Polonious divests USA business

Polonious divests USA business

Polonious pty Ltd has today announced it has sold its USA case management business to Dutch Insuretech FRISS.  The deal will also see the support of Polonious’ Australian and NZ insurance customers transfer to FRISS.

 Polonious’ banking and finance, private investigator, education or government clients in Australia and Europe  will continue to be serviced and supported by Polonious.

 Polonious and FRISS have been in discussions for a number of months and last week agreed terms for the sale of both Polonious USA and the insurance customers of Polonious’ Australian and NZ business.

According to Stuart Guthrie and Alastair Steel, co-founders of Polonious, the deal is an exciting opportunity for Polonious.

 “We are very proud of the unique fully configurable case management software we have developed. It has helped many customers save on labour and fraud costs, reduce their need for IT investment and protect their brands.  This deal will enable our software to benefit many more customers around the world.

 “The deal also provides us with a significant capital injection and we are excited about the potential this gives us to  enhance our product, develop new releases, explore new opportunities and potentially expand further into and beyond the banking and finance, investigator, government and education sectors.

 “Our software has already helped many companies in a variety of sectors process investigations faster and more efficiently by combining advanced technology with full reporting capabilities and configurable user interfaces.

 “We are excited to continue this journey and keep helping businesses protect their brands by processing claims faster and more efficiently,” they said.

 The deal is expected to close in coming weeks and transition arrangements have been developed to ensure smooth transfer of operations for customers that will move over to FRISS.

 About Polonious

 Polonious is a leading provider of specialist case management systems for businesses in a wide range of industry sectors – including banking, finance, education, government and private investigators. With a unique approach to fully configurable software they have helped the businesses they support increase case through put by 38% and reduce administration costs by almost 25%. They have a full sales and support team based in Sydney Australia and will continue to service Australian and New Zealand clients from here and via their partners in the UK.

 About FRISS

 FRISS is a Dutch based Insuretech business that offers fraud, risk and compliance solutions to insurers worldwide.   They offer insurers an AI powered fraud analytics platform – an end to end service, which is now enhanced by the inclusion of the Polonious software which broadens their SIU capabilities and further optimises workflows.

 For further information please contact:

Alastair Steel, Co-founder Polonious on : 0414 656 700

Stuart Guthrie, Co-founder Polonious on: 0403 470 123

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Polonious Excited to Appear at the Fraud Detection & Prevention Summit NSW

Polonious Excited to Appear at the Fraud Detection & Prevention Summit NSW

Fraud Detection & Prevention Summit NSW 2022 Banner 24th Feb 2022 at Dockside Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW

Polonious is sponsoring the Fraud Detection and Prevention Summit NSW 2022, being held at Dockside Darling Harbour, Sydney on the 24th February 2022.

The Fraud Detection & Prevention Summit will bring together leaders from across Australia to discuss how to develop a Fraud Management program that identifies and stops fraud attacks quickly and accurately. It will discuss how to maximise advancements in technology in Fraud Prevention, how to embed Fraud Risk Management in company culture, and how to conduct effective investigations once Fraudulent behaviour has been identified.

Polonious will be presenting a talk on “The role of case management in supporting the future of fraud detection & prevention” as well as hosting a round table after lunch on the same topic. This talk will summarise some of the content of our upcoming tech comparison white paper, as well as adding some detail on where investigation management software fits in a wider anti-fraud program.

We’ll also be manning a booth for the day, and I’m sure you could catch us for a drink after…

5 Helpful Internal Investigation Tips

5 Helpful Internal Investigation Tips

Being able to conduct an effective internal investigation is essential for the day-to-day operation of your organisation. A well-conducted internal investigation helps ensure that those who have engaged in improper conduct are identified as having done so, and are dealt with appropriately. It can also ensure that those who have been wrongly suspected or accused of having engaged in improper conduct have their circumstances claried and the suspicion removed.

An effective internal investigation helps reinforce better workplaces and protects the company from large fines, damages, negative publicity, etc.

