The NAVEX 2025 Regional Whistleblowing & Incident Management Benchmark Report offers a detailed analysis of internal reporting trends across Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), North America, and South America, based on over 2.15 million reports from more than 4,000 organizations. The findings reveal a notable disparity in report volumes, with North American organizations receiving more than twice the reports compared to Europe and APAC. However, Europe has experienced the most significant increase in reporting levels, reaching a record high for the region. This surge in whistleblowing activities suggests a growing awareness and possibly an increased willingness among employees to report misconduct.
Investigation and closure times for cases vary significantly by region, with Europe and APAC taking longer than North America. Despite these differences, the substantiation rates of cases remain consistently high globally, with nearly half of all reports being valid. This consistency underscores the reliability of whistleblowing as a tool for uncovering misconduct.
Anonymous reporting is most prevalent in South America, followed by APAC and Europe, a trend that may reflect concerns over retaliation. The substantiation rates for retaliation cases further highlight the need for effective whistleblower protection mechanisms, particularly in Europe where the rate is nearly double that of North America.
The report also examines preferred reporting channels and finds regional preferences that could guide organizations in tailoring their whistleblowing programs. Additionally, it provides new insights by company ownership type, with privately owned companies showing higher substantiation rates than publicly traded ones.
Carrie Penman, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at NAVEX, stresses the critical role of trusted reporting channels in preventing minor issues from becoming major liabilities. The report's findings not only shed light on the current state of whistleblowing across different regions but also call for organizations to enhance their internal reporting mechanisms to foster a culture of transparency and accountability.
