An outsourced whistleblower service gives your staff an independent, confidential way to report serious wrongdoing – and gives your organisation confidence that disclosures are received and handled correctly. This guide explains what these services are, how the disclosure process works, what to look for when choosing a provider in New Zealand, and what they typically cost under the Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022.
What is an outsourced whistleblower service?
An outsourced whistleblower service is an independent, external channel that receives, records and manages reports of serious wrongdoing on behalf of an organisation. Instead of employees having to raise concerns directly with their own management – where they may fear retaliation or a conflict of interest – reports go to an arm’s-length third party that triages them and works with the organisation on next steps. A good service provides multiple secure reporting channels, handles disclosers’ identities confidentially, and keeps a clear, defensible record of every disclosure.
Why organisations use one
New Zealand’s Protected Disclosures (Protection of Whistleblowers) Act 2022 requires public sector organisations to have internal procedures for receiving and dealing with protected disclosures, and requires all organisations to handle disclosures appropriately and protect the people who make them. Many private-sector organisations adopt a formal service as well, because an independent channel improves trust, encourages staff to speak up early, and demonstrates good governance to boards, regulators and auditors. Independence also removes the awkward situation where the person a concern is about could be the person who receives it.
How the disclosure process works
A typical outsourced disclosure follows five steps. First, the discloser makes a report through a secure channel – phone, website, email or post. Second, the provider records the disclosure and, where the discloser has provided contact details, acknowledges receipt. Third, the provider triages the report to determine whether it concerns serious wrongdoing as defined by the Act and what should happen next. Fourth, the matter is referred to the appropriate person or investigated further, often to a forensic standard so any evidence is preserved correctly. Fifth, the discloser is given feedback where possible, and the organisation receives a record and, if requested, a summary report.
What to look for when choosing a provider in New Zealand
Not all whistleblower services are the same. When comparing providers, the criteria that matter most are:
- Independence – reports should be received and triaged by a genuinely external party, not routed back through your own management.
- Local knowledge – a New Zealand–based provider understands the Protected Disclosures Act 2022 and how disclosures interact with local regulators, Police and the Ombudsman.
- Investigative and forensic capability – the ability to handle a disclosure to a forensic standard matters if a report escalates into an investigation or ends up before a court.
- Multiple secure channels – phone, website, email and post, available 24/7, so every discloser can use a method they trust.
- Confidentiality and anonymity handling – clear processes for protecting identity and for managing anonymous reports.
- Transparent pricing – published, predictable fees rather than opaque quotes.
- Policy support – help drafting or reviewing your whistleblower or protected-disclosure policy so it meets the Act.
How much does an outsourced whistleblower service cost?
Costs in New Zealand vary with the number of channels, the volume of disclosures and the level of support included. Providers generally charge a setup fee, a monthly or annual retainer, and either a per-disclosure fee or an inclusive allowance. As a guide, our Standard plan is a $100 monthly retainer with disclosures and other work charged at $100 per hour; adding the 24/7 phone channel is a further $25 per month. Our Premium plan is a $500 monthly retainer that includes the 24/7 call centre, up to five disclosures per month, a yearly policy review and a yearly summary report. A one-off $1,000 setup fee applies and GST is added to all costs. Full details are on our FAQ page.
About Whistleblowers
Whistleblowers is an independent, 100% New Zealand owned service operated by Incident Response Solutions Limited, a forensic and cyber-security firm licensed by the Ministry of Justice as Private Investigators (licence 20-072755). It is led by Campbell McKenzie, who was previously a Director of forensic services at PwC and a New Zealand Police forensic expert witness. Because our team handles every disclosure to a forensic standard, organisations can be confident that concerns are received independently and managed to the highest level of proof.
Get started
To set up an independent whistleblower service for your organisation, call 0800 WITNESS (0800 948 637) or email support@whistleblowers.co.nz. You can also read our Services and Case Studies to see how the service works in practice.
Whistleblowers 