Benefits of Internal Investigations include:

  • Prevents similar issues from occurring 
  • Sends a positive message to stakeholders
  • Establishes good corporate governance
  • Identifies problems in current policies

However, internal investigations must be conducted with special care. This must be done without compromising the relationship with employees or unnecessarily damaging anyone’s reputation. This requires good planning, consistent execution, analytical skill, and an understanding of the legalities involved.

We will provide Internal Investigation Tips by breaking the topic into several parts:

  • What are Internal Investigations
  • Key Components of an Effective Internal Investigation
  • Necessary considerations when conducting Internal Investigations
  • 5 Internal Investigation Tips

 

What are Internal Investigations?

An internal investigation helps determine whether laws, regulations, or internal policies have been violated. The goal of any internal investigation is to obtain a straightforward view of what happened, when it happened, who was responsible, who may have been harmed, and what further actions may be necessary to prevent the alleged wrongdoing from reoccurring. 

An internal investigation generally consists of:

  • agreeing on the scope of the workplace investigation
  • interviewing the complainant in detail initially
  • drafting allegations
  • informing the respondent about the allegations and subsequent investigation
  • interviewing any witnesses for a detailed account
  • considering the evidence
  • informing the respondent of any evidence you’ve identified, and provide them with the opportunity to respond, and finally officially informing the respondent of any final findings

Internal investigations are an integral part of an effective compliance program as they remove the cause of the reported problem.

 

Key Components of an Effective Internal Investigation

Here are key components of an effective Investigation process:

Purposeful

The allegation, and purpose and scope of the Investigation must be clearly defined.

Independent

An Investigator must be unassociated with parties who are associated with the case in order to maintain neutrality and impartiality. The Investigation must be allowed to proceed without pressure from other interests that would have an interest in affecting the outcome.

Objective

The Investigation should approach the matter from a neutral position; the purpose should not be to establish that a violation has occurred or has not occurred. It is particularly important that the investigation not be undertaken from the position of an advocate seeking to defend the company or particular individuals within the company.

Timely

Investigations must be completed as quickly as possible for a number of reasons such as:

  • A fast Investigation may stop wrongdoing from continuing and mitigate any damages caused
  • Over time memories fade and evidence may be difficult to find
  • Prompt Investigations tend to be far more efficient.
  • All parties with an interest in an Investigation deserve a timely resolution.

Thorough

An Investigation must exhaust all reasonable sources of information. The extent of a thorough Investigation will depend upon a variety of factors, including the complexity of the matter, as well as whether wrongdoing or other “red flags” have been uncovered during the course of the Investigation.

Verifiable

It is imperative that the independence and objectivity of a particular investigator, as well as the particular findings and conclusions of the Investigation, be independently verifiable to the extent possible from the investigative report itself.

 

Necessary considerations to make when conducting Internal Investigations

There are important considerations to make when embarking on an Internal Investigation. This includes determining:

  • When should a matter be investigated?
  • What laws should an employer/investigator be aware of?
  • What are my duties as an employer/investigator?

 

When should a matter be investigated?

 In deciding whether an incident, or prolonged conduct, should be ‘investigated’ a manager should assess the following:

  • Whether the conduct creates a risk to the health and safety of other employees or other people who work or visit the workplace
  • Whether the conduct actually relates to the workplace: i.e. out of hours conduct may not be within the scope of employment
  • Whether an allegation is frivolous: An employer is not required to investigate all incidents
  • Whether an allegation is calculated to harm another without merit: This may not always be obvious until investigated.
  • Whether the conduct is continuing or a single act.
  • Whether there may be some requirement to report the conduct to authorities: i.e. criminal offences. 

 

What laws should an employer/investigator be aware of?

In the case of vicarious liability under the Equal Opportunity Act in Victoria, employers may face action where an employee has engaged in conduct that offends anti-discrimination law. This will often throw into question whether the employer had acted reasonable or had taken reasonable steps in preventing the occurrence of the offending conduct.

One way a ‘reasonable prevention’ defence can be established is via proof of adherence to an internal investigation procedure which incorporates appropriate company discrimination, harassment and bullying policies. Conversely, where a company policy does not expressly prohibit offending conduct, a court may be more ready to infer that no reasonable preventative measures had been in place.

