London (UK), April 2013 - SAI Global, a supplier of ethics and compliance training, is sponsoring a new independent benchmark study exploring methodologies and practices for improving the impact of compliance training. The study has been produced in collaboration with Towards Maturity, a not-for-profit benchmarking organisation committed to sharing and promoting best practice in the use of learning technologies. The results of the study will be shared through a new report to be issued in July 2013.

Information for the study will be gathered via an online survey that is open to all those responsible for compliance and ethics training and awareness programmes in the workplace. The final report will examine the various methodologies used by businesses for ethics and compliance training, as well as investigate the drivers, barriers, benefits, and trends in the use of learning technologies. The survey is open until 10 May 2013 and takes approximately fifteen minutes to complete.

Laura Overton, Managing Director at Towards Maturity said, "Our 2012 Learning Technologies benchmark report revealed that compliance is often one of the first topics that businesses 'e-enable', so it’s vitally important that that they get it right first time. The report also highlighted that 87% of businesses recognise the efficiencies in achieving compliance that learning technologies can deliver, but only 50% are actually realising these benefits. Teaming up with SAI Global for the new study will allow us to explore this gap and will provide an opportunity for compliance and for L&D professionals to compare their approaches with other organisations in order to improve performance and, where necessary, build an effective business case."

Iain McLeod, Head of Compliance at SAI Global EMEA said, "We know from previous Towards Maturity benchmarking studies and from our own extensive experience of implementing effective compliance training programmes that expectations of compliance training are evolving.  Businesses expect programmes to deliver measurable benefits over and above a ‘tick in the regulatory box’ – but success in realising these benefits is extremely varied.  The aim of this study is to gain insights into what is already working well for businesses, where there is room for improvement, and what are the most effective practices for improving the impact of compliance training programmes. We are very pleased to be working with Towards Maturity on a project that we believe will help establish a best practice standard for compliance training".

The study closes 08 May 2013.