Trident is committed to promoting and maintaining good corporate governance and a culture that is lawful, ethical, and responsible.
We encourage our current and former employees, clients, suppliers, contractors or other third parties involved in Trident activities, and the relatives of such persons, to report any misconduct or improper situations or circumstances involving Trident. This is also referred to as ‘reportable conduct’.
If you have reasonable grounds to believe that misconduct or other wrongdoing is occurring at Trident, we encourage you to speak up at your earliest convenience. All disclosures can be reported confidentially. Individuals who report misconduct can do so safely and securely, confident that they will be protected and supported.
What is Whisteblowing?
Whistleblowing is the reporting of misconduct, or an improper situation or circumstance that has occurred or is occurring, within an organisation. It is the process of identifying and reporting a wrongdoing and is often referred to as ‘making a disclosure’.
Whistleblower Hotline “Stopline”
Trident’s confidential reporting process is supported by an independent, confidential hotline specialising in receiving disclosures of reportable conduct. This service is called ‘Stopline’. Disclosers may make a confidential and anonymous disclosure of reportable conduct to Stopline using any of the following methods:
Phone: 1300 30 45 50 (Australia only)
Online: tridentservices.stoplinereport.com
Email: makeareport@stopline.com.au
Mail: Trident Services Australia, c/o Stopline, PO Box 403, Diamond Creek, VIC 3089
APP: Stopline365 (free download from the Apple iTunes store and Google Play)
Anonymity
An individual may remain unidentified or use an alias and still be protected under Australian law when making a disclosure. Anonymous disclosures will be assessed in the same way as if the individual’s identity was known.
A discloser can remain anonymous over the course of any investigation and after it is completed. They have the right not to answer a question that may reveal their identity during any investigations into matters they have raised.
Who is a Whistleblower?
A whistleblower (also referred to as a ‘discloser’) can be a current or former employee, client, supplier or contractor to Trident or their employees, or a relative, spouse or dependent of any of the persons listed above.
Protections under Australian Law
People who make disclosures about reportable conduct are entitled to protections and remedies under Australian law if the disclosures are made within the provisions of those laws. It is important to read Trident’s Ethical Behaviour Policy prior to making a disclosure.
What is Reportable Conduct?
Reportable conduct is any current or past misconduct or other improper situation, or circumstance conducted by a person or persons connected with Trident, and which the discloser has reasonable grounds to suspect has occurred or is occurring, which is:
- Fraudulent (e.g., misappropriation of funds, money laundering, or other significant financial irregularities)
- Corrupt (e.g., offering or accepting a bribe or kickback)
- Illegal (e.g., serious theft, illicit drug sale/use, violence or threatened violence, criminal damage against property, modern slavery practices and/or other offences against commonwealth laws which are punishable by imprisonment)
- In breach of legal or regulatory requirements (e.g., a breach of the Corporations Act, or the Taxation Act); and
- Conduct that represents a danger to the public (e.g., covering up known faulty products or services capable of causing significant danger to the public or the environment).
Reportable conduct does not cover personal work-related grievances such as:
- An interpersonal conflict between Trident employees or with other parties
- A decision about the terms and conditions of employment, or the engagement, transfer, or promotion of an individual; or
- A decision to discipline, suspend, or terminate an employee.
Such grievances can be raised through the mechanisms outlined in Trident’s Grievance Procedure (refer to link below). However, if a disclosure is a mixed report about misconduct and a personal work-related grievance, these may still constitute reportable conduct.
