The bank has set aside 50 million Canadian dollars ($37.46 million) to improve its corporate governance, including a hotline for employees to report wrongdoing.

While there is seldom an affirmative legal duty to report wrongdoing, having been asked about the fall you ought not have lied.

In other cases, those who report wrongdoing in the workplace, known as whistle blowers, put their job at risk because they might be retaliated on.

Often, this is because the worker reported wrongdoing (often, but not always sexual harassment or other misconduct) on the part of the supervisor.

He has created a foundation to reward people who report wrongdoing in government and business with $10,000 prizes.

Such a strategy, they contend, makes officers reluctant to report wrongdoing because they know their own lives will be ruined as a result.

"Anything that gives employees a level of comfort to report wrongdoing is a positive step," she said.

When it comes to ordinary civilians, both law and ethics impose only a limited duty to report wrongdoing.

The lieutenant worked in what was known as the field associate program, which recruited young officers to secretly report wrongdoing.

Just as important as the new rules, he said, is letting people know that if they report wrongdoing, they will not be ostracized.