Speed up your Internal Investigations

Handling reports is undeniably time-consuming and complex. A brief report typically requires extensive follow-up to gather additional information and identify the individuals involved. In large, global organizations with diverse workforces, reports are frequently submitted in multiple languages, necessitating precise translations. Lengthy reports with numerous attachments add another layer of complexity, as case handlers must sift through extensive details to pinpoint the most critical information. This process can be overwhelming, making it difficult to prioritize and address the most urgent issues efficiently.

As the volume of reports grows, the challenge of managing diverse subject matter becomes even more pronounced. Manual categorization to identify trends and prepare end-of-year summaries is both error-prone and labor-intensive. This complexity is compounded during the interview phase, where interviews can take weeks to complete.

Additionally, maintaining confidentiality while ensuring accessibility presents its own set of challenges. Whistleblowers often fear retaliation, so creating a safe environment where misconduct can be reported without fear is crucial. Implementing effective confidentiality protocols and communication strategies is essential but can be particularly difficult in smaller organizations where anonymity is harder to ensure. Compliance with GDPR also adds another layer of complexity, especially regarding the collection and handling of personal data.

Automation and AI features such as those built into EQS Integrity Line present significant opportunities to streamline investigations, save time, and communicate effectively with whistleblowers. They help foster a reporting culture that is both accessible and secure, maintaining confidentiality—and even anonymity—while ensuring that sufficient information is available for effective investigation.

Automatic Report Summary

This AI tool efficiently processes lengthy reports and provides case handlers with a concise overview of the subject matter. This allows them to grasp the essentials without needing to dive into the detailed content right away.

Automatic Categorization

AI can also automatically assign reports to specific categories, which is invaluable for identifying trends and preparing end-of-year reports. For example, if there is a rise in complaints related to financial mismanagement, the tool quickly highlights this trend, enabling these investigations to be prioritized. This tool also streamlines end-of-year reporting to the board.

Machine Translation of Reports

AI-driven translation tools provide automatic translations of reports in any language spoken by employees across the company. This capability ensures that problems in different geographic locations can be identified without needing separate reporting centers in each area. It also facilitates effective two-way communication through the quick translation of  responses back to whistleblowers.

Automatic Transcription of Sound Files

If employees are unfamiliar with computers or have a lower literacy level, they might prefer to report concerns in spoken language rather than written text. This can be time-consuming to transcribe manually. AI tools can automatically transcribe audio files and can generate audio responses from case handlers’ written replies, facilitating two-way communication.

Anonymization of Reports

Whistleblower reports often contain personal data about other employees. AI tools can identify and anonymize this data, ensuring compliance with data storage regulations such as those detailed in the GDPR, which require the removal of personal data after two years.

Upcoming features:

Individual identification

Sometimes, reports reference individuals with insufficient identifying information. EQS is currently working on an AI tool which links details from whistleblower reports to actual employees in the company, providing case handlers with a clearer overview and saving significant time on manual research.

Automated Linking of Similar Cases

EQS is also looking into a new AI feature which will be able to analyze report information, recognize similarities, and automatically link related cases. This will help identify patterns and streamline the investigative process.

Investigation Interviews Conducted by an Avatar

Looking even further ahead, there is potential for AI-powered avatars to conduct investigative interviews with less-critical witnesses. These avatars could suggest questions based on the report’s subject matter which would then be cross-checked by a human and the AI would transcribe the interviews, further enhancing the efficiency of investigations.