EthicsPoint is a third party vendor that administers our Helpline to assist management and employees to work together to address inquiries as well as fraud, abuse, and misconduct in the workplace, all while cultivating a positive work environment.
Return to TopYes. By giving you choices, EthicsPoint helps ensure that employees can report possible misconduct anonymously and in the manner most comfortable or convenient to them.
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We certainly do. If you have questions about the Code of Conduct or other Company policies seeking guidance is always the best thing to do. Also, you know what is going on in the company - both good and bad. You may have initial knowledge of an activity that may be cause for concern. Your reporting can minimize the potential negative impact on the company and its people. Also, offering positive input may help identify issues that can improve corporate culture and performance.
Return to TopWe all have the right to work in a positive environment and with that right comes the responsibility of acting in an ethical manner and letting the appropriate people know if someone is not acting appropriately. By working together, we can maintain a healthy and productive environment. Corporate misconduct can threaten the livelihood of an entire company.
Return to TopEthicsPoint is a communications tool providing an avenue for requesting information or guidance, reporting misconduct and/or sharing information of any kind.
Return to TopEthicsPoint does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC to EthicsPoint is available. With fewer than 12% of reports generated during business hours, most people prefer to report from the comfort of their home after hours and on the weekend.
Return to TopA report from home, a neighbor’s computer, or any Internet portal will remain secure and anonymous. An Internet portal never identifies a visitor by screen name and the EthicsPoint system strips away Internet addresses so that anonymity is totally maintained. Plus, EthicsPoint is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter’s identity.
Return to TopThe EthicsPoint system is designed to protect your anonymity. However, you as a reporting party need to ensure that the body of the report does not reveal your identity by accident, for example, “From my cube next to Jan Smith…” or “In my 33 year…”
Return to TopThe EthicsPoint system concentrates on being a positive aspect of our overall philosophy, and allows us to assure a safe, secure, and ethical workplace. You are encouraged to seek guidance on ethical dilemmas, provide positive suggestions, or communicate a concern. Effective communication is critical in today’s workplace and this is a great tool to enhance that communication. We have carefully chosen the best reporting tool to meet our compliance obligations while maintaining a positive reporting environment.
Return to TopAll unethical conduct, at any level, ultimately hurts the company and all employees, including you. You only have to consider what happened in recent corporate scandals to see disastrous effects that a seemingly harmless lapse in ethics can have on an otherwise healthy company. So if you know of any incidents of misconduct or ethical violations, consider it your duty to yourself and your coworkers to report it.
Return to TopReport possible misconduct. EthicsPoint can help you prepare and file your report so it can be properly understood. We’d rather you report a situation that turns out to be harmless than let possible unethical behavior go unchecked because you weren’t sure.
Return to TopReports are entered directly on the EthicsPoint secure server to prevent any possible breach in security. EthicsPoint makes these reports available only to specific individuals within the company who are charged with evaluating the type of violation and location of the incident. Each of these report recipients has had training in keeping these reports in the utmost confidence to the extent reasonably possible and consistent with the law and good business practices.
Return to TopThe EthicsPoint system and report distribution are designed so that implicated parties are not notified or granted access to reports they have been named in.
Return to TopWhen you report possible misconduct at the EthicsPoint Web site or through the EthicsPoint Call Center, you receive a unique user name and are asked to choose a password. You can return to the EthicsPoint system again either by Internet or telephone and access the original report to answer questions posed by a company representative and add further information that will help resolve open issues. We strongly suggest that you return to the site in the time specified to answer company questions. You and the company now have entered into an “anonymous dialogue” where situations are not only identified but can be resolved, no matter how complex.
Return to TopAll EthicsPoint correspondences are held in the same strict confidence as the initial report, continuing under the umbrella of anonymity.
Return to TopThere is a section in the report for identifying yourself, if you wish.
Return to TopYou can report possible misconduct from any computer that can access the Internet. You can file from home. Many public locations, including the public library, have Internet computers. If you don’t have access or are uncomfortable using a computer, you can call the Freddie Mac Compliance & Ethics Helpline 1-877-301-CODE (2633) which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Return to TopYes. You will be asked to provide the same information that you would provide in an Internet-based report and an interviewer will type your responses into the EthicsPoint Web site. These reports have the same security and confidentiality measures applied to them during delivery.
Return to TopTo ensure full evaluation of an anonymous complaint, it is critical for the complainant to follow up in 3-5 days and at least weekly thereafter to respond to questions or provide additional information. Here's how to follow up: when you raise a concern at the EthicsPoint Web site or through the EthicsPoint Call Center, you receive a unique user name and are asked to choose a password. You can return to the EthicsPoint system again either by Internet or telephone to access your original report. You may then add additional detail or answer follow-up questions posted for you. If you remain anonymous, it is extremely important to follow-up as additional information may be necessary to effectively address your concern.
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