2026 E&C Program Effectiveness Report

After more than a decade of global benchmarking, LRN’s 2026 ethics & compliance program effectiveness report comes at a pivotal moment for the profession. This year’s research examines how organizations are navigating rapid technological change, rising regulatory expectations and trust gaps and whether technology is driving true transformation or simply reinforcing old habits.

Drawing on insights from more than 2,500 professionals and employees across 26 industries and eight countries, the report highlights a widening gap between high-impact programs and the rest. While technology adoption and ethical culture are improving, integration remains uneven, leadership trust gaps persist and AI governance is lagging, creating a clear call to action for leaders ready to take the next leap.

A few key findings:

• The performance gap has widened: High-impact programs are accelerating by integrating culture and analytics into everyday management.
• Technology adoption expands but lacks depth: Use of AI and data analytics is increasing, yet many organizations lack the governance, integration and measurement needed to translate tools into impact.
• Ethical culture improves modestly worldwide: Programs are strongest where leaders consistently model values and reinforce accountability, underscoring that culture remains central to effectiveness.
• Middle management remains the missing link: Even with stronger executive engagement, values are not consistently reinforced at the operational level, limiting program credibility and reach.