Editing Whistleblowing (section)

=== Channels for whistleblowing ===

==== Internal channels ====
Most whistleblowers are internal whistleblowers, who report [[misconduct]] on a fellow employee or superior within their company through anonymous reporting mechanisms often called [[hotline]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases|publisher=Cengage Learning|year=2017|isbn=978-1305500846|pages=194}}</ref> Within such situations, circumstances and factors can cause a person to either act on the spot to prevent/stop illegal and unacceptable behavior, or report it.<ref name="Rowe">{{cite journal |last1=Rowe |first1=Mary |last2=Wilcox |first2=Linda |last3=Gadlin |first3=Howard |title=Dealing with — or Reporting — "Unacceptable" Behavior* (With additional thoughts about the "Bystander Effect") |journal=Journal of the International Ombudsman Association |date=2009 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=52–64 |url=https://mitsloan.mit.edu/shared/ods/documents?PublicationDocumentID=5397}}</ref> There are some reasons to believe that people are more likely to take action with respect to unacceptable behavior, within an organization, if there are complaint systems that offer not just options dictated by the planning and control organization, but a ''choice'' of options for absolute confidentiality.<ref>Mary Rowe, "Options and choice for conflict resolution in the workplace" in ''Negotiation: Strategies for Mutual Gain'', by Lavinia Hall (ed.), Sage Publications, Inc., 1993, pp. 105–119.</ref>

Anonymous reporting mechanisms,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2014/10/25/elements-of-an-effective-whistleblower-hotline/|title=Elements of an Effective Whistleblower Hotline|website=corpgov.law.harvard.edu|date=25 October 2014}}</ref> as mentioned previously, help foster a climate whereby employees are more likely to report or seek guidance regarding potential or actual wrongdoing without fear of retaliation. The coming anti-bribery management systems standard, [[ISO 37001]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=65034|title=ISO 37001:2016 – Anti-bribery management systems – Requirements with guidance for use|website=www.iso.org|date=9 December 2021 }}</ref> includes anonymous reporting as one of the criteria for the new standard.

==== External channels ====
External whistleblowers report misconduct to outside people or entities. In these cases, depending on the nature of the information, whistleblowers may report the misconduct to lawyers, the media, law enforcement or [[consumer protection|watchdog agencies]], or other local, state, or federal agencies. In some cases, external whistleblowing is encouraged by offering monetary rewards.

==== Third-party channels ====
Some organizations use third-party services to provide a confidential channel for employees. According to the Whistleblowing Benchmark Report 2025 by Safecall, over 60% of companies surveyed now rely on external providers to manage whistleblowing disclosures, citing improved trust and reporting rates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Whistleblowing Benchmark Report 2025 |url=https://www.safecall.co.uk/resource/whistleblowing-benchmark-report-2025/ |website=Safecall |access-date=20 May 2025}}</ref> In addition to protecting the identity of the whistleblower, these services are designed to inform the individuals at the top of the organizational pyramid of misconduct, usually via integration with specialized [[case management software]].{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Implementing a third-party solution is often the easiest way for an organization to promote compliance, or to offer a whistleblowing policy where one did not previously exist. An increasing number of companies and authorities use third-party services in which the whistleblower is also anonymous to the third-party service provider, which is made possible via toll-free phone numbers and/or web or app-based solutions that apply [[Public-key cryptography|asymmetrical encryption]].{{citation needed|date=December 2023}}