In her professional life, CIRI shareholder and employee Raymie Hamann abides by the adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” As CIRI’s Corporate Compliance manager, Raymie works hard to monitor and report on current trends and developments in the compliance industry and to identify emerging new risks and evolving industry practices.
The Raven’s Circle sat down with Raymie to talk about what she does to help CIRI fulfill its mission.
RC: Tell us what a compliance manager does and why a compliance program is so important?
Raymie: One of CIRI’s greatest assets is its reputation. We are respected by business partners, the communities in which we operate and the public at large. Our reputation is built on a commitment to excellence by our whole team. A robust compliance program ensures the entire CIRI team – from the CEO on down – understands the ethical principles that guide our business behavior.
RC: What are some examples of the business behaviors that CIRI strives for?
Raymie: It starts with a strong set of corporate values, and for CIRI these are Mission Driven, Excellence, Honor, Respect and Unity. These values dictate our behavior. Everyone working at CIRI knows they don’t just represent themselves; they represent their department, the company and, most importantly, CIRI shareholders. CIRI’s corporate values, together with its Code of Ethics, ensures company business is conducted with integrity and fairness.
RC: It seems we are reading a lot in the news these days about what happens when ethical behavior is not practiced…
Raymie: That’s right. And those who act inappropriately not only lose their jobs and damage their reputations, but their actions – whether it’s a harassment issue or conflict of interest – can be incredibly disruptive for a corporation and potentially damaging to its reputation as well. CIRI takes a zero-tolerance approach to both unlawful discrimination and harassment. Our employees know it and appreciate it. Every year, the staff participates in training to help ensure ethical dilemmas are avoided.
RC: Do you ever feel like the CIRI law enforcement officer, ready to lower the boom on an offender?
Raymie: It’s not like that at all. We take a more proactive approach. When an incident arises, it is usually a training opportunity in disguise. CIRI hires good people and we give them the tools and information that enable them to thrive. Beginning with our corporate values, the CIRI culture cultivates honesty and integrity, and the team embraces that. My job is to continue to foster the dialogue and training to ensure CIRI always promotes the best business practices in our behaviors and interactions.
