Creating a culture of integrity requires more than a code of conduct—it needs trusted, easy-to-use reporting channels and a response process employees believe in. Ethics hotlines (also called whistleblower or speak-up lines) give your people a safe way to flag concerns about fraud, harassment, retaliation, safety issues, conflicts of interest, and more. The best providers go well beyond a phone number: they offer multilingual intake across web, phone, and mobile apps; anonymous two-way communication; triage and routing; case management; dashboards; trend analysis; and airtight data security.
What are Employee Ethics Hotline Providers?
Employee Ethics Hotline Providers are third-party companies or service platforms that help organizations set up and manage confidential “speak-up” channels where employees can report misconduct, compliance concerns, or workplace issues. These hotlines act as safe, secure, and often anonymous ways for employees to share concerns about fraud, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, conflicts of interest, safety risks, or other ethical violations without fear of reprisal.
Instead of relying solely on internal reporting—where employees may worry about bias or retaliation—ethics hotline providers offer independent systems. These typically include phone lines, web portals, mobile apps, and even SMS reporting. Reports are logged into secure case management systems where HR, compliance, or legal teams can review, investigate, and resolve issues.
The role of these providers goes beyond just a phone number. They ensure:
- Confidentiality and anonymity so employees feel safe reporting.
- 24/7 availability with multilingual support to accommodate global workforces.
- Two-way communication so organizations can request clarifications while protecting anonymity.
- Case management tools to assign, track, and close investigations.
- Analytics and dashboards that highlight patterns, risks, and areas for culture improvement.
Below are ten standout employee ethics hotline providers. Each profile explains how the service works, why employers choose it, and what kinds of organizations it suits best. Descriptions are written for HR leaders, People Ops teams, and compliance owners who want practical context rather than jargon.
1) NAVEX (EthicsPoint)
NAVEX is one of the most recognized names in speak-up programs, and EthicsPoint is its flagship hotline and incident management platform. Companies choose NAVEX when they want a mature toolset that scales from a few hundred employees to global workforces with complex reporting structures. Employees can submit reports by phone, web, or mobile, remain anonymous where legally permitted, and communicate back and forth with investigators through secure mailboxes.
On the back end, NAVEX provides robust triage rules, workflow automation, and audit-ready documentation. Case managers can set SLAs, assign tasks, capture evidence, and generate heat maps or trend reports that highlight recurring risks. NAVEX’s strength is breadth—policy management, training, and risk assessments all sit in the same ecosystem—so compliance leaders can centralize more of their program over time without stitching together multiple vendors.
2) OneTrust (formerly Convercent)
OneTrust (known to many from the Convercent acquisition) offers an integrated ethics and compliance suite with a strong ethics hotline and case management foundation. Its employee experience is clean and modern, nudging more people to report concerns early. Intake spans web forms, phone lines, and QR codes that can be placed on posters, badges, or intranet pages—handy for hybrid and field teams.
Where OneTrust stands out is analytics and stakeholder alignment. The platform converts raw reports into dashboards that resonate with HR, Legal, and Audit—time-to-close, category trends, and geographic patterns are simple to view and share. If you’re already using OneTrust for privacy or third-party risk, adding the ethics line consolidates your data governance posture and helps leadership see culture and compliance risks in one place.
3) Ethico (formerly ComplianceLine)
Ethico specializes in employee trust and usability. Its hotlines are available 24/7/365 with trained, empathetic call handlers and a strong multilingual footprint. Employees can report via phone, web, SMS, or in-app, and the platform’s two-way anonymous messaging keeps conversations going without exposing identities. Many organizations pick Ethico for healthcare-grade sensitivity and the human touch during intake.
The case management tools focus on speed and clarity. You can create category-based workflows (e.g., HR, safety, finance), define escalations, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks. The vendor’s “trust-first” philosophy shows up in practical details like easy bookmarkable links, printable posters, and manager toolkits—resources that help you launch and continuously promote the program, not just install software.
4) Lighthouse Services
Lighthouse Services has been offering confidential reporting channels for decades and is known for reliability, value, and straightforward implementation. Its core hotline product includes 24/7 live agents, web reporting, and email intake, with options for secure follow-up and anonymity. Organizations that want dependable coverage without a complicated rollout often shortlist Lighthouse.
The administrative portal makes it simple for smaller HR teams to triage issues and maintain thorough records. You can tag cases by category, assign investigators, and export reports for board updates or audit committees. Lighthouse also emphasizes program materials—templates for wallet cards, posters, and policy language—so you can promote speak-up awareness without building collateral from scratch.
5) WhistleBlower Security (IntegrityCounts)
WhistleBlower Security’s IntegrityCounts platform pairs flexible intake with a highly configurable case management experience. Employees can report through web, phone, or mobile, choose their language, and opt for anonymity. The system then funnels cases into queues with customized workflows, SLAs, and access controls to keep sensitive issues tightly governed.
A major advantage is the platform’s transparency for investigators. Case timelines, evidence attachments, and collaborator notes are easy to follow, reducing confusion in multi-department reviews. Leadership gains visibility through customizable dashboards and periodic program health summaries, making it simpler to demonstrate how issues are handled and how improvements are tracked over time.