Furthermore, an employer must respect employees’ privacy rights when conducting internal investigations in response to a claim or allegation. Although laws such as the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) in the United States permit an employer to monitor activities on a computer that is company property, unwarranted or unreasonable invasions of privacy may be prohibited in states such as California.

In the U.K., if an employer uses monitoring software to collect information such as how long they have sat in front of their screen, or spent on the internet, they must comply with the GDPR. The same applies to companies who handle information from people from the EU, even if the company is not located in the EU.

In Australia, organizations are required to follow relevant state laws in respect to employee’s rights to privacy. NSW and ACT have specific surveillance laws that apply specifically to workplace surveillance. Victoria limits the use by employers of surveillance devices in certain parts of the workplace (e.g. washrooms).

To avoid invading an employee’s privacy or violating wiretapping laws, the company should let employees know, in writing, that their calls are going to be monitored. Additionally, if surveillance is going to be conducted, any surveillance must be conducted in a reasonable manner. Surveillance is usually permissible when the employer can prove that there is a business related reason for the investigation. 

If an employer is going to search work areas, files, or computers, It is best practice to specify this in the company policy.  All employees should understand and be aware of the company policy which allows the employer to conduct reasonable searches of desks, files, computers and other personal work areas when an employee is suspected of theft or other misconduct.

 

What are my duties as an employer/investigator?

 

Duty of Confidentiality

Keeping the identity of the source confidential

The identity of the person or people who provide information should be kept confidential. Do not release any information that might reveal, or tend to reveal, the identity of the source. Doing so can have detrimental effects on the source, and may reduce the trust that people have in you and your investigation. Discuss with the source any fears they may have if their identity was revealed.

Even if the source consents to his or her identity being revealed, only disclose their identity when it is necessary to do so. This will help protect the integrity of your investigation, protect the source, and contribute to a general understanding within the workplace that the identity of a source will be kept confidential.

 

Confidentiality of the subject and those involved

Wherever possible, the subject matter of the investigation and the identity of the subject of the investigation and that of any other people involved should be kept confidential. Your investigation is not complete until a report is prepared. The report is the appropriate place to discuss the details of your investigation and the conduct of particular individuals.

If anyone requests information from you about an investigation, ask yourself the question: “Does the person need to know the information?”. If the answer to this question is “no”, you may wish to deal with questions about the investigation by neither confirming nor denying that an investigation is planned or under way 

 

Confidentiality of information

As an investigator, probably the most important weapon you have in your armoury is confidentiality of the information you have gathered. As your body of investigation information builds, you are able to assess the reliability of fresh information by assessing how it contrasts with information you have already obtained and considering the implications of this. You may speak to a witness whose account contrasts with other highly reliable information.

In these circumstances, you may attach less credit to this new information, unless the divergence can be explained. You may speak to another witness whose account conforms with other information, even information that the witness could not have known or anticipated would be available to you. In such circumstances, you may attach greater credit to such information.

When questioning people, avoid statements that unnecessarily reveal the identity of the source such as “X says that she saw you at…” “X tells me that you spoke to…” “X alleges that you are…”, Rather, ask direct questions, such as: “Where were you…?” “Who did you speak to…?”.

Additionally, a person’s identity might be revealed in more ways than just releasing a name, address or contact number. Be careful not to release any information that might tend to identify the person, such as physical descriptions, locations or personal knowledge that is unique to that person.

Throughout the investigation, here are some things you should avoid in order to protect confidentiality:

  • putting information on an unsecured computer
  • leaving documents on a photocopier or a printer
  • leaving incoming or outgoing faxes on a fax machine
  • interviewing people in places where they can be seen or heard
  • giving confidential information to others to copy, type, address or send
  • not blacking out names, addresses or phone numbers on some documents
  • leaving messages on desks or phone services
  • sending sensitive material by mail

However, in some cases  you may not be able to keep the identity of a person a complete secret. Some information may need to be revealed in order to properly conduct the investigation. In this case, take into account the person’s concerns and make efforts to conceal the information whenever possible.

