IPR Infringement Report Says IP Infringement is Getting Worse!

Intellectual property can be a business’s most valuable asset. So when outside parties threaten to steal your ideas, copy your products or disrupt your marketing channels, corrective action on your part can become tedious, time-consuming and expensive. Also, because of the high value associated with Intellectual Property Right (IPR), infringement of those rights is a lucrative criminal activity, which generates significant costs to the rights owners and to the economy in general. In fact around 12,000 IP infringement cases are filed each year.

Now, a study conducted by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in partnership with the European Patent Office (EPO) found that the total contribution of IPR-intensive industries to the EU economy accounts for approximately 42% of GDP (€5.7 trillion) and 28% of employment plus another 10% in indirect employment effects in non-IPR intensive sectors. Those sectors also generate a trade surplus of approximately €96 billion with the rest of the world and pay their workers 46% higher salaries than other sectors.

The economic Value of IPRs

This IP infringement report brings together the findings of the research carried out in recent years by the EUIPO, through the European Observatory on the Infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, on the extent, scope and economic consequences of IPR infringement in the EU. Evidence on the economic value of IPRs in the EU economy, the extent to which this value is exploited, the infringement mechanisms used to capture that value and the actions being taken in response to these challenges are outlined and discussed in the report as well.

According to a study carried out by EUIPO and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2019, estimates of IPR infringement in international trade in 2016 could reach as much as 3.3% of world trade. Up to 6.8% of EU imports, or €121 billion per year, consist of fake goods. Both sets of figures are significantly higher than those found in study by the two organisations published in 2016, indicating that the problem has grown even more serious in recent years.

Annual Losses of €92 Billion During 2012-16 Due to Counterfeiting

In a series of sectorial studies, the EUIPO fears it has lost sales in 11 sectors in the EU, as a result of counterfeiting. These losses have occurred directly in the industries being analysed and across their associated supply chains and totalled more than €92 billion per year during 2012-16.

Abundant value, lenient sentences and high returns on investment together make it attractive for criminal gangs to engage in counterfeiting activities. The modus operandi of such gangs is becoming increasingly complex as technology and distribution channels evolve, hand in hand with the breadth of products being counterfeited.

How Legitimate Brands Can Suffer Due to Advertising!

The business models adopted by counterfeiters make significant use of the internet to distribute their products and to promote the distribution and consumption of illegal digital content. Internet sites selling counterfeit goods benefit from additional advertising revenues from both “high risk” ads (adult, gaming, and malware) and, paradoxically, also from legitimate brands, which then suffer in two ways from advertising on such sites: damage to their own brand and provision of credibility to the hosting website.

In addition to analysing the supply of counterfeit goods and pirated content, the EUIPO has also studied the demand side, that is, the attitudes of EU citizens towards IPR and their willingness to consume IPR-infringing goods and services. The incentives for consumers to purchase counterfeit goods and to access copyright-protected content illegally include lower prices, easy accessibility and a low degree of social stigma associated with such activities.
In response to these developments the EUIPO, together with public and private partners, is undertaking and supporting a number of actions to meet these challenges.

The Economic and Social Impact of IPR Infringements

The actions by the EUIPO range from providing rights owners with information on the changing infringement landscape and working with Europol on wider responses to IP crime. It also included participating in the funding of a specialised IP crime unit within Europol, supporting the European Commission’s efforts to address the supply of counterfeit goods in third countries and to help Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) protect their IPRs. This was done by providing citizens with information on the availability of legally accessible digital content and on the economic and social impact of purchasing counterfeit goods or accessing digital content illegally.

VIEW IPR REPORT

How the CRI Group™ Can Help You Tackle IPR Infringement

CRI Group’s Intellectual Property Investigations team helps companies identify threats to IP and confidential information internally and throughout their supply chain, develop the appropriate mitigation strategies and investigate suspected infringements.

VIEW OUR BROCHURE

For further information on IPR infringement or to book a meeting with our experts, click here.

Filed under: All Industries, Background Investigation,

Risk Management & What can Business Intelligence do?

Businesses must manage risks because they can frequently prevent or minimize the financial, political, social, and cultural ramifications associated with them. Risk management is an effective tool to tackle uncertainties in the probability of an event’s occurrence that challenges decision-making. Many factors associated with risk management, including business intelligence, have the potential to be used to reduce such uncertainties. Business Intelligence services supports organizations in the making more accurate estimates and predictions by analyzing historical and current data and mitigating internal and external risks.

What is Business Intelligence? How are Investigative operations are compared to Intelligence operations? Business Intelligence (BI) is a phrase coined for the analytical procedures an organization commences.

Business Intelligence is a successful method of conducting market research as it merges data derivative from the peripheral environment (i.e., market and industry) in which an organization operates with data from the core environment of the organization as fiscal and controls data. When combined, this data can deliver a complete image of any business decisions a firm can make as a means of benefit to themselves; this ranges from operational decisions such as product positioning to strategic decisions such as pricing.

What Are The Five Basic Tasks Of Business Intelligence?

• Intelligence is used for business decisions….
• Following are the five steps siness Intelligence:
• The data is sourced from…
• The results of the analysis are…
• Being aware of your surroundings:…
• The risk assessment is that…
• Support in making decisions…

What is Counted as Business Intelligence Services?

Business Intelligence (BI) services can take on numerous forms and structures in today’s complex corporate environment. Business Intelligence services investigates everything from assets to the exterior disputes facing an organization. It can also appraise an organization’s employees to ensure that its integrity, reputation, and bottom-line profits are safeguarded from any malice and illicit activities.

CRI Group™ takes two approaches to business intelligence services:

• Intelligence operations (via market research and analysis): we focus on researching your business’s future and potential growth – i.e. determine the commercial viability and potential for success in the market, analyze consumer behavior and business trends in that market, etc.
• Investigative operations (via commercial investigations): we focus on the status of your business – i.e. location of assets, financial information, identification of unmet needs of any market, gauge brand awareness and identity in the market, etc.)

