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Those who step up to report issues within their companies that seem illegal or harmful or fraudulent are often ostracized for their ethical actions.
They are also most often an essential part of the solution.
On the dais along with Mr. Clark were:
- Jon Oberg who found and reported irregularities in a government student loan program which was costing taxpayers. His action ended the payments, prospectively saving billions of dollars.
- Sherron Watkins' high-profile exposure of Enron's accounting irregularities led to, but did not cause, the company's meltdown. Enron, of course, was doomed by the aggressive fraud of its management team.
- Jordan A. Thomas, an attorney with Labaton Sucharow LLP representing whistleblowers who report on violations of federal securities laws.
- Jennifer m. Pacella, Assistant Professor of Law at Baruch's CZicklin School of Business, acting as moderator,
One thing that struck me from Ms. Watkins' remarks was that not blowing the whistle on her company was devastating to those caught in the net of its activities. In fact, by not reporting on the financial scam that the company's manager perpretrated her colleagues faced indictments along with the masterminds of the fraud. She said she was naive to think that Enron's CEO Ken Lay would support her in trying to get to the bottom of the problem at the firm.
The other thing that should really be clear makes no sense at all: For the most part, a whistleblower will not be hired by anyone in corporate America. That is despite the fact that they have demonstrated a passionate concern for the welfare of the companies for which they work; they have done the right thing, and behaved ethically; All of this would make them ideal employees in any sensible universe. It would seem that any company that behaves in an above-board manner would be glad to have employees such as these.
The problem appears to be that their behavior is an embarrassment to the rest of the workplace. As Ms. Watkins put it, whistleblowers like her also have "spoken truth to power." This might seem threatening even for a company whose practices, unlike Enron's, are forthright. Even companies whose management is legitimate and therefore need not worry that their employees will tattle to the Feds, feel uncomfortable around those who have blown the whistle.
For a video of the program, click here. To read more comments on this by TB, visit here.
The other thing that should really be clear makes no sense at all: For the most part, a whistleblower will not be hired by anyone in corporate America. That is despite the fact that they have demonstrated a passionate concern for the welfare of the companies for which they work; they have done the right thing, and behaved ethically; All of this would make them ideal employees in any sensible universe. It would seem that any company that behaves in an above-board manner would be glad to have employees such as these.
The problem appears to be that their behavior is an embarrassment to the rest of the workplace. As Ms. Watkins put it, whistleblowers like her also have "spoken truth to power." This might seem threatening even for a company whose practices, unlike Enron's, are forthright. Even companies whose management is legitimate and therefore need not worry that their employees will tattle to the Feds, feel uncomfortable around those who have blown the whistle.
For a video of the program, click here. To read more comments on this by TB, visit here.
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