[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hi everyone. In this episode we'll learn about the vision that FirstEnergy's new ethics and compliance leadership has for the program and the organization as it continues its exemplary business integrity efforts. I'm your host, Bill Coffin. Welcome to the ethicast, Headquartered in Akron, Ohio. FirstEnergy, one of the largest investor owned electric systems in the United States, has undergone an incredible ethics and compliance maturity journey over the last five years.
FirstEnergy subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in distributing, transmitting and generating electricity, energy management and other energy related services for more than 6 million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.
Earlier this year, Ethisphere awarded this fully regulated utility company with the Compliance Leader verification designation for 2026 through 2028 in recognition of FirstEnergy's exemplary corporate ethics and compliance program and corporate culture.
This is the second consecutive time FirstEnergy has earned this recognition. It is also the result of an incredible amount of work by the First Energy compliance team to build a best in class ethics and compliance program.
And now, after a round of well deserved promotions, the program is entering a new chapter with new leadership that is eager to take things to the next level.
Joining us today is Diandra Williams Lewis, Vice President and Chief Ethics and compliance officer of FirstEnergy. Deondra leads FirstEnergy's ethics and compliance function, overseeing ethics and compliance risks, guiding policies, procedures and controls, ensuring effective issue management and reporting across the company and and continuing to strengthen the company's culture of integrity and accountability.
Previously, Diandra served as FirstEnergy's Director Ethics and Compliance and Chief Privacy Officer where she played a key role in advancing the company's ethics, compliance and privacy programs. Diandra, thank you for joining us on the Ethicast and congratulations to you and everyone else at FirstEnergy for earning your second CLV.
[00:02:09] Speaker B: Thanks.
[00:02:10] Speaker A: Beau, can you tell us about your journey to becoming VP and Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer and what is your vision for the ethics and compliance team within FirstEnergy's broader organizational strategy?
[00:02:21] Speaker B: I've been at FirstEnergy a little over five and a half years now and had the benefit of really starting at the beginning as we built this program.
So I've had the opportunity to work across a breadth of different functions within our OEC Department, our Office of Ethics and Compliance Department investigations partners, Privacy, Corporate Compliance, nerc, FERC and State Compliance. And so that gave me at least a perspective that one, we can't do compliance from the sidelines, we really do have to be engaged with the business, but also that we have to work more as one function. And so that experience really feels like this is a natural continuation of the work I've already been doing.
Coming into this vice president role, I've had the benefit of working with really talented people, talented leaders that trusted me to handle complex responsibilities.
So now it's not just I'm responsible for the strength of the program, but really the evolution of the program and making sure that I'm taking the team along with me, that I'm continuing to grow them, develop them as we continue to develop the program.
So my vision for Office of Ethics and compliance at FirstEnergy is really to continue to do the essential things that we've always done. The guidance, the policies, really the framework of compliance for the company, but also lead us into being a trusted strategic partner for the organization in every aspect. So that operational compliance is really, you're not thinking of it as something you have to do once or twice a year, but it's a part of the lens of how you think about business decisions and make well informed decisions.
[00:04:12] Speaker A: How do you approach talent recruitment and retention in an evolving program that provides opportunities for professional development, but also offers opportunities for people to move on to something else?
[00:04:22] Speaker B: The competition for good talent is real.
It is something that we see on a day to day basis as we recruit across the organization, not just ethics and compliance.
We've had the benefit. We hired really experienced, talented employees when we first started the program because we needed people who could hit the ground running and natural duration of careers. People want movement. And so internally we look at how do we develop employees across different opportunities within our own department, but also prepare them for the next step. And that next step may be in a different department.
And while I want to keep good talent for as long as I can, I also see the benefit in them moving on to other roles in the organization because they become some of our strongest ambassadors for the compliance program. And so it really is a benefit not only to us as a department, but the organization as they move out and have that framework and foundation to then help ensure that it's embedded in the organization and other business units.
[00:05:31] Speaker A: You've spent a long time helping to build this program and now comes the shift from tactical to strategic. What does that shift look like for you and how are you approaching it?
