Question

multiple choice question
why should systems for reporting ethical violations be anonymous?

to make it easier for managers to ignore ethics complaints

to keep the public from finding out about the ethics violation

to discourage employees from reporting minor violations

to protect whistleblowers from retaliation

Explanation:

• The first option is incorrect as the goal of ethical reporting systems is not to help managers ignore complaints.
• The second option is wrong because the purpose of reporting is not to hide violations from the public.
• The third option is incorrect as the system should encourage, not discourage, reporting of violations (minor or major).
• The fourth option is correct because anonymity in ethical violation reporting systems is primarily to protect whistleblowers from retaliation by those involved in the violation or the organization, as they may face negative consequences if their identity is known.

Answer:

D. To protect whistleblowers from retaliation