What are Intelligence Operations?

Investigation and Evaluation facilities are constructed to aid clients during the business intelligence procedure. Intelligence operations are highly acclaimed by organizations of all industries. The service aids the preliminary phases of detecting the necessary components for a suitable corporate policy to the closing execution phases. At CRI Group™, we know that data is your greatest advantage when performing enterprise on several degrees.

Our market research will collect the mandatory statistics to make significant corporate decisions; everything from registering into other markets or industries to associating or partnering with other organizations (i.e., Mergers and Acquisitions) is covered in our BI Solutions. CRI Group™ is proficient in understanding and transmitting this data to allow you to implement it into your corporate development; our experts are trained to the highest degree and understand how to get the proper data promptly.

CRI Group’s methodology is to assist the organization in tracing corporate movements and market changes which, in turn, will aid in steering them through the practice of successfully conveying their brand in the larger market to then be able to market their goods and services accordingly. With representatives in nations across the globe, CRI Group™ is distinctively situated to assist you in traversing cultural and regulatory environments to maximize your market potential in the regions you seek to trade.

Gaining insight into how your brand reputation affects potential buyers and understanding what motivates the market to purchase will enable you to establish effective marketing programs that impact your audiences and build brand loyalty among buyers. Why not check out our BI solutions brochure to learn more about our approach.

What are Investigative Operations?

It is no secret that every industry has its issues. However, some matters, such as Employee Theft, Company Fraud, rivalry, continuous malingering, or Industrial Espionage, can start on a moderately trivial scale. Still, as time advances, the culprit becomes brasher in their endeavors (typically due to an absence of discovery) instigating the situation to develop out of control and become detrimental to your commerce.

As an organization, you have every right to be involved with the internal activities of your firm; hence, carrying out commercial investigations on your employees as a means of curtailing threats is not out of the question. Our team of experts can support you to do this in a manner equally as ethical as it is providing as it delivers you the data you so greatly pursue.

Commercial investigations can be achieved for any form of an enterprise, including commercial, industrial, legal, and public sector corporations. Our team hails from diverse backgrounds, including military and fraud investigators, which is why CRI Group™ is so adaptable in its approach to help you with intelligence and investigative operations. Why not check out our BI solutions brochure to learn more about our approach.

A little bit overwhelmed and wanting to learn more? Get in touch and let us know how we can help!

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What is Fraud Investigation?

Fraud is one of the biggest and most damaging risks businesses face. The headlines are full of organisations both in the private and public sectors affected by fraud, irregularity or other wrongdoing – either as a victim or accused. Statistics show that the threat of Corporate Fraud increases markedly in a down economy. And when such fraud occurs, it takes an average of 18 months to detect. In that timeframe, the damage to your business can be both widespread and irreversible. The hidden costs related to corporate fraud drains an estimated five per cent of revenue from corporations worldwide.

Fraud Risk Assessment and Fraud Risk Management: A Proactive Approach to Prevention and Detection

Historically, most major corporate fraud cases have been perpetrated by senior management who can circumvent internal controls and often work in collusion with other employees. By establishing a strong workplace environment that promotes ethical behaviour, deters wrongdoing and encourages all employees to communicate any known or suspected activity to the proper authority, you would be taking a proactive approach to prevention and detection.

What is the Fraud Investigation Process?

When fraud is suspected within the organisation, CRI Group’s experienced fraud analysts use proven techniques to aggressively investigate the case, collect evidence and determine the facts. Once the type of fraud is determined, a process of gathering all evidence possible to bulk out the investigation case starts. Evidence can be collected through a variety of means and methods.

These methods include conducting detailed asset checks, background verifications, surveillance checks and stylised forms of investigation and analysis; including employee investigations and investigations of an entire business. Subsequently, the victims and potential fraudsters will be interviewed.  Our analysts work with your management, internal security and legal teams to uncover the truth and bring proper closure to the case.

Are You Auditing Your Fraud Prevention Program Regularly?

• Review and assessment of your current fraud risk management program, including policies, procedures, controls, reporting functions, responsibilities assignment and investigative requirements to identify the organisation’s susceptibility to fraud and vulnerability by the department.
• Developing fraud prevention measures and implementing Anti-fraud controls.
• Defining detection methods that encompass internal audits, suspicious transaction reporting, whistle-blower strategies, and program enforcement.
• Re-engineering targeted job functions or internal controls to mesh with fraud risk management program refinements.

Take Extra Precaution with Fraud and White-Collar Crime Investigations

Fraud and white-collar crime investigations and risk consulting services have helped financial institutions, corporations, partnerships, and individuals worldwide minimise fraud and thereby satisfy capital markets, reduce legal costs, and maintain their reputation and brand equity. CRI Group’s global team of Certified Fraud Examiners are trained in virtually every aspect of corporate fraud, including:

• Money Laundering
• Intellectual Property Crimes
• Embezzlement
• Check & Credit Card Fraud
• Online Cybercrime
• Accounting Fraud
• Cash Theft
• Asset Misappropriation
• Bribery
• Corruption
• Contract & Procurement Fraud
• Payroll Fraud

CRI Group™ develops preventative measures that have helped organisations worldwide identify a material weakness in internal controls to mitigate collusive activity and reduce the liabilities associated with corporate fraud. Our trained investigators leverage our collective investigative experience, leading technology tools, global reach and credibility with regulators to bring you insights with precision and speed.

Our international team of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) work with companies to analyse and assess fraud prevention measures, develop solid risk management programs, provide training for executives, board, management and staff, establish effective communications strategies for reporting suspicious behaviour, and implement investigation and corrective action policies that meet regulatory and compliance requirements.

