News Room

March/April 2009 | Training
The Right Stuff
A recent article in Training Magazine entitled, “The Right Stuff,” featured The Network and Cisco Systems. The article provides insight into creating a unique ethics training program and covers several important aspects to consider such as: importance of leadership, defined company values, collaboration between departments, multiple training channels and more. Messaging is also important, according to Gabriel Romero, director of marketing at The Network, “You need to engage employees in a soothing way about ethics and compliance, instead of turning them off with the law.” To read the article in its entirety, click here.

April 2009 | Leadership Excellence
Outside-the-Box Ethics
The April issue of Leadership Excellence magazine featured a by-lined article by Luis Ramos. The article, “Outside-the-Box Ethics,” discusses the importance of making ethics training a part of a company-wide initiative to promote integrity. Ramos also provides five key characteristics that set apart companies with a strong ethical culture. To read more, visit Leadership Excellence at: www.leaderexcel.com. Please note: membership may be required.

March 2009 | Stores
Combating Theft in Tough Economic Times
National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Stores magazine featured an article discussing the increasing threat of employee theft during a depressed economy in its March 2009 issue. The article, by-lined by Luis Ramos, CEO of The Network, advocates organizations to revisit and revamp LP programs to ensure they are properly gathering and analyzing data about loss. These measures, along with customized intake solutions and comprehensive communications campaigns, can help retail organizations reduce the negative impact of this financial threat. To read the article in its entirety, click here.

2/26/09 | Business to Business Magazine
Leveraging LMS to Strengthen Compliance Training Programs
Business to Business Magazine recently featured The Network’s Kevin O’Malley in their “Technology Thursday” podcast to discuss the positive impact Learning Management Systems (LMS) have on compliance training. In the podcast, O’Malley explains that organizations can provide more engaging ethics and compliance training, and reduce the associated costs, by using an LMS. O’Malley also reveals how an LMS can be used to reach global audiences. To listen to the podcast, click here.

2/1/09 | SCCE’s Compliance and Ethics Magazine
Grade "A" Ethical Culture: Cisco’s Award-Winning Ethics Initiatives
The Network and Cisco were recently featured in the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Compliance and Ethics Magazine (February, 2009). The article highlights Cisco’s award-winning Code of Business Conduct (COBC) and a series of educational modules entitled, “Ethics Idol,” which were designed and developed by The Network’s mPower Communications agency to help Cisco reinforce their commitment to an ethical workplace. To read the article in its entirety, visit www.corporatecompliance.org Please note membership may be required.

12/4/08 | Business to Business Magazine
The Rise of Corporate eLearning: Taking Training and Certification to the Next Level
Business to Business Magazine recently featured The Network's Ralston McCracken in their "Technology Thursday" podcast who discussed corporate eLearning, the nuances of communicating in a high-tech era and how organizations are turning to more creative communications methods to engage their employees. McCracken also provides tips on using eLearning and speaks to the ROI it provides as well as the benefits of training and certification and the importance of establishing measurable objectives. To listen to the Podcast, click here >>

12/2/08 | The Ragan Report
Ethics Training Goes Interactive at Cisco
The Network and Cisco were featured in The Ragan Report and on Ragan.com which profiled Cisco’s “Ethics Idol” and its Code of Business Conduct (COBC). Both were produced by The Network’s mPower Communications agency. Cisco’s Jeremy Wilson says, “Ethics Idol has been a huge hit with our new hires, but the true test of success was that our engineers loved it.” The COBC also fared well – 94% of employees indicated that the new COBC was easier to read; 95% said it was easier to comprehend. To read the article visit Ragan.com. Please note: membership may be required.

10/1/08 | Worldlink Newsletter
How Cisco 'Idolized' Its Global Ethics Program
Cisco’s unique, global ethics program was featured in a case study in the October 2008 edition of Worldlink. The study offered insight into how The Network’s mPower Communications Agency partnered with Cisco to create excitement around the topic of ethics using interactive training tools and a successful certification process (99.6% of Cisco employees certified that they received and read the COBC within 10 weeks of its release). The Network’s Ralston McCracken notes, “Anytime you can get employees to engage in the material and follow up with questions and clarifications is viewed as a success.”

10/1/08 | International Association of Business Communicators
Cisco’s Code of Business Conduct Awarded 2008 Silver Quill
Cisco and The Network were recently recognized with the 2008 Silver Quill Award presented by the Southern Region of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Cisco engaged The Network’s mPower Communications agency to re-write and re-design their Code of Business Conduct to enhance readability and to create an interactive electronic version that included bookmarks and search capabilities. The award of excellence for Technical Writing was presented at the IABC Southern Region Conference in Denver, CO on September 29, 2008.

