The humble hotline is taking on renewed importance as employee reports of potential corporate wrongdoing surge amid the global pandemic and as more jurisdictions pass whistleblower protection laws. A robust internal reporting mechanism gives a company the opportunity to address an issue before an employee potentially takes the concern outside the company, but as whistleblower awards increase and enforcer expectations shift and change, companies must ensure that their reporting mechanisms are up-to-date, accessible and effective. In the first part of this two-part series, we look at the growing attention to whistleblower protection and internal reporting across jurisdictions, and how companies can ensure that their reporting mechanisms are updated. The second part will explore how companies can encourage employees to use the hotline and how data collected from a hotline can be used to improve a compliance program. See “In-House Compliance Experts Provide Practical Insights on Establishing and Maintaining Whistleblower Hotlines” (Aug. 16, 2017).