CRI Group™ professionals work with your organisation on an unbiased level, strengthening your fraud risk management program by:

• Adhering to the organisation’s written code of conduct
• Reviewing existing fraud risk management programs
• Training employees to properly identify fraud
• Developing internal and external reporting channels
• Identifying senior management, board and employee responsibilities
• Conducting and monitoring the progress of investigations
• Providing thorough reporting of investigative results
• Testifying as expert witnesses, if required

Who is CRI Group™?

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, 

CRI Group™ invites you to schedule a quick appointment with us to discuss in more detail how our risk management solutions can help you and your organisation. 

احجز موعد اجتماع الآن!

Why CRI Group™?

• CRI™ has one of the largest, most experienced & best-trained integrity due diligence teams in the world.
• We have a flat structure which means that you will have direct access to senior members of staff throughout the due diligence process.
• Our multi-lingual teams have conducted assignments on thousands of subjects in over 80 countries, & we’re committed to maintaining & constantly evolving our global network.
• Our solutions are easily customisable, flexible & we will tailor our scope to address your concerns & risk areas; saving you time & money.
• Our team of more than 50 full-time analysts is spread across Europe, Middle East, Asia, North and South America & is fully equiped with the local knowledge to serve your needs globally.
• Our extensive solutions include due diligence, employee pre & post background screening, business intelligence & compliance, facilitating any decision-making across your business no matter what area or department.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management- Guidelines; ISO 37000:2021 Governance of Organisations; ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management System; ISO 37301:2021 (formerly ISO 19600) Compliance Management system (CMS); Anti-Money Laundering (AML); and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems ABMS. ABAC™ offers a complete suite of solutions designed to help organisations mitigate the internal and external risks associated with operating in multi-jurisdiction and multi-cultural environments while assisting in developing frameworks for strategic compliance programs. Contact ABAC™ for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions, Background Investigation,

What is Business Intelligence? Investigative Operations vs Intelligence Operations

What is Business Intelligence?

What is Business Intelligence? How are Investigative operations are compared to Intelligence operations? Business Intelligence (BI) is a phrase coined for the analytical procedures an organisation commences. Business Intelligence is known to be a successful method of conducting market research as it merges data derivative from the peripheral environment (i.e., market and industry) in which an organisation operates with data from the core environment of the organisation as fiscal and controls data. When combined, this data can deliver a complete image of any business decisions a firm can make as a means of benefit to themselves; this ranges from operational decisions such as product positioning to strategic decisions such as pricing.

What is Counted as Business Intelligence Solutions?

Business Intelligence (BI) Solutions can take on numerous forms and structures in today’s complex corporate environment. BI solution investigates everything from assets to the exterior disputes facing an organisation. It can also appraise an organisation’s employees to ensure that the organisation’s integrity, reputation, and bottom-line profits are safeguarded from any malice and illicit activities.

CRI Group™ Takes Two Approaches to BI Solutions:

• Intelligence operations (via market research and analysis): we focus on researching the future and potential growth of your business – i.e. determine the commercial viability and potential for success in the market, analyse consumer behaviour and business trends in that market, etc.
• Investigative operations (via commercial investigations): we focus on the status of your business – i.e. location of assets, financial information, identification of unmet needs of any market, gauge brand awareness and identity in the market, etc.)

Why not check out our BI solutions brochure to know more about our approach.

What are Intelligence Operations?

Investigation and Evaluation facilities are constructed to aid clients during the business intelligence procedure. Intelligence operations are highly acclaimed for organisations of all industries as the service aids the preliminary phases of detecting the necessary components for a suitable corporate policy to the closing phases of execution. At CRI Group™ we know that data is your greatest advantage when performing enterprise on several degrees.

Our market research will collect the statistics mandatory to make significant corporate decisions; everything varying from registering into other markets or industries to associating or partnering with other organisations (i.e., Mergers and Acquisitions) is covered in our BI Solutions. CRI Group™ is proficient in understanding and transmitting this data in a way that allows you to implement it into your corporate development; our experts are trained to the highest degree and understand how to get the proper data promptly.

CRI™’s methodology is to assist the organisation in tracing corporate movements and market changes which in turn, will aid in steering them through the practice of successfully conveying their brand in the larger market to then be able to market their goods and services accordingly. With representatives in nations across the globe, CRI Group™ is distinctively situated to assist you in traversing cultural and regulatory environments to maximise your market potential in the regions you seek to trade.

Gaining insight into how your brand reputation affects potential buyers and understanding what motivates the market to purchase will enable you to establish effective marketing programs that impact your audiences and build brand loyalty among buyers.

What are Investigative Operations?

It is no secret that every industry has its issues. Some matters, however, such as Employee Theft, Company Fraud, rivalry, continuous malingering, or Industrial Espionage, can start on a moderately trivial scale but as time advances, the culprit becomes brasher in their endeavours (typically due to an absence of discovery) instigating the situation to develop out of control and start being detrimental your commerce.

As an organisation, you have every right to be involved with the internal activities of your firm hence, carrying out commercial investigations on your employees as a means of curtailing threats is not out of the question. Our team of experts can support you to do this in a manner that is equally as ethical as it is providing as it delivers you the data you so greatly pursue.

Commercial investigations can be achieved for any form of an enterprise including commercial, industrial, legal, and public sector corporations. Our team hail from a range of diverse backgrounds, including military and fraud investigators which is why CRI Group™ is so adaptable in its approach to help you with intelligence and investigative operations.

A little bit overwhelmed and wanting to learn more? Get in touch and let us know how we can help!

Who is CRI Group™?