[00:05:40] Speaker B: The first phase of it really was do we have all of the right parts? Do we have the policies, the practices? Do we have the right people?
Have we developed our program into a structure that really is going to be sustainable? And so I think the shift is More from, do we have the right parts to now, are we being effective? You know, it's not just about delivering the activities, but has the activity changed behavior? Are we able to reduce risk? Have we strengthened trust across employees within the organization? So that that tactical shift has really been more from the foundational piece to now the effectiveness and how do we measure that?
[00:06:23] Speaker A: For a lot of organizations, the ethics and Compliance department is seen as the department of no or the gotcha department.
And while we all know that's not really what ethics and compliance is all about, it's still something that leaders like yourself face all the time. So what is this phenomenon like for you at FirstEnergy and how are you dealing with that?
[00:06:41] Speaker B: The perception is real and it's not unique to FirstEnergy. I will say that we deal with it by being very clear about what our purpose is and I think also engaging with the business early, so showing them that our value isn't just on the end of correction or saying no, but really that we are one of your best partners when you start thinking about ideas so that we can help ensure that it's done in an ethical and compliant way.
And I think we also have the ownership of making sure that we're explaining our decisions well, that it doesn't seem like we're making a decision that employees don't understand, but that we really talk through the reasoning and the analysis. And we do that with lessons learned and explaining our practices and the communications that come out before we're going to change a practice or introduce something new, that we're really communicating the why.
I think that is what helps kind of move us from that department of no to actually a real business partner.
[00:07:47] Speaker A: As you look to the future, what would be some key proof points that indicate that you are achieving your strategic goals for the E and C function?
[00:07:56] Speaker B: I think first and foremost that we continue to see that employees are speaking up and that they trust the process that leaders are demonstrating that they own compliance. Compliance isn't just the job of the Office of Ethics and Compliance, but it's everyone.
And so seeing that ownership, I think, will show us that we've been successful. I think, as a program, if we are able to identify risk earlier and then measure.
Measure the impact that the program is having. So again, not just how many activities did we do, but how did we change the behavior? How did we. How did we help the organization identify risk? How did we strengthen the trust that employees have in us? That, to me, would be success. And Bill, I'll just say, finally, I think if the business recognizes us as a trusted partner, if they're coming to us early, engaging us early, seeking out our advice, that to me, is a successful program.
[00:08:58] Speaker A: A lot of chief ethics and compliance officers that I speak to will tell me that they have the best job in the world. So I'm going to turn that around and ask it to you. Why do you have the best job in the world?
[00:09:09] Speaker B: I have the best job in the world one because I work with really incredible people and it's a diverse background of employees that are on our team. So you're constantly learning not just the role, but how to do your role better.
But most importantly, I think I have the best job because I get to impact culture and I take that responsibility very seriously. It's what I think about.
So for me, this role is every day waking up and thinking about how do I make this a better work environment for the people who work at FirstEnergy?
And that may not be what people initially think of when they think of chief compliance officer, but to me, it really is. How do I make this a great place to work?
[00:09:55] Speaker A: Well, Deondra, thank you very much for joining us today. It was wonderful to have you on the program, everybody. And once again, congratulations to you and to your entire team for your compliance leader verification recognition.
[00:10:06] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:10:07] Speaker A: To learn more about the work that Diandra and her team are doing at FirstEnergy, be sure to connect with her on LinkedIn and visit FirstEnergy's About Us page at FirstEnergy.com and hit the links for corporate responsibility and governance. While we have you. If you're not already receiving Ethisphere's bi weekly newsletter at the Sphere Insights, then please sign
[email protected] newsletter. Each issue delivers our latest articles on demand webinars, ENC news stories, and more. That's all for now. We hope you've enjoyed the show. For new episodes each week, subscribe to us on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Also follow at the sphere on LinkedIn to learn more about how we help organizations like yours make themselves more successful and more resilient by advancing business integrity. Thanks for joining us. And until next time, remember, strong ethics is good business.
