Ethics hotlines aren’t just reserved for protecting employees, promoting safe work environments, or whistleblowing. They’re also great tools used to protect your company’s digital assets. With so much of today’s business being conducted online, there are privacy and security measures to consider. And your organization might have proprietary software solutions that need added layers of protection. There are so many advantages to incorporating an ethics hotline. These are just a few key benefits to consider, especially in a digital environment.

1. Protect Digital Communications

With many now working in a remote environment, communications are increasingly digital. And an ethics hotline can be a great resource for protecting company communication, sensitive discussions, and private conversations. An ethics hotline can ensure that when violations in communication occur, you have a deputized staff to anonymously report those instances.

2. Safeguarding Proprietary Digital Assets

Your company takes diligent steps to protect proprietary digital assets. You might have trademarks, copyrights, or patents in place. And as shepherds of those assets, you might require employees to sign confidentiality agreements or non-competes. Don’t let those efforts to protect proprietary information stop there. An ethics hotline can ensure that your assets are protected ongoing since violations can be safely and anonymously reported at any time.

3. Keeping Client Information Private

Part of your business model includes collecting and protecting client-related information. You invest in robust software that operates with privacy and monitoring mechanisms in place to make sure you don’t experience breaches in client-related information. An ethics hotline can be an added layer of protection when protecting sensitive information about your clients. From contact information to revenue and company metrics, it’s imperative you lay in every protection to ensure security and privacy.

4. Improving Ethical Interoperability

Some business models require increased sharing of information digitally. You’ll want to have certain safeguards in place to promote ethical interoperability between those channels. For example, what your Human Resources office collects about an employee you don’t want to share with other areas of your company. Sales and marketing data about clients may be something you don’t want to share in public digital domains, either. Taking necessary steps to improve ethical interoperability is one step. Using an ethics hotline can be the follow-up step to ensure you’re quick to identify breakdowns in how information is shared between databases, departments, and staff.

Remember, an ethics hotline can do more than just serve as an outlet for reporting instances of harassment, fraud, or discrimination. Today’s businesses, rooted significantly in online transactions and engagement, are realizing the additional benefits of an ethics hotline in protecting digital assets. From communication to proprietary information and beyond, providing your teams with the information and anonymous reporting channels will ensure that every aspect of your company remains secure and protected. If you’re not sure how vulnerable your digital assets are right now, let Ethical Advocate help you assess your situation. Our team can also help you develop your ethics hotline to ensure your asset protection efforts continue to improve.