The FCA has expanded its whistleblowing team as it launches a campaign to encourage more whistleblowers to report potential wrongdoing at their firms.

The FCA has also expanded the headcount on its whistleblowing team. 

The team is trained to debrief and interact with whistleblowers as well as liaising with departments across the watchdog.  

The FCA has also introduced a mandatory e-learning module for staff to help identify potential whistleblowers and make sure any intelligence received by the FCA is dealt with y and that identities are protected. 

The FCA’s website has been updated to provide more comprehensive information for potential whistleblowers and the Whistleblowing team is developing a confidential web form, increasing the ways in which whistleblowers can make disclosures to them. 

Whistleblowers can choose to remain anonymous and identities will be protected, the regulator said, unless legally obliged to do so. 

The campaign, 'In confidence, with confidence', calls on individuals working in financial services to report potential wrongdoing to the FCA and also reminds them of the confidentiality processes in place. 

The watchdog has published materials for firms to share with employees and plans to use events to highlight the campaign.

It has also produced a digital toolkit for industry bodies, consumer groups and whistleblowing groups to encourage individuals to have “confidence” to step forward. 

Whistleblowers that report to the FCA will get a dedicated case manager and can meet with the FCA to discuss their concerns and get optional regular updates throughout the investigation. 

Every report the FCA receives will be reviewed and the FCA has pledged it will protect individual whistleblowers’ identities. 

Mark Steward, executive director of Enforcement and Market Oversight at the FCA, said: “We want all whistleblowers to feel welcomed by us and to feel safe because of us.

“We listen to all whistleblowers and, if they shine a light on serious misconduct, we want to make sure we act responsibly. When whistleblowing works well it helps consumers, markets and firms and keeps everyone safe and that is our aim.”