Risk management is at the top of the list for companies searching for ways to reduce fraud and other ethical issues. An organization may already have a compliance program within their company; however, integrating an ethics hotline can improve program effectiveness. Here are some key ways to support your existing efforts when you successfully incorporate an ethics hotline.

Aligning with Code of Conduct

A company’s code of conduct sets the standards and expectations of management and staff. Implementing an ethics hotline should support and complement the code of conduct and ethics practices. The hotline’s availability should be routinely communicated to employees, and the importance of using it to uphold the ethics policy’s code of conduct should be clearly stated.

Incorporating into Training Programs

Consistent training is best to instruct employees on submitting a report through the hotline channels and recognizing when it is appropriate to file a report. Various forms of instruction can be used, including role-playing or videos depicting the use of an ethics hotline. These situational modules are more relevant to employees and can influence them to emulate ethical behavior.

Enhancing Whistleblower Protections

Employees should not be afraid of retaliation after reporting inappropriate behavior. An organization’s anti-retaliation policies should offer layers of necessary protections to whistleblowers. One such layer is the anonymity—based ethics hotline.

Streamlining Incident Management

An incident management system can be streamlined to incorporate all aspects of reports submitted via the hotline. This system might include analytical data, examination, and final resolution in the report. The internal entities involved with reporting and ethics policy compliance should work together to enable administration and engagement throughout the organization.

Monitoring and Analytics

Close monitoring of the data from use and reporting via the ethics hotline keeps organizations abreast of repetitive issues, weak areas, or policy language that may need improvement. This kind of data can be incorporated into routine assessments to measure the efficacy of the current policies. They can also be used to maintain compliance with regulations and laws.

Policy Development and Updates

Ethics policies are ideally flexible, updating as situations arise or laws and regulations change. Data that is received from ethics hotline reports is useful in the development of improved policy language and the integration of new data relevant to new laws and regulations.

Promoting Ethical Culture

Use an ethics hotline to support your efforts to promote a positive company culture. An ethical culture is possible by engaging employees through training sessions and building positive (and transparent) relationships between staff and management. The anonymous reporting capability of a hotline protects those necessary relationships and demonstrates your company’s commitment to preserving a positive workplace environment.

A hotline can piggyback on existing compliance structures by closing the gap between unreported inappropriate conduct and full agreement with your organization’s policies. Consider adding an ethics hotline to your existing ethics policy programs, knowing how seamlessly it can support those existing efforts. And let Ethical Advocate get you started. We can help tailor an ethics program for you!