Frequently Asked Questions

Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) is a comprehensive and confidential reporting tool created by NAVEX to assist management and employees work together in addressing fraud, abuse, and other misconduct in the workplace, all while cultivating a positive work environment.

We believe that our employees are our most important asset. By creating open channels of communication, we can promote a positive work environment and maximize productivity.

Publicly traded companies are required by law to have an anonymous reporting vehicle to address accounting and auditing fraud directly to the audit committee.

An effective reporting system will augment our other efforts to foster a culture of integrity and ethical decision-making.

Yes. With Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS), you have the ability to file a confidential, anonymous report via either the telephone or the Internet.

The Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) system is designed for employees to report any violation of our stated Code of Conduct, or other concern you may have.

When you observe some behavior that you believe violates our code of conduct, we expect you to report it. Ideally, you should bring any concerns forward to your direct manager, or other member of our management team. We recognize, however, that there may be circumstances when you are not comfortable reporting the issue in this manner. It is for such circumstances that we have partnered with NAVEX. We would rather you report anonymously than keep the information to yourself.

We 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.

We certainly do. In fact, we need you to report. You know what is going on in our 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 our people. Also, offering positive input may help identify issues that can improve corporate culture and performance.

Reports are entered directly on the Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) secure server to prevent any possible breach in security. AIMS makes these reports available only to specific individuals within the company who are charged with evaluating the report, based on 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.

The Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) 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.

Awareline and Issue Management System does not generate or maintain any internal connection logs with IP addresses, so no information linking your PC to AIMS is available. In fact, AIMS is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter’s identity. If you feel uncomfortable making a report on your work PC, you have the option of using a PC outside our work environment (such as one located at an Internet café, at a friend’s house, etc.) through the AIMS secure website. Many people choose this option, as AIMS's data shows that fewer than 12% of reports are generated during business hours.

A 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 Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) strips away Internet addresses so that anonymity is totally maintained. Plus, AIMS is contractually committed not to pursue a reporter’s identity.

The Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) is designed to protect your anonymity. However, if you wish to remain anonymous, 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 years…”.

Yes. 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 Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) Web site. These reports have the same security and confidentiality measures applied to them during delivery.

There is a section in the report for identifying yourself, if you wish.

Our company chooses to promote ethical behavior. All 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 the 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.

File a report. Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) 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.

The Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) system and report distribution are designed so that implicated parties are not notified or granted access to reports in which they have been named.

When you file a report at the Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) Web site or through the AIMS Call Center, you receive a unique user name and are asked to choose a password. You can return to the AIMS system again either by Internet or telephone and access the original report to add more detail or 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 also be resolved, no matter how complex.

All Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) correspondences are held in the same strict confidence as the initial report, continuing under the umbrella of anonymity.

You can file an Awareline and Issue Management System (AIMS) report 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 to or are uncomfortable using a computer, you can call the AIMS toll-free hotline, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.