Common Questions

What is the Gartner Ethics Helpline?

The Gartner Ethics Helpline is a confidential reporting mechanism that helps Gartner identify and resolve matters that violate laws, regulations and policies. The Gartner Ethics Helpline is not intended to replace existing policies or procedures or less formal methods of resolving internal complaints or concerns regarding routine matters. Rather, it is intended to complement the processes and procedures already in place and provide an additional reporting tool to associates and others.

What is EthicsPoint?

EthicsPoint is a is a third-party, independent reporting service provided by NAVEX that operates the Gartner Ethics Helpline on behalf of Gartner. When you contact this service, you do not have to give your name, and your call is not recorded. You may call at any time 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

What types of matters may I report?

If you are in a European Union (EU) country, you may only report to the Helpline on the following matters: bribery, auditing and accounting, banking and financial issues, public health, public procurement, protection of privacy and personal data, and security of network and information systems. These restrictions exist because some EU countries restrict what may be reported, and these laws change frequently. However, if you would like to share concerns related to issues beyond the 10 issue types above in the EU, please contact your manager or HR (if you are a Gartner associate) or the Office of the Ombuds and we will endeavor to treat any such reports or discussions confidentially, subject to the need to conduct an investigation where appropriate. Please note that callers who report ethics and compliance concerns in good faith will be protected from any form of retaliation.

If you are outside the EU, you may report on a wider range of matters including, but not limited to: discrimination, harassment, retaliation, conflicts of interest, inappropriate behavior, unfair employment practices, substance abuse, threats and physical violence, bribery, insider information, fraud, theft and antitrust matters.

Is the Gartner Ethics Helpline for emergencies?

The Gartner helpline is not intended for emergency use. If you need emergency assistance or believe a crime is in progress, call 911 (or your local equivalent) immediately.

What happens when I contact the Gartner Ethics Helpline?

A customized web intake form or a professional interview specialist will document your concerns and relay the information to the designated Gartner official for review, possible investigation and follow up. Reports are handled promptly and are treated as confidential to the extent possible.

After this interaction, you will you receive a unique, randomized number called a “Report Key” and will be asked to choose a password. You may return to the EthicsPoint system either by Internet or telephone and access the original report to add more detail or answer questions posed by a Gartner representative. On the follow-up date, you will be provided with a brief message and may be asked questions submitted by those reviewing your report to help them resolve it.

Why should I report a matter?

You have an ethical obligation to report any matter that you become aware of that violates the law, regulations or Gartner policies. If you report a matter in good faith, please know that you will not be retaliated against and will face no retribution.

What if I remember something important about the matter after I file a report?

You may add information to your report at any time by returning to the online web form or by calling back in and providing your “Report Key” and password.

What if I still have questions about the Gartner Ethics Helpline?

If you have questions or concerns about the Gartner Ethics Helpline, contact the Office of the Ombuds at ombuds@gartner.com.

If I see a violation, shouldn't I just report it to my manager, security, or human resources and let them deal with it?

When you observe some behavior that you believe violates the Gartner Code of Conduct, we expect you to report it. Ideally, you should bring any concerns forward to your direct manager or other member of our management team, HR Partner or Ombuds. We recognize, however, that there may be circumstances when you are not comfortable reporting the issue in this manner. It is for such circumstances that we have the Gartner Ethics Helpline. We would rather you report anonymously than keep the information to yourself.

Reporting Security & Confidentiality

It is my understanding that any report I send from a Gartner computer generates a server log that shows every website that my PC connects with. Won’t this log identify me as the report originator?

NAVEX does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC to EthicsPoint is available.

If you feel uncomfortable making a report on your work PC, you may use a PC outside our work environment (such as one located at an Internet café or at a friend’s house) through the EthicsPoint secure website. Many people choose this option, as NAVEX’s data shows that fewer than 12% of reports are generated during business hours.

May I file a report from home and still remain anonymous?

A report from home, a neighbor’s computer, or any Internet portal will remain secure and anonymous if you request anonymity. An Internet portal never identifies a visitor by screen name, and the EthicsPoint system strips away Internet addresses so that total anonymity is maintained.

I am concerned that the information I provide EthicsPoint will ultimately reveal my identity. How can you assure me that will not happen?

The EthicsPoint system protects your anonymity. However, if you wish to remain anonymous, you - as a reporting party - need to ensure that the body of the report does not reveal your identity by accident. For example, “From my cube next to Jan Smith…” or “In my 33 years…”.

Is the telephone toll-free Helpline confidential and anonymous, too?

Yes. You will be asked to provide the same information that you would provide in an Internet-based report and an interviewer will type your responses into the EthicsPoint Web site. These reports have the same security and confidentiality measures applied to them during delivery.

What if I want to be identified with my report?

There is a section in the report to identify yourself, if you wish.

Tips & Best Practices

I am aware of some individuals acting unethically, but it doesn't affect me. Why should I bother reporting it?

When you observe unethical behavior, you are obligated to act in Gartner's best interest, even if you think there may be consequences for a colleague. Our incident-management processes are designed to make sure reports are investigated fairly.

I am not sure if what I have observed or heard is a violation of company policy, or involves unethical conduct, but it just does not look right to me. What should I do?

File a report. NAVEX can help you prepare and file your report so it can be properly understood. We'd rather you report a situation that turns out to be harmless than let possible unethical behavior go unchecked.

What if my manager or other managers are involved in a violation? Won’t they get the report and start a cover-up?

The EthicsPoint system and Gartner incident-management processes ensure that implicated parties are not notified or granted access to reports in which they have been named.

Are follow-ups on reports as secure as the first one?

All EthicsPoint correspondence is held in the same strict confidence as the initial report, continuing under the umbrella of anonymity.

What if I lose my Report Key or forget the password I created?

To ensure that security and confidentiality is maintained, if you lose your report key or password, you will need to file a new report. Mention in the new report that it is related to a report or question you previously submitted.

May I still file a report if I don’t have access to the Internet?

You may file an EthicsPoint report from any computer that can access the Internet. You may file from home. Many public locations, including public libraries, have Internet computers. If you don’t have access to or are uncomfortable using a computer, you may call the EthicsPoint toll-free helpline, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.