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, 

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How is COVID-19 Radically Transforming the New-Hire Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for industries, organizations and their teams on every level. HR leaders had to adapt to a new normal quickly. Along with coping with the closing of workplaces and adjusting to working from home, many organizations had significant recruitment, vetting and onboarding activities. With two-thirds of employers reporting increased productivity for remote workers than in-office workers, businesses also discovered the benefits of a remote and flexible workforce. With the human element of HR almost vanishing overnight, HR leaders had to learn how to leverage the “digital” aspect of their jobs, ramp it up and implement it across their processes to deliver a new-hire experience and an overall good employee experience. And these changes are very likely to stay for the long haul.

This article explores how COVID-19 radically transformed the new-hire experience from recruitment to background screening, onboarding, and retention. We also explore some of the advantages of these changes and how you can leverage the new normal into your employee experience and increase retention.

The New Normal

When COVID-19 struck, companies were faced with the difficult task of hiring quickly and economically, continuing effective onboarding processes, and changing the overall new-hire experience whilst managing the day-to-day risks and ever-changing challenges. COVID posed a lot of challenges when it comes to recruitment, such as:

1. Navigating the new realm of virtual recruitment.
2. High demand for recruitment in specific sectors (e.g., pharmaceuticals, retail supermarkets, delivery companies, transportation, retail banks, healthcare).
3. The need to hire employees with a specific skill set (e.g., digital marketing, IT teams, customer service).
4. Accommodating for existing staff working from home.
5. Considering the long-term and short-term economic impact of hiring during the uncertainty of the pandemic.

There was also the onboarding process. Before the pandemic, some would say the process of onboarding an employee begins when the candidate is offered the position and continues until the new employee is considered productive – which could be anytime from the end of a probation period, for example, to a full year and the first appraisal. However, according to a recent survey by CareerBuilder, 25% of employers reported that their onboarding process took a day or less. In comparison, 26% spent a week, 21% over a month, and 11% said their onboarding process extends over three months or longer.

Furthermore, during the pandemic, the number of cases of employee fraud and misconduct grew substantially. In a survey conducted last year by CRI Group, an overwhelming number of respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting human resources at their company. There are also concerns about fraud, and the protection of confidential information, as much of the workforce has gone virtual in work-from-home (WFH) arrangements. CRI Group’s survey measures the pulse of human resources during a challenging time in business worldwide. The largest number (38%) of survey participants were human resources professionals, but respondents also included managers (19%); executives, directors and administrators (27%); and other roles.

Being digital in a COVID world, where face-to-face interaction is no longer possible, is mostly about optimising the end-to-end employee experience and leveraging data to deliver a somewhat personal employee onboarding experience. Outlined below are ten fundamental tips that support it:

1. Integrate Employee Information from Screening to Onboarding and Deployment

Managing data is a challenge, but it is essential to ensure that the monitoring and engagement of the new hire remain consistent throughout the onboarding lifecycle. Integrate a system that includes Applicant Tracking System (ATS), recruitment, background screening, onboarding, and performance management, and learning/development systems.

2. There are no Shortcuts in Recruitment; Background Screening is More Critical than Ever

Many companies are hiring at an accelerated rate – especially in the medical profession and industries dealing with infectious diseases, medical supply, pharmaceutical companies and research facilities. A need for quick and effective pre-employment screening has arisen, but that is precisely why proper background screening is critical during COVID. Take the revised BS7858:2019 standard: When establishing policies and practices around the standard and vetting new hires against the standard, organisations can show that they place a high value on hiring individuals who possess integrity. Organisations can then task their new hires with responsibilities designed to keep their co-workers, customers and information safe from the negative forces that have become more prevalent in today’s ever-changing COVID-19 world.

3. Reduce Insider Fraud or Misconduct Risk and Increase Employee Integration Success Rate from the Get-Go

Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 crisis, employee fraud has increased. According to a 2020 report from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, 5% of all revenue generated by organisations – some three and a half trillion pounds globally – is lost every year through fraud committed by employees. Effective background screening for candidates and employees is an essential and effective countermeasure.

4. Leverage HR Technology, Social Media and Remote Working to Elevate the Employee Experience

Remote working is very much a given in this era, so you must leverage technology to not only facilitate your new hire now but their job as a future permanent employee. It will also reduce the need for face-to-face support while at the same time encouraging pro-activity and self-service. In today’s reality, employee experience is not just about boosting employee engagement but more about employee support effectiveness as a whole – while reducing dependencies on HR at the same time.

5. Engage New-Hire from the Get-Go

Employee onboarding starts not just when the employee joins the organization. Your very first email is the first experience the candidate has with your organization. In the fast world of recruitment, too many sure candidates drop your process or reject your offers for a better one. It is essential to keep the candidate engaged while at the same time initiating a slow process of integrating her/him into the organization asap — by doing so, you will improve the offer-to-join ratio.

6. Accelerate the Time-to-Competency for New Hires by Reducing the Learning Curve

It is important to establish expectations, set clear goals for the new hire, and monitor them consistently. Investing in employees’ professional development has always been an attractive “benefit” of any luring organization. With COVID and the inability to learn on the job, this is more important. Why? Employees at all levels worldwide have been flung into a different and new way of working, which requires a very different skill set. According to Gallup, organizations that invest in employee development report 11% greater profitability. Every individual has his/ her learning style and ways of retaining information, so leverage all the digital tools available such as on-demand videos, live chats, virtual assistants, and other forms of interactive self-paced learning options.

7. Up-skilling Your People by Providing Learning and Knowledge Retention Tools on Demand

Learning is key to making an employee productive. Training new and current employees to cope with the ongoing changes from the COVID-19 pandemic will help them remain productive. Employee retention like this is invaluable, especially as recruitment has become that bit trickier in a remote world. Do not lose top talent, knowledge and experience, for lacking that extra level of support.