9/11/08 | TechLinks
The Network’s Ralston McCracken to Discuss Interactive Code of Conduct
The Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA) selected The Network’s Ralston McCracken to speak at the 2008 ACUA Annual Conference. McCracken’s presentation will include the latest trends in the compliance industry and the practical uses of an interactive code of conduct for creating and sustaining a culture of ethics. According to McCracken, “The code of conduct has come a long way, and organizations are learning that this component of an ethics program plays a critical role in developing an ethical culture.”

9/8/08 | SHRM Online
Cisco Introduces ‘Ethics Idol’ to Enhance Ethical Culture
Cisco and The Network were featured in the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) online magazine for their partnership in reaching out to Cisco’s 65,000 global employees to promote an ethical workplace. Executives from both organizations discussed the success of ‘Ethics Idol,’ a parody of ‘American Idol.’ Jeremy Wilson, Cisco’s Ethics Manager said, “With thousands of employees voting on ‘Ethics Idol,’ the initiative was a huge success.” The Network also rewrote Cisco’s Code of Business Conduct which was released earlier in 2008. To learn more, visit: http://www.shrm.org/oed/. Please note: membership may be required.

September 2008 | ACC Docket
Whistleblowers: The Human Factor in Ensuring Compliance
The Network was featured in the September issue of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Docket in an article written by Marian Exall, The Network’s corporate counsel. The article begins with a look back at how The Network’s founder, Ralph Childs, pioneered business ethics hotlines. Exall discusses the importance of partnering live people with an internal reporting channel to build an ethical culture and reduce fraud. To read the article in its entirety, click here: More »

August/September 2008 | Fraud Intelligence
Tuning the Whistle
In a recent article for the UK-based publication, Fraud Intelligence, The Network’s Ralston McCracken reviews statistical information generated from the Corporate Governance and Compliance Hotline Benchmarking Report and then speaks to the significance of using benchmarking information to create an ethical culture. The article also discusses the European Union Working Party directives regarding whistleblower hotlines as well as an Ernst and Young survey which reveals the 13 EU countries that indicate the need for stronger whistleblower protection.

8/20/08 | Press Release
The Network, Inc. Releases Enhancements to its Reporting Analytics Tool: Advanced Filtering Capabilities and Improved Graphics Ensure Access to Critical Information
The Network, Inc., a technology-based company providing ethics and compliance services, insurance claim reporting and employee communication services to nearly half of the Fortune 500, has announced enhancements to its reporting analytics tool which gives users increased capabilities when evaluating whistleblower hotline and case management data. More »

8/12/08 | Forbes.com
Auditor's Office Sets up Fraud, Abuse Hotline
The State of New Mexico recently partnered with The Network to implement a hotline for government employees to report fraud, waste and abuse. In this article, which appeared on Forbes.com, state auditor, Hector Balderas states, “The fact that New Mexico didn’t have a comprehensive statewide system I believe was a hole in fraud detection.” Now, government employees at all levels have the option to report issues such as the use of government property for personal use, violation of contracting rules or theft 24/7 and, if they choose, remain anonymous. To read the article in its entirety, click here: http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/12/ap5314156.aspx

8/11/08 | The Providence Journal/projo.com
Hotline Set for Reports of Fraud, Waste at Landfill Agency
The Providence Journal reports that the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation has partnered with The Network to establish a 24/7 hotline. The Bureau of Audits decided to adopt a third-party hotline after a recent preliminary investigation revealed the potential occurrences of fraud and waste at the agency. The Chief of the Bureau of Audits elected to establish the hotline in order to “…restore public confidence in the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation.” To read the article click here: http://www.projo.com/news/content/abuse_hotline_08-14-08_2NB7CK0_v6.403e606.aspx

Summer 2008 | Journal of Government Financial Management
Hotlines Can Help Government Agencies Control Misconduct
The summer issue of Journal of Government Financial Management featured The Network’s Vice President, Ralston McCracken, in an article discussing the value of hotline programs within government agencies. Like many corporations, an increasing number of government agencies are also actively promoting their hotlines and educating employees about recognizing fraudulent behavior through ethics communications. To read the article, “Hotlines Can Help Government Agencies Control Misconduct,” visit: http://www.agacgfm.org/publications/journal/. Please note: membership may be required.