Will the identity of whistleblowers be protected?

The whistleblowing form is confidential and anonymous. To protect the identity of whistleblowers we do not request any personally identifying information. We also ask that when you are completing the form that you do not include any information that could identify you.

Will anybody, including GHI, know that I have visited the whistleblower page and filled out a form?

The GHI server collects the IP address of visitors to the website. An IP address is a unique address that identifies a device on the internet and its location (city, country). It also identifies who pays for the internet connection. Hence, if you are using your own computer, this information could be used to establish that your computer is used, although not who has been using it. It is better to use a public device, e.g. at an internet café, or to access the form via a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is set up as an app on your device. When you access the form using a VPN, it redirects your Internet connection, making it more secure and helping you to stay anonymous.

Will my employer know that I have visited the whistleblower page and filled out a form?

Some companies may be able to track which computers, whilst logged into their network, have visited the whistleblower website. You could potentially be identified by them. For this reason, there are a number of safeguards that we recommend you to follow:

1. Do not use a company phone or computer
2. Do not use the internet of the company
3. Open the website in a "private" tab or "incognito" window, this will prevent that the website shows up in your web browser history
   • Chrome: Windows, Linux, or Chrome OS: Press Ctrl + Shift + n , Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + n
   • Firefox: Windows, Linux: Press Ctrl + Shift + p , Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + p
   • Safari: Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + n
   • Edge: Windows, Linux: Press Ctrl + Shift + p , Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + n

If you take these precautions, it will be nearly impossible to find out that you ever submitted a form.

Does the whistleblower form use cookies and will they identify me?

This website and the whistleblower form do not use cookies.

Is it possible for a third-party to intercept the information that I add to the form?

Information can only be intercepted, for the short period of time, when you submit the form and its content is transferred to our server. However, the form content is encrypted (using HTTPS) and so in the very unlikely situation where someone intercepts the data stream, they would not be able to decipher the content.
Once the form data is submitted to GHI, it is kept separate from any information about the IP address, device or network used. It is anonymously stored on our secure, standalone and dedicated server, under EU jurisdiction, complying with EU regulations. At this stage, it will be impossible to link the form to your device or network.

How is the information I submit used?

The anonymous information is evaluated by experts appointed by GHI. If the experts conclude that the report requires intervention for food safety reasons, an alert will be sent to the country specific food safety authorities, recommending to investigate the reported incident.