 

Impartiality

No matter how impartial they might feel, HR staff have relationships and experiences with others in the office which can play a role in an investigation – even on a subconscious level. And even if an employee doesn’t have a direct role in the allegations, they may feel anxious about being asked to make a statement and feel like they’re taking sides. Make sure an impartial individual leads the investigation to ensure fairness. This may involve hiring a third party to conduct the investigation.

 

Criminal or Regulatory Considerations

Some investigations may overlap with regulatory or criminal considerations. Organisations should consider whether they are under any obligations to alert police or report the matter to any other regulatory body. 

 

Internal Investigation Tips

 

1. Conduct interviews in a private place

Conduct the interview in the office of the witness or in a neutral conference room rather than the office of a supervisor or superior. Make sure there are no other distractions or possibility of someone overhearing the conversation. 

 

2. Ask open-ended questions

Asking questions that require a narrative response will encourage the witness to expound and thereby provide additional information.

 

3. Ask follow up questions

Be sure to ask questions such as who, what, when, where, why, and how.These simple questions frequently unearth additional information.

 

4. Maintain confidentiality whenever possible

​​In discussions of the investigation, do not disclose the name of the witness except to those few individuals who have a need to know. Be aware of inflated, vindictive, or false leads.

 

5. Document and File Preservation

An investigator should preserve any evidence, documents and electronic files (including email, databases, spreadsheets, and graphics) that may contain information relevant to the subject matter being investigated. Special care should be taken to record the source and file from which the documents were obtained and the date they are obtained.

Inaccurate information could change the outcome of the investigation and investigators could face serious consequences. To avoid additional legal costs and inconvenience for the company and parties involved, it is necessary to maintain accurate records and to practice good document preservation practices.

Read Documenting a Workplace Investigation: 3 Things to Know to learn more about documentation practices including:

  • Key Documents to Record
  • Relevant Laws for Investigation Documentation
  • Benefits of proper documentation and record keeping

This will bring understanding and clarity around the idea of documenting workplace investigations.

 

How Polonious can Help

Polonious Case Management Software provides a consistent process that is procedurally fair for all parties, while recording all actions and decisions to ensure all evidence of the process is documented and auditable alongside any evidence gathered regarding the incident or investigation. Everything recorded in Polonious is then available in detailed reporting for identifying trends and problem areas. 

 

Documents of internal investigations often contain sensitive materials. Investigators and HR teams have a duty to preserve documents and/or electronically stored information (ESI) while also protecting security and anonymity. The Polonious Case Management Software can help you handle sensitive information by ensuring your evidence and case files are secure and anonymous, depending on the level of anonymity requested.

5 helpful internal investigation tips

Internal investigations are hard and can be contentious, but they are important to protect your organisation from risk.

It is important to maintain confidentiality in internal investigations, not just for the privacy of involved parties, but because it will help you compare stories without them influencing each other.

It is important to maintain confidentiality in internal investigations, not just for the privacy of involved parties, but because it will help you compare stories without them influencing each other.

Book a Demo Now

Learn more about how Polonious can help you implement an effective and confidential whistleblower hotline.

Workplace Bullying Update: James Hardie Industries fires CEO Jack Truong for Intimidating, Threatening Behaviour

Workplace Bullying Update: James Hardie Industries fires CEO Jack Truong for Intimidating, Threatening Behaviour

In an official statement, $23 billion ASX-listed Australian building materials giant, James Hardie Industries shocked shareholders on Friday, by announcing that they have fired chief executive Jack Truong over his “intimidating, threatening” and disrespectful behaviour towards colleagues. 

In a brief statement, Jack Truong said: “I was blindsided by the termination and unequivocally reject the assertions made by Mr Hammes and the company,” he said, referring to executive chairman Mike Hammes.

However, James Hardie Industries supported their stance by claiming that despite being given chances to improve his behavior, he did not make efforts.

Workplace bullying occurs in all industries and at all levels. All employers have a legal obligation to protect employees, whether it is from bullying by other employees, direct managers, or even the CEO. It is increasingly important for companies to be proactive in order to minimize harm and disruptions to their employees, company and themselves.

According to the Australian Government, bullying at work happens when:

  • a person or group of people repeatedly behave unreasonably towards another worker or group of workers
  • the behaviour creates a risk to health and safety.

