CzechInvest Introduces Forensic Telephone Line and Web Portal

20 Aug. 2013 | CzechInvest | The measure serves to prevent corruption and to improve internal processes.

Clients, suppliers and employees of CzechInvest can now report their suspicions of unethical and illegal conduct via an anonymous telephone line and web portal. The aim of this measure is to increase transparency, enhance the oversight environment and improve the agency’s internal processes.

“The Czech Republic consistently occupies the bottom rungs in evaluations of the level of corruption, and with the introduction of the forensic line and portal, we are showing that we are aware of this problem and that we want to do something about it,” says Marian Piecha, CEO of CzechInvest. “However, this is not only a matter of uncovering corruption; we believe this measure will also help us to improve our services.”

CzechInvest began preparing this project half a year ago, when the agency was still led by Petr Očko, director of the EU Funds Section at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. “With the aim of further improving the transparency of the agency’s operation, the decision to introduce the forensic line and portal was logical. CzechInvest is thus making it clear that it has the will to deal with any possible misconduct on the part of its employees, which increases the agency’s trustworthiness in the eyes of its clients and partners,” Petr Očko adds.

The forensic line is one of the strongest tools based on the “whistleblower” principle for detecting and deterring unethical and illegal conduct. Such tools are an integral part of the oversight environment of private companies as well as of public entities and the state administration.

The system’s independence and anonymity are guaranteed by the provision of the service by a third party, which also ensures that there will be no misuse of information and personal data or dissemination of slander. Upon receiving a telephone or internet contact, the line does not require any mandatory information and does not record, monitor or store personal data, which could subsequently be handed over to the agency or to the Police of the Czech Republic.

CzechInvest will receive only information about suspicious conduct, which it will then assess and verify. This will be followed by corrective measures, which can lead to changes in internal oversight processes, personal consequences and possible transfer of a given case to bodies involved in criminal proceedings.

CzechInvest’s anti-corruption line is in operation every working day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 840 777 788. The internet portal at https://czechinvest.forensicline.eu operates round the clock and offers a user interface in Czech and English, though information can be provided in any language.