Read the case study:

$6\mathrm{.}1$ THE PROBLEMATIC WHISTLEBLOWER

Paul O'Doherty is the ethics officer for a medium$-$sized petroleum company. The company has a comprehensive ethics program that is his responsibility. The program includes a code of business conduct that outlines the values that guide behaviour, identifies conflicts of interest, specifies appropriate and inappropriate practices, and provides an approach to reporting violations or suspected wrongdoing. One aspect of the reporting system is an employee Hotline; employees can contribute in written form, such as by email, or orally, by telephone or in person. Participants must identify themselves and all communications go directly to Paul.

He reports directly to the corporate secretary and legal counsel: the identity of the employee is not disclosed and confidentiality is maintained except in rare cases where there is legal action.

Paul is a member of the Ethics Practitioners' Association of Canada $($EPAC$).$ According to EPAC, the skills of an ethics officer include "facilitating constructive dialogue on ethics$-$related issues, analyzing ethics issues and problems, and providing coherent. realistic solutions to ethical issues."$3!$ His job has been rewarding and he has enabled the company to keep abreast of developments in the ethics area. The