Corporate Investigative Services
Stopping Industrial Espionage
Successfully protecting internal proprietary information can be the difference
between a successful business and one that fails. Internal information is lost
in basically two ways, (1) by a competitor’s illegal intelligence gathering activities targeting your business, and
(2) by a failure of your staff to adequately protect your information. Recent
studies have shown that between 70% and 80% of business proprietary information is lost as the result of uninformed employees
disclosing information that should be kept secret. In fact, most of the information
that they disclose is the result of the employee’s being totally unaware of the value of the information they control. This means that your valued employees could be literally giving away your business
to your competitors.
Illegal intelligence gathering that targets your business follows one of two
basic methods, (1) electronic attempts to access your computer systems by “hacking” into them in order to get
information, and (2) physical activities including intrusion into your facility or intelligence gathering by targeting employees.
The Hawkins Group can assist your by providing training programs to increase
employee awareness of the importance of safeguarding internal information (internal vigilance) and how corporate spies gather
information from unwitting employees (corporate intelligence).
The Hawkins Group can also provide your corporation with methodologies and
systems information that will thwart potential intelligence gathering operations. Utilizing
our investigative skills, we can conduct a vulnerability and risk assessment of your corporate environment. By detecting potential weaknesses and actual flaws you will be able to correct them before a competitor
has the opportunity to turn them to his own advantage.
In-Depth Security Survey
Many corporations outsource their security services, which can be creating
a dangerous situation for your business. Security Officers have wide access to
your facilities and normally no one questions their presence in even the most sensitive of areas. Most security officers are low-wage, poorly trained individuals and view their role as merely limiting
access to your facilities, creating enormous security vulnerabilities.
The Hawkins Group can study your security plan, your security contractor and
detect actual and potential flaws. We will provide you with a security level
report based on your security force knowledge, training and reliability levels. We
will offer suggestions as to whether or not you should cancel contracts, hire private guards, convert to an in-house security
program, hire a different contractor, keep your current contractor and just re-assign them to strategic points, etc.
Internal Theft
Internal theft and shoplifting are a major factor contributing to the loss
of profits and even to business failures. Employees need to be properly pre-screened
and effective internal controls need to be implemented to be able to properly identify losses by internal theft.
The Hawkins Group can evaluate your specific unique situation taking into account
your business needs and make recommendations as to steps you should take to limit and curtail loss by theft. We will review your operation and help you recreate your internal theft procedures and/or create new ones
as necessary. We will make an in-depth assessment of your security needs including
external and internal evaluations of your physical plant, your computer security, and employee pre-employment screening methods.
In addition, The Hawkins Group can also conduct internal theft investigations
should you be suffering or have already suffered losses stemming from dishonest employees.
Workplace Violence
Workplace violence has been on an increase nationwide and is something that
every business needs to be aware of and know how to avoid. Such workplace violence
can stem from several sources, internally (between employees), work related (strikers, terminated workers, etc.), externally
(outside problems brought to the work site such as domestic violence, etc.). Knowing
how to avoid and how to deal with such incidents not only helps a business safeguard its employees, it can also reduce potential
liability should such violence occur.
The Hawkins Group can provide you with suggestions on how to avoid workplace
violence through the use of training, security and employee awareness. We can
also provide protective services to your corporate executives, managers and supervisors if necessary during dangerous times
such as the termination of an employee, employee strikes and threats by angry customers.
In many cases the perpetrators of workplace violence have been found to have
given advance notice of their violent intentions. Violence is a process, and
it is vital that a business be able to recognize inappropriate and disruptive behaviors so that they may be interrupted before
the process reaches the violence stage.
Remember that your employees do not work in a vacuum and make the mistake of
minimizing an employee’s behavior. An employee’s problems are not
checked at the door to your business when he reports for duty…he brings them with him and can make them your problem
as well.
If you have even the slightest hint that there may be a problem, The Hawkins
Group can help by working with you to assemble a group of qualified people to evaluate the risk to both your organization
and to the employees. We can investigate an employee’s situation and evaluate
its potential for violence or anti-social behavior before they occur.
Consulting & SIU Services
The Hawkins Group offers full Special Investigative Unit Services ranging from a single case to regional and national coverage.
Our services include helping your Company establish an anti-fraud program, assisting in implementing fraud plans, file management
and tracking, temporary SIU personnel placement or back up for your existing program.
We can create protocols, policies and procedures and even create your anti-fraud programs.
For any of your business or corporate investigative or protective needs contact
us for a free consultation.
