem of whistleblowing in the UK are proposed. The recommendations are based on the findings of the business analyst’s many innovative solutions as well as the significant references that were published throughout the research process.
2.0 Background
In UK manufacturing companies, whistleblowing has grown more controversial, especially when dismissal cases garner media attention. Legal protection is offered by the UK’s whistleblower framework, which is mainly regulated by the Public Interest Disclosure Act -PIDA (1998) and the Employment Rights Act -ERA (1996). However, it is still criticised for having insufficient protections against retaliation.
According to Shoosmiths LLP (2025), whistleblowing claims in the employment tribunal are on the rise. According to surveys, there is widespread mistrust of internal reporting channels, which drives whistleblowers to turn to outside sources like the media or tribunals.
The list of manufacturing-related organisations in the UK where whistleblowers were reportedly sacked, based on media coverage from the search results, are as follows:
- BBC News (2024) reported: Tata Technologies / Jaguar Land Rover (Tata Group).
The case of engineer Hazal Denli, after posting the designs of electric vehicles and voicing safety concerns on a social news aggregation and discussion website –‘Reddit’, the engineer was fired. This resulted in his exclusion from the shared employee-listing database used for hiring in the automotive sector, impacting his ability and tarnishing his credibility for rehiring in the sector.
- The Sunday Times (2025) reported: Drax Power Station (Biomass energy).
The case where an employee was sacked after accusing the biomass energy company of “greenwashing” by deceiving the government and public about the suitability of its wood-sourcing practices, an employee was fired.
- Financial Times (2025) reported: AMV BBDO (Advertising Agency for Mars Inc. Brands).
The case of Polina Zabrodskaya -a creative partner, after revealing unsupported sustainability claims in advertisements for Mars-owned companies like Galaxy and Sheba, she quit, claiming retaliation. She claimed to have been suspended and sidelined.
- The Telegraph. (2025) reported: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (Regulatory Body with Oversight of Financial Services, Including Manufacturing-Related Firms).
The case of Ahmet Latif, dismissed after revealing alleged senior office meddling to prevent damaging disclosures and poor handling of Freedom of Information requests.
While AMV BBDO case deals with supply chain claims related to manufacturing, the cases involving Tata and Drax directly involve manufacturing or industrial operations. Systemic problems with a regulator that regulates financial sectors, including industries adjacent to manufacturing, are brought to light by the FCA case. Other cases not directly linked to manufacturing-related whistleblowing companies were also analysed please see (Appendix A).
3.0 Critical Analysis of Whistleblower Dismissals in Manufacturing: Legal Framework and Its Limitations
The UK Parliament’s Public Interest Disclosure Bill (1997), amends the ERA (1996) to protect employees who make qualifying disclosures about criminal offences, health and safety risks, environmental harm, miscarriages of justice, legal obligation violations, or wilful concealment of these matters are protected by UK whistleblower laws. Nonetheless, a number of serious flaws still exist.
3.1 Challenges to Vicarious Liability:
According to GIR’s co-published content (2023), even though employers may be held vicariously liable for harm done by coworkers, they can escape responsibility if they can show that they took “all reasonable steps” to stop the behaviour. This opens the door for manufacturing companies to take advantage of.
3.2 Public Interest Test:
3.3 Non-employee Protections:
According to Protect-advice.Org (2025), the hiring process is vulnerable because job applicants lack whistleblower protections, as demonstrated by recent cases such as Sullivan v. Isle of Wight Council, Employment Law Review (2025).
4.0 Media Intensification Effects
There are two sides to the media’s portrayal of manufacturing whistleblower terminations.
4.1 Positive Effects:
The Signals Network.Org explains how high-profile incidents like the Drax Biomass scandal, in which an employee was fired for allegedly engaging in greenwashing, have pushed companies to improve internal reporting systems.
4.2 Negative Effects:
Because of the possible public scrutiny, sensationalised reporting may have a “chilling effect” on employees, making them reluctant to come forward. Across all categories of wrongdoing, research from Protect-advice.Org (2025) indicates that Gen-Z workers (ages 18 – 24) are especially hesitant to voice concerns when compared to older generations.
