Awards are a way to draw attention, reward and reinforce behavior and perhaps show that the organization values particular behaviors.

Internal Awards

While the practice is not without some controversy, some organizations give awards to particular employees or departments who exemplify the company’s values or ethical conduct in in general. For example -

• The City of Austin aligned its “PRIDE” values with its Good Partner Award

• Avera Health System has Compliance Champions

• Conoco had a “President’s Award” for Ethics. Here’s a case study about the first award

• Consumers Energy gives out Ethics in Action Awards

• Humana Government Business has an Exemplar Award

• Keystone Human Services has its Ethys Awards

• The University of Florida Health Sciences Center had a Compliance Advocate award

• USC started an Ethics in Leadership Award

• The Veterans Administration gives out the William A Nelson Award for Excellence in Health Care Ethics

• Walmart has had an “Award for Ethical Courage” and an “Integrity in Action” award (2010 – page 10)

External Awards

External awards for the organization or one of its leaders are also ways to draw attention to its ethics and compliance efforts. For example –

• The American Business Ethics Award comes from the Foundation for Financial Services Professionals

• Annual Compliance Awards from Thomson Reuters include “Compliance Officer of the Year”

• OCEG sponsors Awards for GRC Achievement

• The Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics is awarded by Columbia Business School. The School posts the speeches by winners of the prize on Youtube.

• SCCE gives out annual Compliance and Ethics Awards

• Compliance Project of the Year is one of the Financial Sector Technology Awards

• The Minnesota Business Ethics Award is on its 15th year

• Most Ethical Companies are designated by Ethisphere

• Platinum Compliance Awards from the London-based Compliance Register

• Pollard Award for Innovation in Business Ethics from The Executives Breakfast Club

• Stanley C. Pace Leadership in Ethics Award from the Ethics Resource Center

• The University of Tampa gives out the Tampa Bay Ethics Award

• The Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio has Torch Awards for organizations exhibiting character ethics

• 2014 will include Women in Compliance Awards

Government Awards

Some agencies even give compliance related awards.

• The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) gave out annual "Best Practice" awards

• The federal Office of Government Ethics had Program Excellence and Innovation Awards

• The Pennsylvania Department of Health has annual "Excellence in Health Care Compliance Awards"

• The Missouri Department of Agriculture rewards Excellence in Compliance

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