Internal investigations have been on the rise due to an increase in whistleblower allegations and internal complaints during the global pandemic. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced more whistleblower awards in 2021 than any prior fiscal year and the growing trend is expected to continue. With so many more reports and allegations requiring attention, organizations have struggled to prioritize and complete investigations in a timely manner. While legal and compliance concerns generally take center stage, assessing the credibility of internal complaints to prioritize investigative efforts, as well as the outside perception of the organization, the people involved, and the impact of an investigation, are equally important considerations.

Intelligence—comprising focused research leveraging publicly available sources and information gathered from well-established networks of human sources—provides a means to accomplish these objectives.

The Investigations Climate