5.0 Organisational Perception and Cultural Barriers
Whistleblowing is frequently viewed from conflicting perspectives in manufacturing organisations:
5.1 Compliance Perspective:
According to GIR’s co-published content (2023), in order to comply with regulatory requirements such as FCA (2023), the SYSC 18 rules for financial services firms (which serve as guidelines for other sectors), compliance is seen as a necessary evil.
5.2 Disloyalty Narrative:
5.3 Innovation Paradox:
Fan, J.P.H., et al., (2010), explains that research indicates internal whistleblowing systems can boost innovation by strengthening employee protection and governance. However, manufacturing companies frequently overlook this possibility in favour of short-term reputational damage mitigation.
6.0 Productivity Impacts
Manufacturing productivity can be greatly impacted through several mechanisms by the firing of whistleblowers and the media frenzy that follows.
6.1 Employee Morale and Engagement:
Dyck, A., et al., (2010), explains the remaining employees suffer psychologically when whistleblower are fired. Research indicates that unprotected whistleblowers are 23% more likely to experience retaliation, which lowers morale at work.
6.2 Knowledge Loss:
Tacit knowledge plays a major role in manufacturing. It’s possible that important operational insights are lost when seasoned whistleblowers are fired. Whistleblowers’ departures can cost organisations millions in lost expertise, as with the Rihan v. Ernst & Young, HRLC. (2020) case showed.
6.3 Recruitment Challenges:
It is more challenging to find talent when whistleblower abuse is covered by the media. According to Protect-advice.Org (2025) research, precarious workers -such as those with short-term contracts, which are typical in the manufacturing industry -are 37% less likely to voice concerns.
6.4 Innovation Decline:
Fan, J.P.H., et al., (2010), and Xie, J., et al,. (2021), explains that a relevant comparator for the UK industry, Chinese manufacturing data, indicates that companies with whistleblowing systems have 18% higher patent outputs. Whistleblowing prevention may therefore unintentionally hinder process innovations.
Additional elements that shows how reactions directly influence outcomes resulting to primary derailers please refer to previously submitted article Cameron, J. (2025b).
7.0 Business Analyst’s Recommendation for Creative Approaches to Whistleblowing Management
7.1 Whistleblowing Innovation Focus Lab:
Manufacturing firms could establish cross-functional teams to develop anonymised case studies for training, comprising:
The business analyst can map the outcomes discussed from the ‘Innovation Focus Lab’ collaboration focus group into processes and, also map an implementation roadmap, please see Figure 2.
7.2 Reverse Mentoring Programs:
Provide empowerment for junior employees as subject matter experts to coach senior managers lacking field or lay-of-the-land knowledge if necessary.
7.3 Empower Psychology Safety –“Safe to Fail” Experimentation:
- Reward staff members who report controlled failures and near-misses.
- Adopt agile principles as a business practice focusing on adaptability, collaboration, transparency, self-managing-teams, empowerment and client-centric solutions.
7.4 Whistleblower Confidential Club:
Maintain confidential advisory relationships and create neutral reference mechanisms as suggested by GIR’s co-published content (2023).
7.5 Multi-Channel Reporting:
Implement “speak-up” discreet booth locations for reporting in person, and have AI-powered chat interfaces that use natural language processing to categorise concerns as suggested by A & O Shearman (2025).
7.6 Anonymity Protocols:
Provide blockchain-based systems for truly anonymous submissions, and establish escrow accounts for evidentiary materials as suggested by Deloitte (2023).
7.7 Business Analyst ‘Cause-Effect Diagram’ Framework for Root-Cause Analysis Coherence:
The business analyst can support by capturing the coherence to the problem(s) root-causes thoroughly using a ‘cause-effect diagram’ as shown in Figure 1. With psychology safety and no-judgments made, the analyst can help to mitigate the unnecessary challenges given unto whistleblowers, or prevent solution limitations impacting at post-work phase.
The results can then be used to demonstrate how a change management model can be applied within a business change model, please refer to previously submitted article Cameron, J. (2025a).
Figure 1. Root-cause Analysis: Conducted & analysed by Jenny Cameron | Business Analyst | Cameron, J. (2025a), adapted from Ishikawa, K. (1990).
7.8 Whistleblowing Framework for Media Engagement Protocol:
Create a whistleblowing process framework with the business analyst to establish responsible reporting protocols, reporting mechanism for dispute resolution, and obtain insights directly from collaboration with industry journalists to understand correct technical briefings on manufacturing processes.
