The Network, Inc., a leading provider of governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions, announced today that the company’s enterprise SaaS-based Integrated GRC suite, the first natively integrated GRC software platform in the compliance industry, has received the 2013 Technology Innovation Award and been recognized by GRC 20/20 Research as ‘the Apple of GRC’ for its innovative design and end user experience.

The Network’s Integrated GRC Suite provides organizations with enterprise-wide visibility of compliance activities in order to help companies protect themselves from risk, detect issues early and correct the underlying causes of misconduct. Released in early 2012, the Suite integrates ethics and compliance data, including incidents, cases, policies, employee training courses, surveys, risk assessments, and remediation or preventative action plans, in one secure suite, providing insight into the key compliance issues facing an organization.

“We are honored to receive this GRC 20/20 Technology Innovator Award,” said Luis Ramos, chief executive officer of The Network. “When we began building our Integrated GRC Suite, we decided to take a fresh approach to GRC, both in architecture and design, and turn GRC on its head by focusing on employee engagement as well as highly functional administrative capabilities.”

In announcing the 2013 GRC 20/20 Technology Innovator Award, Michael Rasmussen, GRC Principal Analyst for GRC 20/20, describes The Network’s Integrated GRC Suite as the ‘Apple of GRC’ for its “design and end user experience. While most GRC applications focus on the back-end complexity of GRC, The Network has delivered a platform that is fresh, beautiful, and simply elegant for the user. Where other GRC technology providers focus on the professional side of the equation, The Network’s solution adds interface assets that work to engage employees, while providing administrators and executives with the tools needed to truly manage compliance in a proactive fashion.”

“At the end of the day, GRC is part of everyone’s job description,” said Rasmussen. “Forward thinking companies are looking for the user experience and how to get employees more involved by providing elegant interfaces that employees enjoy working with.”

Rasmussen continued: “The Network’s Integrated GRC Suite blends GRC technology with awareness and communications expertise to help drive ethical culture. By doing so, The Network’s solution helps organizations to prevent issues, and not just comply with minimum compliance standards.”

In acknowledging the recognition, Ramos stated, “This award further validates that our approach of focusing on employees and not just administrators in addressing compliance matters is the key to driving enterprise performance.”

A full description of the award can be found on the GRC 20/20 website.

For more information on The Network’s integrated GRC solutions, visit www.tnwinc.com. To view a social media version of this news release, click here.

About The Network, Inc.

The Network, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated governance, risk and compliance (GRC) solutions that enable organizations to mitigate risk and promote organizational compliance. The Network’s Integrated GRC Suite is the first natively integrated GRC software platform in the compliance industry. Combining dynamic SaaS-based technology with expert-level services, The Network helps global enterprises protect, detect and correct the risks posed by fraud and unethical conduct. Established in 1982, The Network serves thousands of organizations in every industry, including nearly 50 percent of the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.tnwinc.com.

About Michael Rasmussen and GRC 20/20

Michael Rasmussen is an internationally recognized pundit on governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) – with specific expertise on the topics of enterprise GRC, GRC technology, corporate compliance, and policy management. With 18+ years of experience, Michael helps organizations improve GRC processes, design and implement GRC architecture, and select technologies that are effective, efficient, and agile. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, author, and advisor and is noted as the “Father of GRC” — being the first to define and model the GRC market in February 2002 while at Forrester, where he was a Vice-President and ’Top Analyst.’ Michael’s educational experience consists of a Juris Doctorate in law and a Bachelor of Science in Business. He is a GRCP (GRC Professional), CCEP (Certified Compliance and Ethic Professional), and a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional). OCEG has recognized him as an OCEG Fellow for his contributions and advancement of GRC practices around the world.

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