Internal supervisors, such as supervisory directors and members of a Supervisory Board or Advisory Board, have important duties and responsibilities in the area of integrity. However, it is not always clear what is expected of supervisory directors specifically. The Dutch Whistleblowers Authority (Huis voor Klokkenluiders) offers internal supervisors the guide ‘Integrity oversight and the role of supervisory directors’. The guide intents to create awareness of the supervisory director’s role and responsibilities regarding integrity and it offers practical tips and tools.
Companies that recognise the importance of integrity and take appropriate measures perform better, enjoy greater trust among customers, investors, employees and the public, and have a better reputation in the labour market. An organisation’s involvement in an integrity violation can lead to the resignation of management board members or supervisory directors, and may even jeopardise the organisation’s continuity.
The brochure offers internal supervisors and non-executive directors in both the semi-public and private sectors practical tools to make integrity part of their supervisory role and to gain greater insight into, and a firmer grip on, integrity within the organisation. However, the content is also very useful for management board members seeking to engage their Supervisory Board more actively in integrity matters.