NAVEX 2025 Report Reveals Global Increase in Whistleblowing and Regional Disparities in Response

The latest findings from the NAVEX 2025 Regional Whistleblowing & Incident Management Benchmark Report shed light on the evolving landscape of internal reporting across the globe. Analyzing over 2.15 million reports from more than 4,000 organizations, the report provides a comprehensive overview of whistleblowing trends, emphasizing the importance of robust internal reporting mechanisms in identifying and mitigating risks.

One of the most striking revelations is the disparity in report volumes across regions. North American organizations received more than twice the number of reports compared to their European and Asia Pacific counterparts. Europe, however, experienced the largest increase in reporting levels, signaling a growing awareness or perhaps a heightened sense of urgency among employees to report misconduct.

The report also highlights significant differences in how regions handle these reports. Europe and Asia Pacific not only see fewer reports but also take considerably longer to investigate and close cases, with median closure times of 69 and 56 days, respectively. This contrasts sharply with North America's 19-day median, suggesting potential variations in investigative processes or the complexity of cases across regions.

Another critical finding is the high rate of anonymous reporting in Europe, Asia Pacific, and South America, with rates ranging from 65% to 70%. This trend, coupled with longer times between incident occurrence and report filing in these regions, may indicate a pervasive fear of retaliation among whistleblowers, underscoring the need for stronger protections and more secure reporting channels.

The report's analysis of retaliation cases further emphasizes regional differences, with Europe substantiating retaliation at nearly double the rate of North America. This disparity may reflect varying levels of whistleblower protection and corporate cultures across regions.

Finally, the report introduces new insights into reporting behaviors by company ownership type, revealing that privately owned companies are more likely to substantiate reports than their publicly traded counterparts. This finding could have significant implications for corporate governance and the effectiveness of internal compliance programs.

Overall, the NAVEX 2025 report underscores the critical role of internal reporting in fostering transparent, accountable, and ethical corporate environments. The regional disparities it reveals not only highlight the challenges organizations face in managing whistleblowing reports but also point to opportunities for improving whistleblower protections and investigative processes worldwide.