​​Examples of workplace bullying include:

  • behaving aggressively towards others
  • teasing or playing practical jokes
  • pressuring someone to behave inappropriately
  • excluding someone from work-related events
  • unreasonable work demands.

Individuals who intimidate and humiliate staff are increasingly being held accountable, as companies, employees, and society at large are losing tolerance for workplace bullies.

This blog will cover:

  • Details of James Hardy’s CEO Sacking
  • Shifts in Corporate Accountability
  • 4 ways your company can prevent workplace bullying

Details of James Hardie CEO Jack Truong’s Sacking

Mr Truong was fired from James Hardie Industries after the company’s board hired an independent investigator to look into complaints about his “threatening and intimidating behaviour”. Executive chairman Mike Hammes told a conference call that Mr Truong’s behaviour was “intimidating” and “threatening,” and many staff planned to resign because the work environment had become overtly hostile. Workplace bullying is a significant issue, not just because of legal issues, but because it causes turnover and wider cultural issues.

According to an official report, the company conducted extensive due diligence, which included hiring external lawyers and an external consultant, to provide the opportunity for “sincere change in Mr Truong’s behaviour”. Despite being offered executive coaching, Mr Truong is accused by James Hardie’s board of failing to improve his behaviour. As a result, he was sacked and lost incentives, including unvested long-term bonuses.

The Board ultimately concluded, based on independent third-party consultant surveys and analysis, direct input from various executives, and additional information, that Mr. Truong’s conduct, while not discriminatory, extensively and materially breached the James Hardie Code of Conduct.

The Board took this action to uphold the Company’s core values, including Operating with Respect, and to maintain continuity of the management team that has been instrumental in our transformation.

The company’s core values and mission statement can be found on their official website.

Shifts in Corporate Accountability

Workplace bullying can occur between anyone in the workplace. But perhaps the most difficult situation to deal with is bullying by a boss—the very person responsible for your advancement within the company.

In Australia, employers have a legal responsibility to provide a safe workplace under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and anti-discrimination laws. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, employees are protected from bullying and harassment under the Equality Act 2010.

Employers have a duty of care for their employees health and wellbeing whilst at work. An employer that allows bullying to occur in the workplace is not meeting this responsibility. We have compiled 8 tips to make workplace bullying investigations more effective.

However, Mr Truong’s public denial of these allegations and complaints about being ‘blindsided’ show that it is important to maintain procedural fairness in investigations, to ensure that any action taken is transparent and justifiable in the event of a dispute.

Generally, compliance with procedural fairness requires that: 

  • a thorough, confidential investigation is carried out and all relevant evidence (from any witnesses and documents) obtained
  • the subject of the complaint is given an opportunity to respond to the allegation and any evidence found
  • concrete evidence is used to substantiate any claim

Additionally, our article on Standards of Proof in Workplace Investigations can help you understand your requirements as an investigator.

James Hardie’s description of their investigation, taken at face value, shows that Jack Truong was provided with an opportunity to improve his behaviour (and, we can assume, to respond to the allegations as part of this). External parties were engaged to ensure impartiality, and they list numerous sources of evidence regarding his behaviour. Based on what has been reported it seems that, despite Mr Truong’s public statements, a fair and thorough investigation was conducted and the actions against him were justified.

4 ways your company can prevent workplace bullying 

Create anti workplace bullying policies

To ensure that employees are not discriminated against, harassed or bullied, workplaces should develop and implement workplace practices to address inappropriate workplace behaviour and respond to complaints effectively. 

The policy should describe what constitutes bullying and should communicate to your employees that this behavior will not be tolerated. Your policy should assure employees that allegations of bullying in the workplace will be promptly and thoroughly investigated with action taken as appropriate–up to and including termination of the perpetrator’s employment. Complaint procedures should be clear so that employees and managers understand expectations and the process that will result in case of an incident. Finally, make sure your policy is drafted in compliance with any applicable laws.

Conduct company-wide training

This training should teach them to recognize it in themselves as well as others. Some people may not realize that their behavior can actually be classified as bullying or harassment. In addition, many people are often witnesses to bullying but fail to report. Employees should be trained to recognize and report on these instances to foster a healthy and transparent workplace culture.

