What does community mean to you? To us it means our clients and our Network Partners. It means building a strong network that meets the needs of compliance professionals faced with managing complex global risks. It means diversity and reliability. It means trust.
We are hugely proud of the community we’ve created and how it helps our clients access hard-to-get information in a quick and hassle-free way. But as with all the best communities, they take care and consideration to flourish. Here are five ways we strengthen our partner community to ensure it thrives.
Building a strong foundation
As investigators ourselves, we understand that finding reliable on-the-ground support is the biggest challenge for many due diligence projects and can seriously slow down progress. To combat this we’ve focussed on curating a strong community of global industry experts that our clients can call on in any eventuality. Network Partners are invited to join our community based on pre-existing industry contacts or by recommendation from trusted partners in our network. Core specialists in the community include:
- OSINT researchers (for language skills, desktop due diligence, asset tracing, deep web research)
- Investigative journalists, private detectives
- HUMINT experts
- Collectors (for document retrievals, site visits)
- Lawyers (for litigation support, criminal checks)
- Cyber specialists (crypto analysis, cyber security)
Prior to joining the community, all our Network Partners must go through our multi-stage onboarding process followed by in-depth vetting that encompasses open-source background checks, detailed references and ID verification. All of our Network Partners are also required to sign and abide by our Code of Conduct and other governance policies.
Encouraging diversity
No two due diligence projects are the same and for that reason we maintain a varied community that is broad enough to cope with all possible scenarios. Growing a diversified and flexible network helps us to ensure we have the best fit match possible for each of our client’s projects.
Our core community that services our most frequent requests is supplemented by an extended network that encompasses a wide variety of specialisms. Got a query that relates to satellite imagery or needs maritime expertise? No problem, we have a Network Partner to match!
Providing training opportunities
Giving back to our community is important to us and for us this means offering the most up-to-date training for our Network Partners. We understand the value and benefits of sharing knowledge and skills throughout the community - giving the partners the opportunity to refresh, review and improve their skills.
Our Network Partners have access to an on-demand, GTI-specific training platform that includes modules on:
- Data protection regulations
- Investigative best practices
- Ultimate beneficial ownership structures
- Tips for client communications
Modules are added regularly and can also include training on client processes.
Keeping our finger on the pulse
Maintaining a comprehensive and robust network is an ongoing process requiring regular health checks. Here at GTI we proactively manage the community to grow popular skillsets and jurisdictions ensuring the network is always at its optimal strength. Our Network Partner Manager, Africa Leigh-Watts, regularly monitors client and industry trends to pre-empt client requirements and to develop the network accordingly. These regular pulse checks ensure that spikes in demand for certain jurisdictions and services can always be met.
Communicating openly
A crucial part of building this amazing community is keeping information flowing freely and enabling clear and effective communication. We have regular check-in calls with our Network Partners to build relationships, hear their feedback and to get a granular understanding of their skills and tools to ensure the best matches can be made. Partners also receive regular communications from us relating to training, tips for success and industry news.
In addition, we welcome feedback from our clients and share this with Network Partners to celebrate success and to create learning opportunities. By far the strongest enabler of communication is the GTI platform itself. Designed to facilitate transparency between clients and on-the-ground researchers in a way that wasn’t previously possible, this direct communication takes the due diligence community to a new level.
Want to find out more about the Network Partner community and access the best on-the-ground support? Get in touch today for a demo of the GTI platform.