12.04.2008 - 03:35pm ET

(CSRwire) Minneapolis, MN -December 4, 2008 - The Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) and the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) announced today the associations are making their Social Network sites available to all compliance and ethics professionals beginning today, December 4, 2008. Previously, to access the social network sites and participate in the online discussions, compliance and ethics professionals had to be members of either the SCCE or HCCA.

"Now, we're opening up the conversation to the entire ethics and compliance community at no cost," said Roy Snell, SCCE/HCCA CEO. "This will not only allow new people to participate, it helps our existing members by providing them with access to the wisdom of a larger pool of compliance and ethics professionals."

The Compliance and Ethics Social Network was established by SCCE and HCCA this past fall. More than 500 compliance and ethics professionals have already joined in. Over 30 separate groups have developed online discussions on topics including HIPAA, Social Responsibility, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and business ethics.

"The U. S. Sentencing Guidelines and common sense says that it is important for compliance and ethics professionals to be able to communicate with each other," explains Snell. "By making this valuable resource available broadly we help further that goal, support our members and fulfill our mission of championing ethical practice and compliance standards in all organizations and providing the necessary resources for compliance and ethics professionals and others who share these principles."

How it works
Compliance and ethics professionals who sign up may join numerous discussions about critical compliance-related topics. There's even a conversation just for chief ethics and compliance officers.

These sites will enable users to connect with others in the profession year round. Those that sign up for this important professional tool, are able to expand their professional network of peers rather than wait until the next industry meeting to connect directly.

The sites are designed to make it easy for users to find other ethics and compliance professionals who share the same challenges, whether it’s dealing with the complexities of FCPA or a general ethics issue. Asking questions of peers - do you have a policy that covers x, what's a best practice for y - is easy, and giving an answer is just as simple.
To encourage greater participation, the HCCA and SCCE are providing an incentive. The first 500 compliance and ethics professionals that join one of the discussion groups beginning December 4, 2008 will benefit from the career advice in Building a Career in Compliance and Ethics, regularly a $34.95 value. During these uncertain economic times, this book can be an invaluable asset to compliance and professionals' efforts to maximize their career opportunities. It is filled with great ideas for everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals.

"Sign up now and start learning what your peers are thinking and doing. And start taking your program and career to the next level," adds Snell.
Anyone interested in joining HCCA's Compliance & Ethics Social Network should click here: community.hcca-info.org.

Anyone interested in joining SCCE's Compliance & Ethics Social Network should click here: community.corporatecompliance.org.

Contact SCCE and HCCA
The SCCE and the HCCA are located at 6500 Barrie Road, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN. Visit the SCCE Web site at http://www.corporatecompliance.org or call toll-free 888 277 4977 or +1 952 933 4977. Visit the HCCA Web site at http://www.hcca-info.org or call toll-free 888 580 8373 or +1 952 988 0141.

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