7.9 Business Analyst’s Dynamic Assessment(s):
- The Policy Paper by Gov.UK (2023), suggests:
Triage Matrix, and classify reports of technical complexity, potential media interest, innovation potential and regulatory implications. Expert Panels could rotate middle managers through review committees, and to include external manufacturing specialists for objectivity.
- As suggested by Protect-advice.Org (2025), to apply human rights due diligence for frameworks.
7.10 Remediation Pathways:
- Technical Solutions: deploy rapid response teams for safety/environmental issues, and when modelling proposed fixes to optimise or improve; use a digital twin (replica of object, system, or process) momentarily under real-time data from sensors and mirroring to allow for simulation, analysis and prediction of behaviour.
- Cultural Interventions: enable and promote leadership shadowing programs.
7.11 Lessons Learnt Log – Organisational Learning:
- Collaborate with the business analyst for ‘stress-testing’ through scenario analysis and against future media-exposure scenarios.
- Innovation Harvesting: Patent analysis to identify protectable improvements, and monitor quarterly lessons-log/manufactured reports.
- Policy Evolution: Deloitte (2023) suggests dynamic benchmarking against EU whistleblowing directive standards.
8.0 Business Analyst’s Recommendation for Whistleblowing Management Implementation Roadmap
8.1 Time-line (0 – 6 months):
Objective: Training and creating a baseline to understand potential whistleblowing cases and map ‘current as-is and to-be’ reporting structures offline-online (including digital/technology platforms).
8.2 Time-line (6 – 18 months):
Objective: Governance restructuring, appoint whistleblowing change agents, champions and ethics advisory board. Implementation of ‘speak-up’ rewards, performance metrics, and extension of further protections for workers.
8.3 Time-line (18 – 36 months):
Objective: Create future proofing business as usual for positive impact reports, collaboration amongst industries, future goals for positive results published annually; tracking research and development to whistleblowing reports.
Support private Members Bill on Whistleblower Rewards as suggested by Gov.UK (2023), Policy Paper:
Figure 2. Whistleblowing Management Implementation Roadmap: Conducted & analysed by Jenny Cameron, Business Analyst, (2025).
9.0 Business Analyst’s Summary
Media dynamics, cultural resistance, and legal flaws all play a part in the dismissal of whistleblowers in UK manufacturing companies. Basic protections are provided by current law, but organisations must take proactive, innovative measures in response to the escalation of cases brought on by media attention. Manufacturers can turn difficulties into competitive advantages by redefining whistleblowing as an innovation catalyst as opposed to a threat or betrayal of trust. Offering a road map for moral resistance in a time of increased demands for transparency, the suggested framework strikes a balance between short-term crisis management and long-term cultural change. In order to succeed in the future, organisations must be willing to incorporate whistleblowing management into their core operational strategies and acknowledge the mutually reinforcing goals of manufacturing excellence and ethical vigilance.
Critical Analysis by Jenny Cameron, MBA, Business Analyst.
References
A & O Shearman.com (2025), Whistleblowing: ensure programs are fit for 2025. Available from: www.aoshearman.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Aghion, P., Van Reenen, J., & Zingales, L. (2013), Innovation and Institutional Ownership. American Economic Review.
BBC News. (2022), Whistleblower vet awarded £1.25m settlement and apology from DAERA. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-61212237 [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
BBC News. (2021), Sellafield ‘whistleblower’ Alison McDermott in post-tribunal appeal. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-58506548 [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
BBC News. (2024), Sellafield ‘whistleblower’ to pay £5k after tribunal loss. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6ppkxjjg2no [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
BBC News. (2024), Electric car whistleblower sacked by Jaguar Land Rover. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20nr3zdppjo [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Boxall, P. and Purcell, J. (2011), Strategy and human resource management. 3rd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cameron, J. (2025a), MBA, Creative Change & Innovation, Assignment 1: Poster: Change Management Model, Submitted to Wrexham University.
Cameron, J. (2025b), MBA, Creative Change & Innovation, Assignment 2: Critical Analysis of Organisational Change Impact, Submitted to Wrexham University.
Dawson, P., and Constantine, A. (2017), Managing Change, Creativity & Innovation. 3rd edition. London: Sage Publications.
