Is your warehouse experiencing unnecessary ethics or safety risks? If you’re not quite sure how to answer, you may want to consider implementing an ethics hotline! It’s the one tool that can not only mitigate risks you’re not seeing, but it has a host of additional benefits, too. More and more production facilities and warehouse companies like yours are tapping into the countless advantages of an ethics hotline for improved safety and reinforced ethics on the job. Today, we’ll share how warehouse and fulfillment centers are reducing their risks with an ethics hotline.

1. Reduce Risks of Shop Floor Accidents

You may have thorough safety policies in place for conduct on the warehouse or production room floor. And you might also have a dedicated Safety Manager enforcing PPE and safety protocol. But you’re also aware that accidents and near misses still occur. The ethics hotline can be a help and line of defense, allowing fellow workers to report concerns immediately and anonymously. When you can’t be everywhere, you can delegate everyone to participate in following safety procedures.

2. Reduce Risks of Sexual Harassment

When your fulfillment center integrates an ethics hotline, you lay in a safeguard to reduce risks of sexual harassment or improper conduct. With a confidential channel for reporting, anyone who experiences or witnesses unwanted advances or behavior can report it anonymously and without concern of retaliation. All of your staff, including temporary workers, seasonal staff, and full-time leadership employees, can benefit and feel comfortable on the job knowing you have a zero-tolerance policy and reporting method.

3. Reduce Risks of Theft

If your distribution center or warehouse is home to products awaiting fulfillment, you have theft risks. And despite your best efforts to monitor and manage the product, you likely still have instances of theft. However, ethics hotlines are great solutions to help tighten your efforts. Have your workers help you keep an eye out for misappropriations. They can report suspicious behavior or instances of employee theft and will do willingly, knowing the hotline is entirely anonymous.

4. Reduce Risks of Regulatory Fines

Depending on the nature of your warehousing business or fulfillment center, you’ll likely be required to follow regulatory guidelines. At the very least, you adhere to OSHA standards. Violating these regulations can result in lofty fines and penalties. But with an ethics hotline, you can encourage teams to report issues before official violations occur, allowing you to address and remedy situations quickly.

5. Reduce Risks of Discrimination

Wherever there are layers of management and supervision, there presents a risk of discrimination. From hiring discrimination to promotions and employee reviews, employee discrimination can occur. To avoid these scenarios and reinforce fair and equitable management, leverage the benefits of an ethics hotline. When anyone experiences discrimination or believes another team member has been discriminated against, your company has a method of confidential reporting.

Let Ethical Advocate Help

If your warehouse, distribution center or production line is still operating without an ethics hotline, contact Ethical Advocate today! Start taking advantage of these risk mitigation benefits and improve ethics and safety in your company culture.