Anonymous Reporting for Whistleblowers Now Market Standard, Confirms New Whistleblowing Survey from EQS Group

In the 2023 Whistleblowing Survey conducted by EQS Group, European market leader for compliance tools, it has been revealed that an overwhelming majority of companies follow best practice in their reporting channels and allow whistleblowers to report anonymously. Of 1,002 compliance professionals across 30 countries, 85% of respondents confirmed that their organizations' whistleblowing systems provided anonymous reporting capabilities.

This crucial feature empowers whistleblowers to submit reports without disclosing their identity, ensuring that personal attributes such as IP addresses are concealed, and the whistleblower's data remains encrypted and secure. Larger corporations with 5,000+ employees were particularly diligent in implementing this safeguard, with an impressive 92% of respondents affirming the availability of anonymous whistleblowing options within their organizations.

Further key findings from the survey include:

• Digital whistleblowing as best practice: A substantial 73% of companies opted for digital whistleblowing channels, making it the most popular choice among respondents.
• Well-established adoption of whistleblowing systems: More than 50% of the companies surveyed with a whistleblowing channel confirmed receiving at least one report in 2022, while 25% received 10 or more reports, demonstrating the effectiveness and utilization of these systems.
• Expanded accessibility: Over 70% of companies offering whistleblowing channels now extend access externally to stakeholders such as suppliers, customers, and partners. This proactive approach aligns with the requirements of new European legislation on supply chain due diligence.
• Compliance as a driving force: An impressive 84% of respondents cited compliance with laws and regulations as the primary motivation behind their organization's decision to implement a whistleblowing system. Additionally, 62% highlighted the development of a speak-up culture as a significant contributing factor.

The survey also revealed that whistleblowing channels are predominantly used in good faith, with 57% of respondents reporting no abusive or false reports in 2022.

Marcus Sultzer, Member of the Management Board of EQS Group, commented, "The results of the 2023 Whistleblowing Survey highlight the significant progress made by companies worldwide in embracing whistleblowing channels and particularly anonymous reporting as market standard, a feature which digital whistleblowing systems are ideally placed to provide. It is also particularly encouraging that the majority of companies are now making these channels available to external partners which is a positive step towards transparency in the supply chain. We welcome these results and look forward to further good news regarding adoption of whistleblowing systems and protections as national laws come into force.”

For more information about the 2023 Whistleblowing Survey, you can download the white paper with all results here: Whistleblowing Survey 2023

About the survey

The 2023 Whistleblowing Survey surveyed compliance professionals between March and April 2023, seeking to understand how companies are dealing with the requirements of the new whistleblower protection laws coming into effect across Europe and how well placed they are to overcome future compliance challenges. Respondents represented a diverse range of company sizes, from small and medium-sized enterprises to larger enterprise companies with over 5,000 employees. The majority of participants were based in Europe, with nearly 60% located in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.
 

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