8. Mental Health is Critical; It is Time to Acknowledge and Practice it

The turbulence of today’s dual health and economic crises is unprecedented and is affecting employees. PwC’s 2020 Global Consumer Insights survey shows a shift in the consumer’s priority, with 69% saying they are caring more about their mental health and physical fitness, and 63% saying they want to eat healthier as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A study from Tilburg University in the Netherlands (commissioned by the IOSH – Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) estimated around 12.8 billion working days are lost due to anxiety and depression. The study concluded that organizations could help prevent mental health problems from becoming more severe and achieve a more sustainable workplace by paying attention to each individual’s situation and conditions. Employers must emphasize meeting individual needs and finding a more tailored approach where the new reality can safely “cohabit” with a desired new future. Leveraging social media to provide a robust peer support system is equally helpful – these will aid the onboarding process.

9. The Employee Continuously Due Diligence

Conduct a periodic review of existing employees. Investing in due diligence is vital to mitigate the risks and identify fraud. Periodically screening and vetting existing employees can protect and enhance the overall security of your organization.

10. Cut Costs Drastically

Leveraging these new changes and integrating them into your onboarding cycle can help reduce expenses drastically across your business. It eliminates the cost that comes when placing the wrong candidate.

EmploySmart – Take the First Step Towards Transforming Your Employee Background Screening!

Businesses have to adapt quickly to survive, which can mean cutting steps in their hiring process, and no one knows how this will play out. Using a vendor to conduct your background screening effectively will invaluably make your onboarding process more scalable. It will allow you to focus on delivering consistently superior services to new hires across the board and, more importantly, focus on the fun stuff like supporting the new hire on their continued improvement.

We understand how important it is to monitor all stages from recruitment to onboarding and from onboarding to learning and development; that’s why our employee screening reports are easy to “transcribe” to whatever HR ecosystem you use. Our reports will essentially complement the effectiveness of any employee onboarding process and, therefore, your HR department.

Mitigate the employee risk impact! Learn how with this FREE eBook. Taken as a whole, this eBook is the perfect primer for any HR professional, business leader and company looking to avoid employee background screening risks. It provides the tools and knowledge needed to stay ahead of COVID-19 effectively. DOWNLOAD now!

Filed under: Background Investigation,

5 Tips for Preventing & Detecting Expense Fraud

It’s one of the most common forms of occupational fraud: employees fudging on their expense accounts. In June, 2020, Lookers (London-listed company) warned investors they might be unable to buy and sell its shares from the beginning of July because of potential fraud on its books – confirming £19m charge to correct books after fraud inquiry. Whether through fictitious charges, fake receipts or invoices, or other improper use of expense funds, an expense account is sometimes seen as a low-risk, high-reward area for committing fraud. It shouldn’t be. If your company takes the proper steps to review expense activity and protect itself from fraud, expense accounts will no longer be a vulnerable area of your finances.

The experts at CRI® Group offer the following tips for bolstering your protection against expense account fraud:

1. Provide strict guidelines for credit card use

Often, expense account fraud is committed with the use of a credit card, with the employee seeking illegitimate reimbursement for various expenses. Detail how personal cards are allowed to be used, and require and review all receipts for claimed expenses. Also require supporting documentation (such as an airline boarding pass, for example) to ensure the purchase was used as intended.

2. Check company credit card statements carefully

In some cases, employees will use a company credit card to make a purchase, but then claim similar or duplicate expenses for reimbursement on their expense report. This is easy to catch if you carefully review company card statements and check them against reimbursements.

3. Ask questions

If a purchase seems odd or unrelated to business use, catching it early is the best way to resolve the issue. After too much time has passed, an employee might claim to have a difficult time remembering exactly what the questionable expense was for. If in doubt about a claim, ask for supporting documentation and a clear explanation of how the expense was used for a business purpose.

4. Implement a Code of Ethics for all employees

By including anti-fraud language in your Code of Ethics, which should communicate a strong anti-fraud stance and be signed by all employees, it will be clear that expense account fraud is not tolerated. Reinforce this with regular communications to employees reminding them that the company does not tolerate fraud in any form and offenders will be prosecuted.

5. Set a Tone at the Top

If the company has rules in place but senior staff aren’t following them, lower-level employees will follow by example and flout the rules, as well. All staff should follow the rules to the letter. Especially while on business trips with lower level employees, senior staff should set a positive example and make a point to follow the rules for business expenses.

Expense account fraud is a persistent problem in business, but it doesn’t have to be a crisis at your company. By using a common sense approach and some key prevention strategies, you can help ensure that your employees know the rules and are less likely to try to take advantage of company expense funds. For assistance in developing and implementing a fraud prevention strategy, contact us today or get a FREE QUOTE now!

Let’s Talk!

Based in London, CRI® Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, 

In 2016, CRI® Group launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI® Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organizations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

MEET THE CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI® Group (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI® Group safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI® Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI® Group to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI® Group Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Background Investigation,

Wal-Mart: a professional TPRM implementation would have avoided this situation.

Lack of TPRM strategy can be an expensive reminder of how important is it to balance the risks and benefits of using third parties to deliver business services.

On June 20, 2019, Walmart Inc global retail corporation, settled a long-running corruption investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to resolve a long-running U.S. bribery investigation into allegations of bribery by its employees. 

According to the agreed-upon statement of facts in the DOJ settlement documents, as well as allegations in the SEC administrative order, from 2000 until 2011, despite the fact that certain Walmart personnel responsible for implementing and maintaining the Company’s internal accounting controls related to anti-corruption were aware of certain controls failures, including failures related to potentially improper payments to government officials by certain Walmart foreign subsidiaries, Walmart failed to implement appropriate internal controls to prevent such improper payments.

