Research, Branding Are Key to Inclusive Compliance Programs: Expert

Published in COSMOS Magazine: Navigate the Compliance Universe

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Branding and storytelling can help create an inclusive, engaging compliance program that emphasizes core values and inclusivity—particularly if they’re paired with market research that accounts for views from throughout the organization, according to a diversity, ethics and compliance strategist.

“Embrace branding to increase visibility and cut through the noise,” advised Nichole Pitts, founder and CEO of Ethintegrity, and a former vice president of ethics and compliance.

It’s possible to “use [branding] for great storytelling, and to do it in an innovative and inclusive way, utilizing different departments and modalities to ensure that there’s synergy across your organization, and then having that go into your clear policies and then looking at ways that you can measure the success of your program,” she said at a Dec. 6 webinar sponsored by the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics.

Branding is defined as “delivering an intentional experience to make your audience feel something and have them choose you as their top choice,” Pitts said. Branding a compliance program can increase department and program recognition, creates consistency in messaging, increases employee engagement and helps to develop credibility, she said.

 

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Tactical Ways Entrepreneurs at Any Stage Can Future-Proof Their Businesses

Published in Nasdaq

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How to future-proof your business: I found the key to future-proofing my business was staying on top of the news and the conversations on social media. Ethics and DEI are a constantly changing landscape, which requires listening to understand new points of view and how to incorporate those into the services I offer to businesses to help them operate in an ethical and diverse manner.

My advice: Understand your ideal client and stay on the journey with them. As they evolve, so should your business. Also, ensure that you are operating as your authentic self. People gravitate to those who show up as themselves because they feel a sense of kinship and connection like they can trust you to solve their problem because you are open and honest with them.

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24 Successful Women Share Why and How They Quit Their Jobs, and If They’d Do It Again

Published in Ladies Get Paid

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Nichole Pitts

Founder and CEO of Ethintegrity, a consulting firm empowering forward-thinking organizations and professionals to solve complex ethics and compliance, and DEI problems. 

My story: I quit my role as Vice President of Compliance and Ethics in 2018. I had the realization that no matter how hard I worked and how innovative I was, I had grown as much as I could in that company. And I had unfortunately allowed myself to root my value in my job title. If I wasn’t being promoted, I thought there was something fundamentally wrong with me. So I decided to reframe this narrative and start my own company using the skills and talent I had honed over the years. I leaned into what I loved and away from what I didn’t. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Running my own company hasn’t been easy, but the people I’ve met and the knowledge and confidence I gained have empowered me to grow in ways that weren’t possible in a corporate environment.

My advice: The first thing I did when I decided to quit was to find a therapist to develop some coping skills in case I freaked out once I gave notice. I think it’s normal to question yourself and your decisions because most of us love that sense of stability. But having a toolkit of skills and coping mechanisms to remember your “why” and be proactive about managing the valleys in your journey is critical to helping you focus on enjoying and celebrating your peaks. 

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