Ethics and Compliance Training – The Cultural Foundation of the Organization | Navex

[author: Linda Luty]

When employees join a new organization, one of the first things they experience during the onboarding process is ethics and compliance training. These trainings not only convey key information to help the company maintain regulatory compliance, but are also an opportunity for the company to demonstrate the culture and values ​​that employees are expected to uphold.

A strong showcase for corporate culture requires some consistent practices and multiple stakeholders. A corporate culture that begins with the hiring process and persists as an ongoing discipline must be created from the top down and permeated throughout the organization. One of the key elements of our corporate culture is ethics and compliance. Training programs are the first to introduce an organization’s stance on E&C.

E&C training includes conduct, compliance, employment law, and information security training. This broad definition includes topics such as workplace harassment, diversity, fairness and inclusion, codes of conduct, cybersecurity, anti-bribery and corruption. It also includes all forms of training (e-learning, email, face-to-face, virtual, blended, instructor-led, etc.) on E&C topics.

Beyond the cultural touchpoints that E&C training provides, effective training benefits your organization.

• Create a culture of ethics and respect by clearly outlining cultural priorities
• Efficiently provide employees with the information they need to do their jobs
• Prevent fraud by ensuring expectations are communicated
• Establish legal defenses in the event of a misstep
• Avoid litigation entirely by establishing and practicing an ethical and compliant culture

While there are legal standards on what compliance training should include, certain best practices can help your organization stay compliant.After all, beyond the “checkbox” requirements and minimum requirements should do it A goal for all organizations that pursue ethics and compliance as core cultural values.

Whether you’re just starting out or re-evaluating, the most important step is identifying your program’s maturity. This will clarify program objectives, identify weaknesses, and determine the budget needed to increase program maturity.

To that end, NAVEX partnered with the Ethics and Compliance Initiative to offer a free Ethics, Risk and Compliance Maturity Assessment. To learn more about the state of the program, Click here for appraisal.

NAVEX adheres to the ECI Quality Program Maturity Model and uses the following ratings to categorize the maturity of E&C programs:

• undeveloped: Ethics and compliance program activities are non-existent or not the foundation of the organization.Where programs exist, they are decentralized
• Define: Ethics and compliance programs are established but not accepted by the organization and are tactically operated
• adapting: Ethics and compliance programs are beginning to incorporate assigned accountability for key ethics and compliance risks.inconsistent
• manage: Ethics and compliance are embedded in program controls and procedures that function as an integral part of our business processes.
• optimizing: Program activities follow best practices in ethics and compliance program management and demonstrate external leadership in this area.

Most people reading this blog would state that achieving an optimized and consistent E&C program is the ultimate goal. Yet, according to survey data from the 2022 Definitive Risk & Compliance Benchmark Report, only 62% of organizations have a risk and compliance training plan in place.

If the old adage “He who doesn’t plan plans for failure” is true, then it’s worth asking yourself where your organization really falls, both on the maturity spectrum and in the completeness of your E&C training plan.

According to survey data from the 2022 Definitive Risk & Compliance Benchmark Report, only 62% of organizations have a risk and compliance training plan in place.

Determining training frequency is not an exact science. There is no single universal standard, but two simple terms. Regularly When effective – Described in a wide range of regulations and guidance. By conducting regular and effective training, organizations can benefit while maintaining regulatory compliance.

Another important factor is to implement risk-based training. Although this is a US Department of Justice requirement, all organizations can benefit from using this strategy. From a risk-based perspective, regulators want to know whether organizations are adequately training the right people on the right topics. If the answer isn’t a clear “yes”, there’s something to do.

The values ​​conveyed in ethics and compliance training, the quality of training content, and strategically targeted training topics all interact to help shape an organization’s culture. Between the values ​​upheld in our Code of Conduct and the materials presented in our E&C training, these first points of contact become the cultural driving force of our company.

Creating a culture of ethics, compliance, and respect begins with the hiring process, through onboarding, and throughout the employee’s career. Using quality training to regularly update your employees on the right themes that demonstrate your company’s values ​​is one of many tools in your toolbox used to build and spread culture.

There is a strong correlation between culture and reputation that should not be ignored. Profitability comes when culture takes precedence. Organizations that believe otherwise will risk a new story exposing a toxic culture in Above the Fold. Organizations with strong work cultures are generally perceived to have higher retention and satisfaction rates and have a better reputation. Both can be difficult to calculate concrete values ​​for, but companies with these attributes typically perform better.

No matter how long an ethics and compliance training program has lasted, it is never a bad idea to revisit it through the lens of a strong culture as the desired outcome. Learn more below about how to demonstrate the value of an E&C training program and how to plan, implement and measure it.

Download the Definitive Guide to Ethics and Compliance Training

View original article in Risk and Compliance Issues