Whistleblower protection is a key feature in any effective compliance programme. Whistleblowers can bring to the attention of management issues that would otherwise go undetected through formal audit processes. However, whistleblower protection legislation varies extensively across jurisdictions, making it difficult for both whistleblowers who wish to raise concerns and companies who wish to protect them from retaliation. There are also disparate standards at an international level – an issue that the groundbreaking new EU Directive on the protection of persons reporting on breaches of Union law will to some extent address. The session takes stock of current whistleblower protection frameworks and considers how to enhance and harmonise whistleblower protection in theory and in practice.