Take all reports seriously

Companies that respond professionally and immediately to allegations of workplace bullying are likely to find that their employees are more comfortable reporting bullying incidents. Of course, the more bullying is reported, investigated and, ideally, eliminated, the less bullying you’ll have to contend with in the future. Not only is investigating bullying good for company culture, morale and business success, it can help your company maintain compliance with anti-harassment laws and regulations. There are many things you can do to conduct effective internal investigations, which we have outlined here.

Promote accountability at all levels

Manager training about bullying is instrumental to eliminating bullying in the workplace for two reasons: the company communicates clearly that supervisory bullying will not be tolerated, and they typically have the greatest visibility into co-worker peer-to-peer bullying behaviors. They are often the first line when a victim or witness reports bullying. Teach managers to identify the signs of bullying and to respond appropriately to bullying concerns. Make managers accountable for enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for bullying, just as they are responsible for enforcing your anti-harassment policy. Setting up effective internal whistleblowing hotlines are a key asset in preventing internal fraud. 

How Polonious can Help

Workplace bullying doesn’t just hurt those involved. The wider workplace also feels the effects through lost productivity, increased absenteeism, poor morale, and time spent documenting, pursuing or defending claims. And while we often think about bullying as an individual or interpersonal issue, oftentimes, it is the broader environmental factors – such as poor organisational culture and a lack of leadership – which are the main drivers. 

The most effective way to stamp out bullying is to stop it before it starts. This means creating a strong, consistent approach to prevent inappropriate behaviour from escalating, and a positive, respectful work culture where bullying is not tolerated. James Hardie’s willingness to terminate a senior leader over workplace bullying issues shows a strong commitment to stamping out bullying and should be applauded.

Polonious can help in this kind of situation by ensuring that your investigation is fair and transparent, as these kinds of investigations are always contentious and especially so when involving high profile leaders. Polonious’ rigorous workflows ensure you remain procedurally fair, while detailed decision forms, reporting capabilities, and full audit trails ensure transparency and evidence to back up any disputed decisions.

James Hardie CEO Jack Truong has been terminated due to workplace bullying, with his actions described as 'intimidating' and 'threatening'.

James Hardie CEO Jack Truong has been terminated due to workplace bullying, with his actions described as ‘intimidating’ and ‘threatening’.

Workplace bullying creates significant problems with workplace culture and turnover. It should not be tolerated - whether from employees or leaders.

Workplace bullying creates significant problems with workplace culture and turnover. It should not be tolerated – whether from employees or leaders.

Book a Demo Now

Learn more about how Polonious can help you conduct fair workplace investigations today.

Benefits of Moving to AWS

Benefits of Moving to AWS

Polonious offers a number of hosting options, primarily focused on AWS but including self-hosting by clients as well as hosting on Polonious’ own co-located servers. However, over the last few years most new clients have signed up for our AWS hosting option, and Polonious has successfully migrated many companies into the AWS cloud.

This is often requested in order to meet ever-increasing security and compliance requirements. Technical requirements such as stronger network security, encryption in transit and at rest, and secure log retention as well as operational requirements such Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, where AWS offers multiple levels of redundancy versus co-located servers, and especially versus self/on-premises hosting. Polonious’ Knox Grade infrastructure is easy to implement on AWS and, together with AWS’ own security setup, provides ISO27001 certified levels of confidentiality, integrity and availability.

For these reasons, many organisations are moving computing services to the cloud, not just case management. With deep AWS product knowledge and close working relationships with clients, Polonious can help you implement a secure, robust cost-effective cloud solution.

This blog will help you understand the benefits AWS brings to our clients, to help you determine which solution works best for your organization.

This blog will address:

  • What is AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Benefits of AWS
  • How we can help

What is AWS

AWS stands for Amazon Web Services, the world’s “most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform”. AWS helps millions to:

  • Lower their business costs, by only paying for cloud services and storage they need
  • Become more agile, offering systems you can access from anywhere in the world
  • Innovate faster, removing time spent worrying about in-house servers and software

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a reliable, scalable and low-cost infrastructure platform powering businesses in 190 countries around the world. It can help streamline fragmented processes, speed up project delivery, and reduce company costs. 