Deloitte (2023), UK Whistleblowing rules. Available from: www.deloitte.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Dyck, A., Morse, A., & Zingales, L. (2010), Who Blows the Whistle on Corporate Fraud?. Journal of Finance.
Employment Law Review. (2025), Sullivan v Isle of Wight Council – Job Applicants and Whistleblowing Protections. Weekly Issue 881. Available from: Sullivan v Isle of Wight Council – Job Applicants and Whistleblowing Protections [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
ERA (1996), Employment Rights Act 1996. UK Public General Acts, 1996 c. 18, Part V, Section 47B. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/18/section/47B [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
ERRA (2013), Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. UK Public General Acts. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/24/notes/division/5/2/7/1?view=plain
[Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Fan, J.P.H., Wangm T.J., & Zhu, H. (2010), Labour Mobility Barriers and Corporate Innovation. China Regional Labour Mobility Index.
FCA (2023). Financial Conduct Authority: SYSC 18.1 Application and purpose. Available from: https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/SYSC/18/?view=chapter [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Farnham, D. (2015), Human Resource Management in Context: Insights, Strategy and Solutions. 4th edition. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Financial Times. (2025), Ad agency AMV BBDO faces claims over Mars ‘greenwashing’. Available from: https://www.ft.com/content/791d88ff-f73b-4871-9e81-2fef4efe2848 [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Grant Thornton UK LLP. (2025), A Conversation on the Future of Whistleblowing. Available from: www.grantthornton.co.uk [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
GIR’s co-published content (2023), Whistleblowers: The UK Perspective. Available from: www.globalinvestigationsreview.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Gov.UK. (2023), Policy Paper: Review of the Whistleblowing Framework: Terms of Reference. Department for Business & Trade. Available from: www.gov.uk [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
GOV.UK. (2021), Navigating the labyrinth: Socio-economic background and career progression within the Civil Service. Available from: www.gov.uk [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Goold, M., Campbell, A., and Alexander, M. (1994), Corporate-Level Strategy: Creating Value in the Multibusiness Company. John-Wiley & Sons.
Ishikawa, K. (1990), Translator: J.H. Loftus: Introduction to Quality Control: 448 p; ISBN 4906224-61-X OCLC 61341428.
Jick, T.D. (1990), Note on the Recipients of Change. Harvard Business School.
Jones, T. (2001), Artificial intelligence: a systems approach. Hingham, MA: Infinity Science.
Kotter, J.P (1996), Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Lynch, R. (2012), Strategic Management. 6th ed. Harlow: Pearson.
Marchington, M., Marchington, L. and Wilkinson, A. (2012), Human resource management at work: people management and development. 4th ed. London: CIPD.
McKinsey & Company (2016), Operations as a competitive advantage in a disruptive environment. Operations Practice. Available from: www.mckinsey.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
McKinsey & Company (2020), The Next Normal: The recovery will be digital. Operations Practice. Available from: www.mckinsey.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
McKinsey & Company (2025), The Change Agent Challenge. Operations Practice.
Miceli, M.P., & Near, J.P. (1992), Blowing the Whistle, Lexington Books.
Nwoha, O. (2021), Whistleblower Protection In the UK: A Case for Reform. Business Law Review. Vol 42, Issue 5, pp 240-251 Available from www.kluwerlawonline.com https://doi.org/10.54648/bula2021034 [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
PIDA (1997), Public Interest Disclosure Bill 1997, “Explanatory Memorandum”. Available from: www.publications.paliament.uk [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
PIDA (1998), Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. UK Public General Acts: 1998 c.23. Available from: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/23/contents. [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Protect-advice.Org (2025), Whistleblowing News. Available from: www.protect-advice.org.uk [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Prosci. (2020), Core Roles in Change Management. Prosci Research. https://www.prosci.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Prosci. (2025), Change Agent Networks: Driving Transformation. Prosci Research. Available from: https://www.prosci.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Porter, M. (2004), Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Free Press.
HRLC. (2020), Human Rights Law Centre. Rihan v. Ernst & Young (2020). Available from: https://www.hrlc.org.au/case-summaries/2021-12-20-british-court-accepts-duty-of-care-to-protect-whistleblowers-in-novel-circumstances. [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Shore, D.A. (2021), Leading Change. Harvard Professional Development.
