As a company operating in a highly regulated industry, Elbit Systems of America (Elbit America) has long understood that a strong ethics and compliance program is non-negotiable. Several years into its partnership with Ethisphere, the organization now sees that commitment not just as a safeguard, but as a strategic advantage that reinforces integrity, governance, and stakeholder trust.
The Challenge
Defense technology company Elbit America has always viewed ethics and compliance as central to how it does business—not as a back-office function. As the company’s program matured, that long-standing commitment presented a new question: how do you keep elevating a program that is already strong? Leaders wanted to ensure their work not only met regulatory requirements, but also measured up against the expectations of employees, customers, and regulators.
“Our industry evolves quickly,” said Ben Gaffield, Vice President of Assurance, Compliance and Ethics. “We needed confidence that our internal view of program effectiveness aligned with leading practices and emerging regulatory expectations.”
The organization was looking for an external partner that could stress-test its work, provide data-driven benchmarking, and help translate a strong culture of integrity into a durable strategic advantage. They wanted to know not only that their program was effective, but that it reflected leading practice and would stay resilient as the regulatory and business environment continued to evolve.
The Solution
Elbit America turned to Ethisphere to help achieve those goals. Gaffield says the relationship quickly became “highly collaborative and productive,” giving leaders both validation and concrete opportunities to strengthen the program. Ethisphere’s tools and expertise helped the team make “significant strides in promoting ethical business practices and enhancements to our corporate governance program,” Gaffield said.
Independent benchmarking has been a core component. Through Ethisphere’s assessments and insights, Elbit America now compares its program structure, policies, and practices against recognized standards and peers. This guidance has shaped refinements to training, communication, and governance and ensured the program stays rooted in the company’s values rather than drifting toward a check-the-box approach.
For DeAnna Schuler, Head of Ethics & Compliance at the company, one of the most impactful elements has been the practical knowledge-sharing that comes from the Business Ethics Leadership Alliance. “BELA has connected us with peers facing similar challenges,” she explained. “Those conversations help us strengthen our culture of integrity and continuously adapt our approach.”
Recognition as a seven-time World’s Most Ethical Companies honoree has further validated the company’s efforts. For Elbit America, the recognition is not merely symbolic, it signals that ethical leadership is visible in how it operates every day.
The Results
Measuring return on investment for an ethics and compliance partnership is not as simple as pointing to a line on a financial statement. But leaders at Elbit America see results across several dimensions.
First, they see a stronger, more agile compliance program. Ethisphere’s benchmarking sharpened the company’s understanding of its strengths and areas for enhancement, enabling more targeted training and more proactive risk management. “The ROI may be difficult to quantify in financial terms,” Gaffield said, “but it is unmistakable in the maturity of our program and the proactive steps we’ve taken to foster an ethical workplace.”
Second, the partnership has reinforced Elbit America’s reputation with key stakeholders. Recognition through Ethisphere initiatives reassures employees, customers, and partners that integrity is not a slogan, it is a standard independently validated over many years. That, in itself, is a valuable form of risk mitigation and brand strength.
Finally, the partnership sustains cultural momentum. Schuler emphasized that the external perspective, structured feedback, and BELA community are an ongoing motivator. “Ethisphere pushes us to keep raising our standards. Rather than treating ethics and compliance as a project that can be checked off as complete, it keeps us from ever becoming complacent.”
Final Thoughts
If advising another company, Elbit America’s ethics team would encourage treating the partnership with Ethisphere as an active collaboration. They recommend taking full advantage of the research, benchmarking, and networking opportunities available.
“Go in with curiosity and a willingness to learn,” Schuler said. “If you embrace the partnership fully, the benefits show up across culture, governance, and long-term trust, even if they don’t appear in a spreadsheet.”
