While many organisations stand proudly behind their ethical ethos, there is always room for improvement. Julie Fenton tells us how important it is to embrace technology and new ways of working to ensure a genuine culture of integrity.

Most Irish organisations set out to conduct their business with integrity. Indeed, most senior leaders believe their organisations adhere to the highest ethical standards. It is only when they measure those aspirations and beliefs against independent benchmarks that potential weaknesses and shortcomings are exposed.

The EY Global Integrity Report revealed that many organisations find gaps between what they say is important and how they behave. This 'say–do' gap can have severe implications in critically important areas like employee engagement and customers' perceptions of the organisation.

Bridging that gap can present challenges for even the most well-resourced organisations. Integrity is not simply a question of laying down rules and protocols; it must permeate the organisation's culture.

Organisations that successfully build a culture of integrity take more than a 'tick box approach' to compliance. Senior people lead by example, engage with their teams, and follow through on any issues that may arise. 

For a high integrity culture to thrive, values must be shared across every level and function within the organisation. Those values must include a commitment to a high degree of transparency and zero tolerance for transgression. There are several steps leaders can take to embed a high integrity culture.

Act at speed to address issues

Data-enabled and robust fraud and corruption risk assessments are essential tools for protecting your organisation. Still, these assessments will be of little value if they are not followed up with prompt action to address any weaknesses or poor behaviours uncovered.

Take a human-centred approach

While they may facilitate it, systems and processes do not commit fraud. Even the best and most rigorously enforced compliance frameworks can be compromised without a strong culture of integrity.

Unlock the power of your data

Many organisations see the growth in data volumes as a threat due to the increased compliance obligations placed on them by GDPR. This is the wrong way to look at it. More data means more power to combat fraud.

Organisations can apply analytics and other technologies to use their data to detect irregular behaviour, assist in its investigation, and guide future measures to prevent recurrence. They can also use their data to support their sustainability journey and environmental, social and governance reporting.

Prioritise education ahead of training

Training people on the implementation of processes and procedures is important but does not encourage the behaviours that will support the integrity agenda. Training must be augmented by communication and education, ensuring everyone understands why integrity is critically important to the organisation's success.

Implementing these actions can not only help to embed a culture of integrity in organisations but can also add to the bottom line. Organisations that leverage data analytics and technologies such as artificial intelligence to monitor integrity performance and gain insights into anomalous events and behaviours can move beyond compliance to create long-term value for the business.

Julie Fenton is Head of Forensics & Integrity Services and Global Operations and Talent Leader Forensic & Integrity Services at EY.