Hanzo Introduces Investigations for Compliance — Addressing #MeToo Hotline Reports
Hanzo has introduced Hanzo Dynamic Investigator for Compliance, an AI-powered online investigations technology that is designed to automate social media and web investigations, according to the company.
“This new data and evidence can help substantiate allegations of misconduct, unethical behavior, and regulatory failure,” Hanzo said in a release. “Corporations can improve their response to the growing volume of hotline reports of harassment, misconduct, bribery, fraud, and other illegal and non-compliant activity that undermine employee confidence and damage a corporation’s culture and reputation.”
The release continues:
Harassment reporting is growing more prevalent in the wake of the #MeToo movement. October 2018 data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) shows there’s been a 12 percent yearly increase in sexual harassment charges filed with the agency.1 The reporting category of “HR, Diversity, and Workplace Respect,” which sexual harassment and misconduct fall under, accounts for 70 percent of all hotline activity in NAVEX Global’s data set, comprised of over 1 million compliance hotline reporting data points from thousands of global organizations. 2
With the increasing volume of whistleblowing and hotline reports of misconduct and newly published guidance from the Department of Justice (DOJ)3, compliance investigators are under pressure to promptly and thoroughly investigate and substantiate claims. Unfortunately, only 41 percent of harassment reports and 29 percent of discrimination reports were substantiated in 2018.4 Moreover, case closure for these types of investigations has crept upwards of 40 days—well exceeding best practice case closure of 30-32 days.5
In short, compliance teams are struggling to promptly confirm a majority of the reports they investigate, due in part to their inability to quickly and easily find the requisite evidence, which undermines program effectiveness and increases long-term corporate risk beyond any specific allegation of misconduct.
With Hanzo Dynamic Investigator, compliance departments can increase investigation efficiency and speed, and equip teams with the knowledge to conduct more thorough interviews.
