Glossary
Ethics Hotline
The US-origin term for what EU Directive 2019/1937 calls an internal reporting channel. Historically operated by call-centre vendors such as NAVEX EthicsPoint, the term implies phone-first intake. Modern ethics hotlines also offer web, email, and chat. A phone-only hotline does not satisfy Article 9 on its own, since reports must be possible in writing too.
Full definition
An ethics hotline is the US-origin term for what EU Directive 2019/1937 calls an 'internal reporting channel'. Historically operated by call-centre vendors (most famously NAVEX / EthicsPoint), the term implies phone-first intake, though all modern ethics hotlines also offer web, email, and chat. Under EU Directive 2019/1937 Article 9, a channel must allow reporting in writing, orally, or via a physical meeting if requested. A phone-only hotline does not satisfy that requirement on its own. The web-first reporting channel (as Confidly is built) is increasingly the default in the EU.
Related terms
- Internal Reporting Channel A confidential mechanism inside an organisation through which employees and other workers can report breaches. EU Directive 2019/1937 Article 8 requires every legal entity with 50 or more employees to operate one, accept reports in writing, orally, or through a physical meeting, acknowledge within 7 days, and provide substantive feedback within 3 months.
- Speak-Up Culture An organisational culture in which employees feel safe raising concerns about misconduct, ethics, or safety. A channel alone is not enough: employees must trust that raising a concern is safe, taken seriously, and acted on. Research from the Ethics and Compliance Initiative finds 2 to 3 times higher report volumes and earlier detection in strong speak-up cultures.