NAVEX just released its 2026 Whistleblowing & Incident Management Benchmark Report (available for download). The reported results are based on NAVEX’s database of 4,052 organizations, 2.37 million individual reports, and nearly 200,000 conflict-of-interest disclosures made through NAVEX One Disclosure Manager during 2025. Here are some key findings from the executive summary.

Median Reports per 100 Employees once again reached an all-time high. At 1.65 in 2025, reporting increased nearly 5% over the sustained record levels of the previous two years. This is particularly notable given that past periods of economic uncertainty often led to lower reporting levels due to fear of calling attention to oneself. Fewer organizations are experiencing very low reporting activity, and more are receiving higher Reports per 100 employees. Reporting increased across nearly all organization sizes, with the largest enterprises remaining near five-year highs.

Organizations that track all intake channels – Web, Hotline and other sources – consistently report higher visibility into concerns. Monitoring all reporting avenues remains essential to understanding an organization’s full risk profile, particularly as increased reporting places greater demands on response systems.

One of the most significant findings this year relates to Case Closure Time. The median increased by seven days year-over-year, from 21 to 28 days – a 33% increase. No organization size was immune, and nearly every Risk Type experienced longer investigation timelines. Workplace Civility cases, which historically resolved more quickly, increased from 19 to 31 days.

While the percentage of cases open for more than 100 days declined, cases closed within 10 days decreased significantly, signaling pressure on investigative systems. Workforce reductions, economic pressures and increasing case complexity may be influencing timelines. Additionally, integration of AI-enabled tools may introduce additional review steps that enhance insight while extending duration. Regardless of cause, timely resolution remains essential to sustaining reporter confidence.

– Meredith Ervine