3.2.6 Outlook

The two case studies show the crucial function of whistleblowing systems in the mining sector. Unfortunately, there are many more international cases, such as Samarco (2015) or the Pike River disaster (2010), that illustrate how internal warnings are often ignored, indicating that often, only external escalation might have the power to prevent harm. Successful internal whistleblowing cases likely remain undocumented. Although many countries have enacted legislation prohibiting reprisals and ensuring confidentiality, the practical protection of whistleblowers still requires harmonization, further development, and especially the establishment of a positive whistleblowing culture. The gap between legal provisions and lived practice is particularly wide in organizations with pronounced power asymmetries or in states with weak rule of law. An adequately implemented whistleblowing system combined with a positive whistleblowing culture therefore constitutes an indispensable component of effective governance in the mining sector.