The DOJ alleged that Walmart failed to do the following:

1. Conduct sufficient anti-corruption due diligence on third-party intermediaries (“TPIs”) who interacted with foreign officials;
2. Implement appropriate controls related to payments to TPIs; 
3. Require proof of services before paying TPIs; 
4. Require that TPIs had written contracts with anti-corruption compliance provisions; 
5. Ensure that donations ostensibly made to foreign government agencies were not converted to personal use by foreign officials; and
6. Implement appropriate policies covering gifts, travel and entertainment for foreign officials.

With a total of $282 million in penalties and disgorgement and its Brazilian subsidiary pleading guilty to criminal charges, the deal could have easily been avoided with a professional due diligence implementation.

The Arkansas-based global retail corporation settled a long-running corruption investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) (collectively the “Government”), with the Company paying a total of $282 million in penalties and disgorgement and its Brazilian subsidiary pleading guilty to criminal charges.

Expensive Reminder About the Importance of Due diligence

What is due diligence?

Due diligence is understood as the reasonable steps taken to satisfy legal requirements in the conduct of business relations. An Integrity Due Diligence allows you to reduce risks arising from the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) and the UKBA (U.K. Bribery Act), make informed decisions, and pursue takeovers or mergers confidently. In the business world, due diligence refers to the organisation’s investigation and steps to satisfy all legal requirements before buying or selling products and services or entering into a contract or a financial arrangement with another party.

Unlike other kinds of control (audits, market analysis, etc.), it must be independent and rely as little as possible upon information provided by the researched subject. The other significant difference lies in the methodology: commercial or financial due diligence analyses available information, Investigative Due Diligence provides reliable and pertinent, but raw, information.

When conducting investigative due diligence, you can identify key risks; it can enhance your knowledge and understanding of the customer, supplier, employee and third-party risk, helping you avoid any compliance. 

Protect your reputation and the risk of financial damage and regulator action using our detailed reports. 

Types of transactions

Professionals can be hired to conduct investigations or audits of business deals involving a variety of transactions, such as:

• merger & acquisition;
• potential investment in securities;
• real estate transaction;
• business purchase or sale; and
• investment in a new product or technology, and so on.

Types of investigations

The standard types of investigations that are conducted include:

• Conflict of interest investigation;
• Review of financial records;
• Confirmation of financials with a bank or other financial institution;
• Credit checks from credit reporting companies (such as Equifax);
• Property title checks obtained from a trusted source (e.g. land titles office or your lawyer); and
• Confirmation of corporate status, directors, officers, and shareholders (if applicable).

How can a professional fraud investigator help?

• review client documentation and information to identify red flags of fraud;
• conduct standard public record searches on the people or issues identified;
• conduct covert and overt interviews and gather intelligence utilising other covert and overt methods; and
• after an initial investigation is completed, request that their clients meet with the proposed parties to the transaction to gauge their credibility against the information that the investigator has found about them.

How CRI® can help

We enable businesses to make better decisions about the third parties they choose to work with. We help you make better decisions faster. We examine risk from every angle so you can make better-informed decisions. And we provide you with the insights you need to identify the partners who will create better long-term value for your business.

Third-party risk management services brochure

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions,

10 top business risks

Sometimes business owners or management have an outsized sense of business risks for a particular threat. For example, some companies place extreme emphasis on guarding their intellectual property (IP), when in actuality the incidence of IP theft for their industry might be low. Other times, however, their priorities are firmly in line with the threat posed by the risk. According to a recent study, this is exactly the case when it comes to leaks of internal information, data theft, and reputational damage due to third-party relationships (Global Fraud Risk Report 2019/20).

This report is based on a survey of 588 senior executives from 13 countries and regions and 10 industries. It provides valuable insight into what types of threats are keeping business leaders awake at night. “The broadening of the risk landscape is visible in the types of significant incidents our survey respondents report experiencing in the last 12 months and in the priority levels they assign to various risk mitigations,” the report states. “The most frequently cited incident is leaks of internal information, reported by 39 percent. But this perennial challenge now coexists with risks from relatively recent threats, such as data theft, and even newer threats, such as adversarial social media activity.”

Business information leaks occur when confidential information is revealed to unauthorized persons or parties. This happens with alarming frequency, as recent news stories illustrate. Headlines include “Stunning iPhone 12 video shows Apple’s leaked prototype design with no notch” (BGR, 2020); “New Leaks Show Business and Politics Behind Tiktok Content Management” (China Digital Times, 2020); “DOJ charges Defense Intelligence Agency employee for leaking highly classified information to the media” (Business Insider, 2019). There can be direct and/or indirect negative repercussions from an information leak at your business. It can affect product rollouts, or give you a disadvantage in a competitive market; among other effects. At CRI Group, our experts work with companies to develop policies that provide zero-tolerance for information leaks, and put controls in place (such as secure communications and data systems) to prevent such leaks from occurring in the first place.

Data theft

Perhaps the fastest-growing scourge of businesses since the beginning of this century. Massive data breaches have cause major distrust among consumers worldwide, and have led directly to identity theft and financial crimes such as theft of credit, illegitimate loans and other schemes. Data theft involves stealing computer-based information from an unknowing victim, usually a company with a large customer or client base. This usually results in the sale or sharing or private information. Most recently, a data breach reportedly exposed more than 200 million Americans: “Data Breach Exposes 200 million Americans: What You Need To Know” (Screen Rant, 2020). In another case, a major cruise operator saw its customers’ information exposed: “Norwegian Cruise Line Suffers Data Breach” (infosecurity, 2020).

For any company that is entrusted with customers’ or members’ private information, especially personally identifying information (PII), data theft can be a devastating crime. Beyond lawsuits and financial damage caused by such a disaster, rebuilding the company’s reputation (and earning back customers’ trust) is an uphill battle that might take years or more. That’s why CRI Group recommends that every business, regardless of size or industry, make protecting customer data one of its highest priorities. Today, leading technology can help make data more secure. But even the most secure system is dependent upon a properly trained workforce that follows all of the protocols to achieve effective data protection.

