Evolving Approaches to Hotline Data in Compliance

By Adam Turteltaub It’s time to think bigger when it comes to helpline data.  Yes, it’s still important to look at traditional metrics such as the number of calls and the substantiation rate.  But, there is so much more that can be done. Justin Ross, Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer at Sysco and Carrie Penman, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at NAVEX will be addressing what you can do with your helpline data during their 2025 SCCE Compliance & Ethics Institute session “Numbers That Matter:  Moving Beyond Hotline Data to Identify and Build an Ethical Workplace.” For one, they encourage compliance officers to think about whom they are sharing the data with.  What the board, management and others will want to see is likely to be different. As a result, it’s important to tailor your reporting accordingly. Second, they argue in this podcast that it’s important to not just look at the data reactively.  Instead, think proactively and use it as a way to identify where there are issues to be addressed, either now or potentially in the future. The data can also provide a window into the culture of the organization as a whole, as well as the differences by region or even office.  This approach can help you better understand your risks and where you need to address potential problems. Some of the data they suggest using is: Outcomes of allegations: are they leading to discipline and is it consistent Retaliation issues Substantiation rates Patterns of employee vs. non-employee reports Number of days between allegation and conclusion of investigation Number of days between incident and helpline call Be sure, too, to look at the helpline data in concert with other data your organization has such as employee turnover, exit interviews, culture surveys, audit results and more. In sum, to get the most out of your helpline data, think about all the data that you have, what it can tell about the past and present, how it can guide the future and what’s the best way to share it with each of your audiences. Listen in to learn more, and plan on joining them for the 2025 SCCE Compliance & Ethics Institute.