AWS encompasses many services, including everything from databases to machine learning. Popular services include AWS RDS (reliable database services), AWS S3 (simple, secure storage) and AWS EC2 (scalable compute capacity). Polonious uses all those services for our AWS hosting option.

According to Yahoo Finance, Amazon Web Services are trusted by some of the world’s largest companies, including Unilever, Intel and Dropbox. However, Amazon’s cloud service is a good choice for virtually every type of company, no matter how big or small. From a start up to a Fortune 500 company, every business has the option to customize a spot for themselves on the cloud.

Benefits of AWS

Data Protection and Encryption

All data on the AWS network is automatically encrypted including data in transit and at rest. With AWS, you can control where your data is stored, who can access it, and what resources your organization is consuming at any given moment. Fine-grain identity and access controls combined with continuous monitoring for near real-time security information ensures that the right resources have the right access at all times. 

Point-in-time recovery and continuous backup

Polonious on AWS offers detailed backup and recovery options, with daily snapshots of the database and backups of the transaction logs for 35 days (created in 5 minute intervals). This transaction log can be used to roll back data to any day and time within the last 35 days and allows a RPO of only 5 minutes. Additionally nightly snapshots of the database are created and stored for 10 days.

Governance, Risk and Compliance

Given the gravity, complexity, and growing number of risks that organizations face, the regulatory/compliance landscape is rapidly evolving. AWS supports more security standards and compliance certifications than any other offering, including PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, GDPR, FIPS 140-2, and NIST 800-171, helping satisfy compliance requirements for virtually every regulatory agency around the globe. Enhanced data security ensures compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. Take a look at the AWS compliance programs.

Performance

One of the key benefits of AWS migration is enhanced performance. Using the AWS cloud platform you could easily deploy, manage, and monitor your applications. Thus bringing better alignment between application utilization and business performance. 

Enhanced Security

Data theft and cybersecurity are an increasing risk to many companies; learn more about the nature of these crimes in: Workplace Fraud: 3 Common Data Theft Schemes. AWS offers way more security as compared to a company’s own hosted website or storage. AWS has redundant data centers in all major jurisdictions around the globe.  This allows for sophisticated failover solutions that are hard to implement on-premise or via co-located server centers.

How Polonious can Help

Polonious has led multiple migration projects which allows our clients to enjoy the benefits of enhanced security, compliance and performance. Using our technical and legal expertise, we help organizations through all the phases of migration projects from discovery to execution. Polonious offers a multi-stage approach to transformation: diagnosing the state of your current hosting solution, creating the best AWS migration strategy for you, then transitioning your instance. We take the time to ensure that your cloud migration goes smoothly and is in-line with your company goals.

Polonious’ Knox Grade infrastructure is ISO27001 compliant, meaning it meets internationally recognised security standards. This infrastructure comes with intrusion and threat detection, secure web application firewalls, and detailed backup and point-in-time recovery. Additionally, it is regularly penetration tested and drilled against various disaster recovery scenarios. The Polonious Case Management Software offers an opportunity to take advantage of better methodologies, technology and workflows to integrate compliance and customer service into everyday processes.

Our team is experienced in large-scale AWS migrations, having led many successful migration projects.

AWS is 'Amazon Web Services', one of the leading cloud hosting providers.

AWS is ‘Amazon Web Services’, one of the leading cloud hosting providers.

Benefits of migrating to AWS include improved backup, recovery, and availability options, as well as easier installation of our Knox Grade security options.

Benefits of migrating to AWS include improved backup, recovery, and availability options, as well as easier installation of our Knox Grade security options.

Migrate to AWS Now

Are you an existing co-located or on-premise hosted customer? Or a new customer who would like to explore secure case management hosted on AWS? Contact us today.

SIU Insights report 2021How do you compare to other SIUs?

Check out some interesting results from our SIU management survey. Submit below form to receive the download link and related updates going forward.

GICOP changes 2021Download the GICOP whitepaper and stay compliant.

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