Whistleblower scheme

Kolding School of Design follows the legal criteria for who may report as a whistleblower. This means the following groups are eligible:

• Employees (current, former, or prospective)
• Volunteers
• Interns
• Business partners, provided they are self-employed or work under the direction and supervision of, e.g., suppliers
• Members of management and the board

Students are not eligible to report under this scheme. This is due to legal limitations preventing the school from ensuring students’ anonymity and confidentiality in whistleblower reports. However, students who have a student job or volunteer at Kolding School of Design are covered by the scheme.

Reports can be submitted anonymously, but Kolding School of Design encourages individuals to state their name, as this allows for faster and more efficient handling. In cases such as (sexual) harassment, the matter cannot be processed without knowing the identity of the affected party.

There are no precise criteria, but reports should concern serious matters that have occurred or are likely to occur. Examples include (not exhaustive):

• Breach of confidentiality
• Misuse of funds
• Theft
• Serious harassment
• Serious or repeated violations of administrative principles

Examples of matters not covered (not exhaustive):

• Breaches of internal guidelines such as smoking policy or sickness absence policy

You should have concrete knowledge or a well-founded suspicion of serious misconduct before using the scheme. Each case is assessed individually.

Kolding School of Design has appointed the law firm Poul Schmith to conduct an initial screening of all reports. The law firm has access to the school’s whistleblower portal and is the sole recipient of all initial submissions.

During this screening, Poul Schmith assesses whether the reporter and the reported matter fall within the scope of the scheme. If not, the report will not proceed, and you will be informed and guided on where to direct your concern. If the case potentially falls within scope, it will be investigated further.

Further investigations are usually conducted by Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower unit. If the report concerns the school’s executive management, the investigation will be handled by Poul Schmith in collaboration with the board.

The extent of the investigation depends on the specific circumstances.

Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower unit is responsible for:
a) Receiving reports after Poul Schmith’s initial screening and communicating with the whistleblower
b) Investigating and following up on these reports
c) Providing feedback to whistleblowers

The whistleblower unit, which is responsible for tasks outlined in points a–c, consists of a designated group of individuals at Kolding School of Design.

The whistleblower unit and the law firm Poul Schmith handle all reports confidentially, and the individuals appointed to receive and follow up on reports are subject to a specific duty of confidentiality regarding the information contained in the reports.

The school’s whistleblower scheme allows anonymous reporting of critical issues to a trusted unit that can follow up on the case. You can communicate anonymously via the portal throughout the process.

Note: If you submit a report from a device on the school’s network or via the whistleblower link on the school’s website, your activity may be logged as part of general IT monitoring. To remain anonymous, use a private or public device not connected to the school’s network.

If you’re uncomfortable reporting to Kolding School of Design directly or doubt the objectivity of the process, you can submit your report to the Danish Data Protection Agency, which operates an external and independent channel: Datatilsynet (whistleblower.dk)

You are protected under the Danish Whistleblower Protection Act (Act No. 1436 of 29 June 2021). This ensures confidentiality of your identity and report contents, and whistleblower reports are exempt from public and GDPR-based access rights.

This protection only applies to reports deemed within the scheme's scope. It does not cover reports from individuals outside the scheme or reports concerning matters not covered by it.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have several rights, including:

• The right to access your data
• The right to request correction or deletion
• The right to request restricted processing

To exercise these rights, you must confirm your identity so the whistleblower unit can ensure your data is protected and not shared inappropriately.

Read more in our Privacy Policy for the Whistleblower Scheme.

Report on Whistleblower Activity for the Year 2024

Below are details regarding the activity within Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower scheme for the year 2024, in accordance with Section 27 of the Danish Whistleblower Protection Act.

• Reports received: 12
• Reports processed substantively: 10
• Reports dismissed: 2
• Reports resulting in a police report: 0
• Themes of reports processed: work environment, offensive behaviour, and breaches of administrative law principles.

Report on Whistleblower Activity for the Year 2023

Below are details regarding the activity within Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower scheme for the year 2023, in accordance with Section 27 of the Danish Whistleblower Protection Act.

• Reports received: 1
• Reports processed substantively: 0
• Reports dismissed: 1
• Reports resulting in a police report: 0

Report on Whistleblower Activity for the Year 2022

Below are details regarding the activity within Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower scheme for the year 2022, in accordance with Section 27 of the Danish Whistleblower Protection Act.

• Reports received: 0
• Reports processed substantively: 0
• Reports dismissed: 0
• Reports resulting in a police report: 0

Report on Whistleblower Activity for the Year 2021

Below are details regarding the activity within Kolding School of Design’s whistleblower scheme for the year 2021, in accordance with Section 27 of the Danish Whistleblower Protection Act.

• Reports received: 0
• Reports processed substantively: 0
• Reports dismissed: 0
• Reports resulting in a police report: 0