STAIRS
EU Funded Projects
Criminology
Criminology, Victimology, Law, Forensic Science, Security.
Defined areas of expertise, scientific accuracy, professional seriousness, and our commitment to reliable results.
Research
Robust methodology, professional experience, continuous updating. An interdisciplinary and international team for research and innovation, inserted in the most important professional and scientific networks at global level.
Training
A complete, modular, updated training offer, designed to provide specific skills, professional focuses, interdisciplinary knowledge in several technical and scientific sectors, with a special attention to innovation and AI.
Consulting
A team of experts at your disposal for customised consultancy, dedicated solutions, and project planning, management and implementation, with access to international networks of professionals and institutions to support and promote your development, research, and innovation activities.
STAIRS
Safeguard the Truth - AI Solution for Whistleblower Reporting Support
Whistleblowers play a critical role in uncovering fraud, mismanagement and waste, by revealing information that would otherwise go unnoticed and unreported.
One of the main problems that potential whistleblowers face is the uncertainty of what the future holds after their report. Research shows that the certainty of anonymity provides a positive boost to report even in cases of distrust towards the system used.
Whistleblowers often have questions about what their rights are during and after the reporting process. One of the biggest concerns are long-term consequences for career, personal life and financial security.
With the aim of raise awareness of the importance of whistleblowers and their protection, under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) the STAIRS project has been approved and financed.
STAIRS project was created to contribute to the fight for the rights and safety of whistleblowers. EUROCRIME is part of a consortium that has complementary skills, rich knowledge and experience to approach the problem in an innovative way, trying to get the best out of advanced technology, while preserving the human cooperation as an irreplaceable basis.
EU Directive (2019/1937) will be used as the framework. The central part of the project are forums, capacity building workshop, and an open source AI-based tool.
The main features of the AI-based tool will be:
- Up-to-date legal advice
- Personal guidance based on their specific situation
- 24/7 support through a chatbot
- Help in addressing mental health issues by referring them to relevant sources
- Guaranteed anonymity
Guidelines and links to whom they should contact further
At Union level, reports and public disclosures by whistleblowers are one upstream component of enforcement of Union law and policies. They feed national and Union enforcement systems with information, leading to effective detection, investigation and prosecution of breaches of Union law, thus enhancing transparency and accountability.
Stategic Objectives
- Build capacity on the effective application of the Directive on whistleblower protection, by creating an AI-driven chatbot, contributing to the spread of information about the Directive, improving people’s knowledge and skills;
- Protect, promote and raise awareness of fundamental rights establishing cooperation with 60 CSOs who are dealing with wistleblowers, providing them with tool and direct support;
- Organize capacity-building training for CSOs and build connections to other organizations, institutions and companies;
- Increase awareness and understanding by the general public and by potential whistleblowers through the organization of forums and subsequent dissemination activities;
- Create an environment for reporting and informing on breaches of the Union law, through the AI-driven tool, events, promotion and dissemination.
- Contribute to data collection on whistleblower reports by recording the data collected by the AI-driven chatbot in strict compliance with the GDPR.
The STAIRS project is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme of the European Union (Grant Agreement n. 101214785 — STAIRS — CERV-2024-CHAR-LITI).
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