6) ClearView Connects
ClearView Connects focuses on stimulating a “speak-up, listen-up” culture. Beyond web and phone hotlines, it encourages ongoing dialog between reporters and case handlers, enabling clarification questions and updates without compromising anonymity. This is valuable when initial reports are incomplete or emotionally charged—investigators can seek specifics and move faster.
ClearView’s reporting tools surface themes that HR and compliance can act on quickly—harassment in a particular shift, safety shortcuts in one facility, or recurring policy confusion in a department. The system’s simplicity helps organizations with lean teams: you can launch with core workflows and add sophistication gradually as your program and data mature.
7) Red Flag Reporting
Red Flag Reporting is popular with mid-market companies and public entities that need a cost-effective, no-nonsense hotline program. It offers web, phone, text, and email intake options; anonymous two-way messaging; and clear routing to designated reviewers. The emphasis is on accessibility—posters, wallet cards, stickers, and intranet buttons that make the hotline unmistakable across the workplace.
Administrators get clean case tracking, exportable logs, and concise summaries for leadership. Red Flag Reporting is particularly attractive for organizations rolling out their first formal hotline: pricing is approachable, the setup is quick, and you still get the essentials—confidential reporting, documentation, and a process you can stand behind during audits or board meetings.
8) AllVoices
AllVoices began as an employee relations (ER) platform and has evolved into a full speak-up and case management solution that HR teams love. The interface feels familiar—structured categories for misconduct, bullying, discrimination, safety, and suggestions—so employees understand how to report without training. Anonymity is preserved, yet the two-way communication channel helps HR gather context and close cases with care.
On the back end, AllVoices brings traditional ER tasks into the same hub: intake, investigation notes, corrective actions, and trend reporting. For organizations where HR—not Legal—owns the hotline, this alignment streamlines workflows and ensures insights from hotline cases feed back into training, manager coaching, and culture initiatives.
9) EQS Integrity Line
EQS Integrity Line is widely adopted across Europe and multinational organizations that need strong support for EU Whistleblowing Directive requirements. The platform offers secure, multilingual intake and fine-grained access controls to keep reports confined to appropriate case handlers in each jurisdiction. Data residency and security features meet the expectations of international legal teams.
Investigators benefit from structured forms that guide reporters to provide actionable detail while keeping the process simple. Dashboards can be segmented by country, business unit, or category, enabling global oversight without losing local nuance. If you operate across borders—and particularly within the EU—EQS is a trusted option that aligns with legislative expectations.
10) Whispli
Whispli is a modern, secure platform designed for frictionless reporting and rich two-way communication. Employees can submit concerns via web or mobile portals and remain anonymous while exchanging follow-up messages, uploading files, or answering questionnaires. This conversational approach reduces back-and-forth emails and accelerates fact-finding.
Security and privacy are core to Whispli’s architecture, appealing to industries with sensitive IP or regulatory exposure. Organizations appreciate the configurable workflows, SSO support, and APIs that fit into existing HRIS or ticketing systems. For teams that want a polished UX and strong adoption among digital-native employees, Whispli is a compelling choice.
How to Choose the Right Hotline for Your Organization
Start with the people who’ll use it. If your workforce spans plants, retail sites, and hybrid teams, prioritize a provider with phone + web + SMS + app options and trained live agents who handle multiple languages. Make sure reporters can remain anonymous where allowed and still receive updates through a secure inbox—they’ll be more likely to speak up if they know someone is listening.
Then look at workflows and reporting. Your investigators need clear triage, assignment rules, and due-date tracking to prevent stalled cases. Leaders need dashboards that highlight trends, hotspots, and cycle times. A strong provider will also include materials—policy language, posters, talking points—that help you launch and sustain awareness. Finally, confirm security, access controls, and data retention policies align with your legal and privacy obligations, especially if you operate in multiple countries.
Implementation Tips for HR & Compliance Teams
Plan the rollout like a change-management initiative, not just a software project. Introduce the hotline during all-hands, manager huddles, and onboarding. Place QR codes and short URLs where employees actually look—break rooms, locker areas, shift checklists, intranet homepages. Give managers a one-page guide on how to respond when someone reports a concern directly and how to route issues into the system.
Measure early and often. Track awareness (can employees name the hotline?), adoption (report volumes by channel), and responsiveness (time to first response, time to close). Pair the data with qualitative feedback from exit interviews, pulse surveys, or ER summaries. Over time, share trend insights with leadership and your board—hotspots reduced, training adjusted, policy clarified—so the program is seen as a driver of culture and risk reduction, not just a compliance checkbox.
Final Thoughts
A credible speak-up program protects people and performance. The providers above—NAVEX, OneTrust, Ethico, Lighthouse Services, WhistleBlower Security, ClearView Connects, Red Flag Reporting, AllVoices, EQS Integrity Line, and Whispli—cover a spectrum from enterprise suites to nimble, high-adoption platforms. Pick the one that matches your workforce, regulatory footprint, and investigation process, and invest as much in promotion and manager training as you do in software. When employees believe their voice matters and see action taken, the entire organization benefits.