Shoosmiths LLP (2025), Cultural Barriers. Rise in whistleblowing claims: what employers need to know. Available from: www.shoosmiths.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Court of Appeal. (2017), The Court of Appeal in Chesterton Global v Nurmohamed. Available from: Chesterton Global Ltd & Anor v Nurmohamed & Anor (UK, 2017) – Whistleblowing International Network [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Employment Law Group. (2014), Sixth Circuit: Whistleblowers May Sue, Despite Arbitration Clause. Available from: https://www.employmentlawgroup.com/in-the-news/whistleblower-law-blog/sixth-circuit-whistleblowers-may-sue-despite-arbitration-clause/ [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Investment Association. (2023), Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Data Survey 2023. Available from: https://www.theia.com [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
This Is Money. (2010), Worried BAE staff turn to ‘whistleblower’. Available from : https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-1691925/Worried-BAE-staff-turn-to-whistleblower.html [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Signals Network.Org (2025), The Signals Network: Whistleblower Support Organization. Available from: Whistleblower Support Organization – The Signals Network [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Sunday Times. (2025), Drax accused of ‘silencing’ whistleblower over biomass fuel. Available from: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/drax-accused-of-silencing-whistleblower-over-biomass-fuel-z5mks535s [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
The Telegraph. (2025), City regulator fired whistleblower after he exposed ‘serious wrongdoing’, tribunal told. Available from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/22/city-fired-whistleblower-exposed-wrongdoing-tribunal-told/ [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Thomason, G. (1991), The management of personnel, Personnel Review. Vol 20, No 2. pp3-10.
Torrington, D., Hall, L. and Taylor, S. (2008), Human resource management. 7th ed. Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall.
Ulrich, D. (1997), Human resource champions: the next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
UK Parliament. (2024), Drax Power Limited: Ofgem Investigation. Volume 840. Available from: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2024-11-11/debates/D3208C79-D529-4755-AC07-AF835D5FE99F/DraxPowerLimitedOfgemInvestigation [Accessed online: 22nd June, 2025].
Xie, J., Chen, L., & Liu, H. (2021), International Governance and Innovation. Journal of Corporate Finance.
Appendices
Appendix A
List of other organisations in the UK where whistleblowers were reportedly sacked, based on media coverage from the search results, as follows:
1. Sellafield Nuclear Processing Site: Reported by BBC News (2021) & (2024).
Incident: In 2018, Alison McDermott, an HR consultant, was fired for voicing concerns regarding bullying at the nuclear plant in Cumbria. After ruling against her, an employment tribunal initially ordered her to pay £40,000 in costs, which were later lowered to £5,000.
Analysis: The tribunal recognised “troubling” aspects of the case but deemed her claims of document tampering by Sellafield and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) “unreasonable”. By pointing out the financial and reputational risks whistleblowers face, even when acting in good faith, McDermott contended that her dismissal silenced valid concerns about workplace culture.
Summary: The case highlights the difficulties in establishing retaliation, particularly when employers present terminations as performance-related.
2. BAE Systems: Reported by This Is Money (2010).
Incident: Although it is not a direct manufacturing case, whistleblower reports about BAE, a major defence manufacturing company, increased by 72% in 2009, and 485 employees were fired for “unethical behaviour”.
Analysis: As explained in the article by A & O Shearman.com (2025), possible retaliation against internal critics is suggested by the dismissals, which occurred at the same time as BAE’s £280 million corruption fines. There is a culture of fear evident in the fact that only 57% of workers felt “safe to speak up”.
Summary: Although courts ultimately sided with the employees, a different case involving BAE whistleblowers Paige and Gammon exposed the use of arbitration clauses to prevent retaliation claims.
3. DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland): Reported by BBC News (2022).
Incident: Government vet Dr. Tamara Bronckaers resigned in 2018 after her warnings about animal welfare breaches and meat traceability failures were ignored. She later won a £1.2 million settlement.
Analysis: DAERA is not a private manufacturer, but food supply chains are involved in its regulation of livestock markets. The “deleted moves” scam, which Bronckaers exposed, involved fabricating cattle histories to increase their value and run the risk of spreading diseases like tuberculosis.
Summary: The tribunal discovered systematic shortcomings in addressing whistleblower concerns, concluding that she was “professionally ignored” and intimidated.