Reputational damage due to third-party relationship

Another serious business risk to any organisation that partners with other companies, suppliers or contractors. Even worse, they can be completely outside of your control. Here are examples of some of the risks: A business partner is embroiled in behind-the-scenes legal battles; a supplier makes procurement decisions involving the inappropriate influence of government officials who receive kickbacks; a partner falsely claims to have experience in an industry, and cannot deliver on its contractual promises. CRI Group’s integrity due diligence experts have helped clients avoid those very scenarios. Our investigators employ a proven, multi-faceted research approach which involves a global array of databases, courts and public record searches, local contacts, industry and media resources, and in-depth web-based research.

As the report states, “The last decade has seen cybercrime evolve from an IT issue to a boardroom concern, mirroring the digital transformation of the global economy on the macro level and of business operations on the micro level. The more the business world integrates digital elements, the more likely it is that computer systems have or will become a pathway for crime.” Now, more than ever, it is important for business leaders to be proactive in managing these modern business risks. Fraudsters and those who steal information are evolving their methods every day. Depend on the experts to help you stay one step ahead.

Lets Talk!

If you have any further questions or interest in implementing compliance solutions, please contact us.

About us…

Based in London, CRI® Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, 

In 2016, CRI® Group launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI® Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

MEET THE CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI® Group (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organisations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI® Group safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI® Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI® Group to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI® Group Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

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10 Ways to Maintain GDPR Compliance

In 2018, the European Union’s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force. The GDPR was a response to massive worldwide data breaches that were undermining the trust and security of private citizens whose personal information was at stake. As this data was exposed by both hackers and, in some cases, simply through poor security measures, governments of the EU felt it was time to create a strong piece of governance to bolster protection. While the initial rollout of GDPR held some uncertainty and unknowns for organisations subject to its guidelines, there is now a much clearer picture of how its standards apply. The punishments for being caught out of compliance can be severe: Violators of the GDPR may be fined up to €20 million or up to 4 percent of the annual worldwide turnover of the preceding financial year in case of an enterprise, whichever is greater (European Commission, 2020, GDPR.eu, 2020). At CRI Group, our integrity due diligence experts are trained at helping organisatons achieve and maintain compliance with GDPR. Our leading risk management and compliance agents provide the following top 10 GDPR best practices for any business or entity that deals with collecting, storing or using personal information:

1. Employ a Data Protection Officer (DPO)

It is a GDPR requirement that entities who carry out regular and systematic monitoring of individuals on a large scale, or large-scale processing of certain special categories of data, have an assigned DPO. It is also recommended, however, for all other entities to help ensure data security. While the GDPR does not specifically list the necessary training or qualifications of a DPO, the regulation does require the DPO to have “expert knowledge of data protection law and practices” (Digital Guardian, 2019). Implement thorough background screening processes and make sure they are trained and qualified to be your DPO.

2. Train your employees

Ensure that all personnel are aware of the GDPR and your organisation’s commitment to compliance. Make sure that all leaders, and especially key personnel charged with collecting, handling or storing data, understand their responsibilities under GDPR. Make date protection training a regular part of your employee curriculum.

3. Confirm the legality of your data collection

GDPR requires that you have a legal basis to collect personal data. For most businesses, the following are the most likely to be applicable:

• The information is necessary to perform a contract between the organisation and the individual;
• You have a legal obligation to process the data (such as a court order);
• The organisation has a legitimate interest in collecting and processing the data – in other words, there needs to be a relationship and business reason to collect the date (it cannot be random);
• The individual has provided direct consent to the processing of the data.

4. Maintain thorough records

For larger organisations (more than 250 employees), GDPR requires that records of data collection and processing be maintained. Again, this is also a best practice for smaller organisations, as well. It can help establish that the organisation is dutifully complying with the data protection principles in GDPR. Take inventory and make a record of the data you have collected and are storing to date. Create a detailed matrix to understand what types of data you are holding, where/how it as collected, how and where it is held, and whether it is still needed. Based on this information, you can also develop a data-retention policy to govern how long personal data is kept and stored. Keeping data on file longer than needed is a liability, and serves no business purpose.

5. Establish consent policies for data

For some of your records, consent is your lawful basis for holding it. Under GDPR, it is no longer acceptable to assume consent in your collected data, or treat silence as consent. Create clear and unambiguous consent forms for your data collection that demonstrate adherence to GDPR principles. And remember, under GDPR, you must make it a simple process for an individual to withdraw their consent at any time.

6. Perform due diligence on third-parties

Under GDPR, your organisation is responsible if third-party partners collect, store or manage data for your organisation. You must ensure their compliance with GDPR as if it is your own, since they are responsible for your data. This is the time to update your contracts with them to include compliance measures, as needed. It is also important that you review their control systems and their data handling processes. They must be comprehensive and meet all of the GDPR requirements to keep data secure. CRI Group’s third-party risk management experts can help you conduct effective reviews of your partners and their processes.

7. Be responsive

Under GDPR, your organisation must respond to requests from individuals whose data you have collected and/or are storing. These requests are spelled out as individuals rights in regards to their personal data and they include the following:

• Right to be informed about what data is collected and why;
• Right of access to data that has been collected;
• Right to rectification/correction of inaccurate data;
• Right to erasure of data (“right to be forgotten”);
• Right to restrict processing of personal data;
• Right to data portability;
• Right to object to use of data; and
• Right not to be subject to automated decision making, including profiling.

Have a process in place to timely respond to requests and provide data when requested in order to stay in compliance.

8. Have written policies in place

Develop your internal policies in regards to GDPR and how you protect personal data, and communicate them across your organisation. Take special note to spell out policies on data retention, cross-border processing of date, and how you collect and handle data for persons under the age of 16, as GDPR has special requirements in regards to children’s data.

