How Sinch increased misconduct reporting by more than 100%

Sinch is a global communications platform provider headquartered in Sweden with 4500 employees in 60+ countries. Founded in 2008 with the mission to simplify customer communication, they have evolved into a global leader in cloud communications.

Sinch encountered a pivotal moment when European Whistleblowing Directive called for a revolution in their whistleblowing practices. To align with the directive and industry best practices, they recognised the need for a more streamlined whistleblowing system. They had in place an email-based system which, despite its intended purpose, fell short of effectiveness as it did not preserve the anonymity of employees.

The organisation embarked on a journey to transform their culture of reporting and find the right whistleblowing provider they could trust. They since then have teamed up with SpeakUp to introduce a fully anonymous reporting channel, leading to an increase in reports.

We had a conversation with Fredrik Hallgren, the Head of Compliance at Sinch, to find out his experience with implementing SpeakUp and the impact it has had on their employees and organisation at large. The result? 100% more reported cases since introducing SpeakUp, and only a 2-month time to roll the platform out to all 4500 employees. Keep reading to know the details.

The need to move beyond a traditional reporting system

Sinch faced limitations with their previous email-based whistleblowing system, which was underutilised and did not support anonymous reporting—a crucial feature that they looked for as an international company with thousands of employees worldwide. At their core – they always prioritised that everyone must be able to rely on a visible and accessible misconduct reporting channel.

As a multinational organisation, Sinch recognised that the comfort level for reporting misconduct varies greatly – which is why the factor of anonymity is a significant one in encouraging individuals to report issues. For them, ensuring the option of anonymity was not just a preference; it was a necessity.

“Our previous system was web-based and allowed for email reporting, but it was seldom used, primarily because it did not support anonymity. In hindsight, we see that anonymity significantly lowers the barrier for reporting.”

In search of the perfect fit

In search of a whistleblowing solution, Sinch sought a platform within the EU to ensure GDPR compliance, prioritising user-friendliness and cost-effectiveness. Their exploration for a tool that would not only meet legal requirements but also elevate their reporting process led them to a platform that stood out from the rest—SpeakUp.

Along with searching for a whistleblowing tool, they were in the lookout for complementing it with a simplified internal reporting process and bolstering the credibility of the entire function.

“It’s equally crucial to refine the processes and bolster the credibility of the entire function. It's an ongoing challenge, but it's essential to dedicate efforts to this area, which is what we're actively doing. As a result, we're seeing an increase in the number of cases reported.”

Simplifying global misconduct reporting with one, unified platform

Sinch chose SpeakUp whistleblowing platform for its simplicity, ease of use, and the ability to implement it swiftly. Within two months, they rolled out the SpeakUp platform to the entire organisation.

This meant, their previous email-based system shifted to an intuitive, hassle-free platform that streamlines cases for valuable insights.It also offered a high-quality assurance for anonymity and confidentiality, which was crucial for Sinch, lowering the barriers for reporting. This led to a significant increase in reported cases year over year.

“We have been using SpeakUp for two years now, and we noticed that cases of reports have increased by more than 100%.”

Throughout the implementation process, SpeakUp's team was attentive to their organisational needs – which resulted in adopting a whistleblowing solution which tailored to their pain points as an organisation. SpeakUp’s team responding promptly to feedback and facilitated the transition to the next-gen whistleblowing platform—an upgraded version of SpeakUp’s legacy system (which has already been successful for 18 years).

“Our SpeakUp whistleblowing system reassures employees that their anonymity is fully protected. Even when individuals express concerns about their identity being revealed in their messages, we can confidently tell them that without their names being mentioned, there's no way for us to know who they are. And that’s a big assurance for reporters to have.”

Facilitating far smoother operations for case handlers

Fredrik, as a compliance professional, appreciates how SpeakUp is straight forward - which is valuable in his multitasking role. With SpeakUp, when a report comes in, he has a clear action plan and can manage everything through a single tool.

Moreover, the platform's data and insights features provide him with a thorough overview of all cases, enhancing the company's ability to oversee and address issues effectively. Even then, Fredrik mentions how he almost knows all cases at heart; proving that a streamlined whistleblowing tool works in the favour of case-handlers.

A significant shift in receiving cases

Sinch witnessed a significant shift when it came to receiving cases over the two years. The simplicity of SpeakUp removed barriers, empowering employees to report concerns without fear of losing their anonymity. As an international organisation, Sinch is championing towards transparency with a reliable, simple approach to reporting that does not scare away people, rather fosters dialogue.

“People are more inclined to report using SpeakUp, which I believe is due to its simplicity. It's a straightforward process for the reporter: they just click on the link, enter their concern, and then submit it.”