Despite legal requirements and growing pressure from the public and investors, only 27 percent of German companies consider their current whistleblower systems to be “very effective.” This is the result of a recent internal analysis by global compliance solutions provider NAVEX. At the same time, nearly half of the surveyed companies reported serious compliance incidents within the past three years. In light of these developments, the internationally active provider of integrated risk and whistleblowing management software is expanding its presence in Germany. The new activities will be led by Oliver Riehl, who now serves as Regional Vice President, and will drive development and sales in the region.
Berlin, 24.06.2025. Since July 2023, companies in Germany with 50 or more employees have been legally required to establish internal whistleblower systems. This means they must offer a secure and confidential channel to report issues such as theft, fraud, corruption, data protection violations, or other legal breaches. However, many organizations still struggle with the practical implementation—both technically and operationally. “What we observe in Germany is a significant need to catch up. Many companies still rely on in-house solutions, which are often neither compliant with data protection laws nor user-friendly or scalable,” says Oliver Riehl, Regional Vice President at NAVEX. According to a recent NAVEX internal survey, 46 percent of German companies feel overwhelmed by the complex and constantly evolving regulatory requirements. This sense of uncertainty hampers efforts to develop an open and trustworthy reporting culture. “Whistleblowers—meaning employees who wish to report internal misconduct—need the confidence that their reports will be taken seriously and handled securely,” says Riehl. “If that trust is lacking, critical information often goes unreported.” NAVEX’s Regional Whistleblowing Benchmark Report 2025 highlights the urgency: German companies document significantly fewer reports than their international counterparts. While the median in North America is 1.75 reports per 100 employees, Europe (excluding the UK) comes in at only 0.70—with Germany trailing. In addition, 59 percent of reports in Germany are submitted anonymously—a clear sign of a lack of trust. “The high rate of anonymous reports indicates that many employees fear retaliation if they speak out openly,” explains Riehl. “That shows how important it is to build a genuine speak-up culture—especially here in the DACH region. External, independent whistleblowing systems play a key role here—particularly because they technically enable anonymous reporting and help build trust.”
Three Times Slower Than the U.S.: European Companies Lag Behind in Case Resolution
Despite—or perhaps because of—the growing number of reports, their relevance remains high. The substantiation rate, meaning the percentage of fully or partially confirmed reports, stands at 48 percent in Europe. This indicates solid investigative processes and a well-informed workforce. However, the Benchmark Report also reveals a serious weakness: While cases in North America are closed in a median of 19 days, European companies take an average of 69 days—more than three times as long. For Oliver Riehl, this is further proof that companies in the region need external expertise: “What we’re seeing is clear pressure to professionalize. Regulatory compliance alone is not enough. Companies need secure systems, transparent processes, and a workforce that trusts their concerns will be addressed.”
NAVEX Expands Local Presence and Infrastructure in Germany
To better support companies in Germany in addressing these challenges, NAVEX has strengthened its local presence and expertise with a registered office and data centre in Frankfurt. A key step is the appointment of Oliver Riehl as Regional Vice President of Sales. With his extensive experience in compliance and transformation projects, he will play a central
role in market development and infrastructure expansion in Germany. Riehl brings over 20 years of leadership experience in regulated industries. Most recently, he served as Head of Sales DACH and Country Manager at ICIS, where he successfully built the company’s Frankfurt office and drove growth across Central Europe. He previously held leadership positions at Refinitiv and Thomson Reuters. With its expansion into the DACH market, NAVEX aims to strengthen sales and consulting locally and continue to invest in infrastructure such as its Frankfurt data center that protects customer data and privacy in Germany.
Compliance Management as a Strategic Early-Warning System
With over 13,000 customers worldwide, including numerous large enterprises, NAVEX is one of the most established global providers in the field of governance, risk, and compliance. The NAVEX One platform integrates various modules for whistleblowing, compliance training, policy management, and third-party risk monitoring. In recent years, the platform has been continuously enhanced to meet rising demands for the supply chain, data protection, and international scalability. For German companies in particular, such integrated solutions are becoming increasingly important—they help organizations implement regulatory requirements efficiently and foster a transparent and trustworthy reporting culture. “An effective whistleblower system is not just a legal obligation,” advises Riehl, “it is a critical early-warning tool for organizational risks—and a measure of credible corporate culture.”
The full benchmark report is available here.
About NAVEX:
Trusted by over 13,000 organizations, including 70 percent of Fortune 100 and 500 companies, NAVEX is the global leader in risk and compliance solutions. Its NAVEX One platform strengthens risk and compliance programs, empowering organizations with unparalleled industry benchmark data and insights. NAVEX One provides a 360-degree view of enterprise, third party and ecosystem risk for enhanced regulatory compliance and proactive risk management. Based in Lake Oswego, OR, with a global presence, NAVEX continues to shape the future of governance, risk and compliance. Visit our blog or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. More Information can be found here: www.navex.com/de-de