Goldman Sachs publishes guide for employees on raising integrity concerns

Goldman Sachs’ Business Integrity Program sets out clear reporting channels for employees and members of the public to raise possible violations of law, policy, or ethical standards. The program provides both anonymous and named reporting routes, confidentiality protocols, and an explicit prohibition on retaliation, and explains how reports are handled and escalated through compliance and investigative teams.

Employees can submit concerns via a third-party web form designed to allow anonymous or named disclosures. For those who prefer telephone contact, the program lists global toll-free numbers by jurisdiction so callers can reach the appropriate intake channel in their country. The Business Integrity Program covers a wide range of integrity issues including accounting concerns, regulatory breaches, harassment, conflicts of interest, and other conduct that may affect the firm’s compliance posture.

Reports are routed to designated compliance, Human Resources, and investigations personnel who determine the appropriate next steps. The program emphasizes confidentiality in intake and investigative stages, noting that information is shared only on a need-to-know basis to protect privacy and the integrity of the inquiry. Goldman Sachs also affirms that retaliation against individuals who raise concerns in good faith is not permitted and describes remedies and escalation paths for alleged retaliation.

For workers, the program creates a formalized, multiple-access pathway to report misconduct without relying solely on line managers. That can change workplace dynamics by lowering barriers to disclosure and increasing upward visibility of compliance issues. At the same time, managers and compliance officers should expect a steadier flow of reports and a need to manage investigations, documentation, and remediation while balancing confidentiality obligations.

The Business Integrity Program functions as a primary, authoritative resource for employees preparing to report issues or for those following workplace investigations. For journalists and internal stakeholders, the program provides useful context for understanding how complaints are processed, how protections are applied, and what triggers formal inquiries.

Practical steps for employees are straightforward: use the third-party web form if anonymity is important, call the toll-free number for your jurisdiction for direct intake, retain records of relevant communications, and notify the Business Integrity Program or Human Resources if you believe you have experienced retaliation. Clear procedures and multiple reporting routes aim to make raising concerns more accessible; the next test will be how consistently protections and investigative standards are applied in practice.