9. Conduct risk assessments

GDPR requires Data Protection Impact Assessments in certain cases. These assessments measure your organisation’s ability to protect personal data, and risks associated with that protection. If your data processing is considered high-risk, uses new technology, or deals in large-scale processing of data in certain categories, the assessments are required – but in for any organisation, they are recommended. Data protection experts at an outside firm like CRI Group can help you prepare robust risk assessments and follow-up plans to address their results.

10. Be prepared for a breach

A worst-case scenario in data security is a breach that exposes personal information. Under the steps above, your organisation should be well-positioned to prevent or limit any breach to your data security. However, you should always have a contingency plan in place to immediately respond to a breach should it occur. Understand that GDPR requires that the applicable EU data protection supervisory authority be notified within 72 hours of a breach. Gone are the days where a company can announce it weeks or even months after the fact. Be ready to notify the affected individuals that their data has been compromised, so that they can take the appropriate steps to respond.

Organisations don’t like to think about the impact of a data breach – but major cases have pushed governments to act in the public’s interest. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the EU, where the GDPR is now the governing policy for organisations that deal with individuals’ personal data. By being proactive with the steps above, your organisation can be better prepared and maintain compliance with the GDPR. Most importantly, you will have the confidence and trust of your consumers through effective best practices in handling and protecting their data. CRI Group’s experts are here to help. Contact us today so that we can walk you through the steps of GDPR compliance.

Let’s Talk!

If you have any further questions or interest in implementing compliance solutions, please contact us.

CRI Group has safeguarded businesses from any risks, providing investigations (i.e. insurance fraud), employee background screening, investigative due diligence, business intelligence,  third-party risk management, forensic accounting, compliance and other professional investigative research services. In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

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6 challenges for compliance officers in 2020

The job of a compliance officer can be a difficult one. Organisations from large corporations down to small government agencies rely on their compliance officers to keep them within ethical and legal boundaries. They also rely on them to maintain monitoring and reporting requirements, and stay abreast of any changes in the compliance landscape. For professionals in this field, the bad news is that challenges will continue to increase in the near future (as we’ll explain in this article). The good news is that there are trained experts available to work hand-in-hand with organisations’ compliance officers to minimise risk and help them remain in compliance.

The stakes are high, as organisations in both the public and private sectors face new laws and regulations in jurisdictions around the world, along with increasingly strict enforcement and punishments. Investigations of violations can, and often do, lead to heavy fines. In some cases, criminal charges may result – and these can be levied against the organisation, or individuals, or both. Here are some of the biggest challenges facing compliance officers today:

 1. Anti-money laundering (AML) regulations

The Panama Papers and other major scandals, including the illicit funding of certain terrorist actions, brought money laundering issues firmly into the spotlight. Many governments have been stirred to action to create stronger measures meant to prevent the illegal funding of criminal or terrorist enterprises. In the European Union, this resulted in the 5^th Money Laundering Directive (5MLD), which takes effect in January 2020. 5MLD impacts organisations most directly in how they handle their know-your-customer (KYC) processes.

In the run-up to the 5MLD, there was increased attention on high-risk countries. Clients or transactions engaged in high-risk countries are now subject to enhanced due diligence when performing onboarding checks. Compliance teams need to ensure KYC is not a simple “tick box” exercise during the onboarding phase, and ongoing monitoring processes need to be implemented to manage changes throughout the customer lifecycle.

5MLD requires enhanced due diligence when dealing with high-risk countries. In addition to obtaining evidence of the source of funds and source of wealth, information on beneficial ownership and background to the intended transaction must also be recorded. The EU may also designate a ‘blacklist’ of high-risk countries for money laundering.

2. Conflicts of interest

Risks related to conflicts of interest are significant at every level of the company. Starting with the board of directors, an effective board must be transparent about potential conflict issues and address them on an ongoing basis. Board decisions that either suffer from actual conflicts can risk the board’s adherence to its duties and create real legal risks. Even the appearance of a conflict can raise real issues and transparency becomes even more important in these contexts.

This same level of risk can undermine the integrity of senior management. When senior executives fail to address real and significant conflicts, the integrity and overall leadership trust factor can deteriorate. A compliance executive must be willing to take on these issues, even when it is difficult to confront senior executives.

Within the private equity (PE) industry, conflicts and their adequate disclosure remain problematic. In recent years regulators have made examinations of PE firms and their complex structures top priorities. Most major organisations – and their compliance officers – see outside business activities as a risk.

3. Innovation driving new demands

New innovations are providing increased efficiency in compliance processes, which is a major plus for organisations. Always a double-edged sword, however, technology also creates more issues in data security, not to mention the training and expertise required to master it.

For many ‘non-tech’ professionals such as compliance officers, rapidly changing technology can be a concern, as the importance and integration of technology into the compliance suite continue to evolve. Compliance officers may not need to become technology experts, but they do need to ensure that tech-related risks are addressed within their firm’s framework. Compliance must be aware of rules and regulations from every jurisdiction with authority over the firm’s activities. This is another area where partnering with an outside firm that provides training and technology resources can be a major advantage.

4. Regulatory and political change

Recent years have seen a flurry of new regulations from various governmental bodies and jurisdictions, from the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) act to 5MLD. The GDPR, for example, has extraterritorial reach. It also serves as a model for future possible regulations in the critical area of data privacy and cybersecurity.

In Europe, Brexit creates real uncertainty for the UK’s regulators, and the industries that they regulate. But Brexit also impacts EU member states and any organisations doing business within or through the UK. The impact is far-reaching, and regulators face major challenges in responding to profound changes in policy, the legislative framework and the wider economic context.

Politics in the United States and other nations have also seen similar dramatic shifts in governmental control and resultant effects in policy, which can impact regulatory laws and how they are implemented and enforced worldwide. One thing is certain – investigations and legal actions based on violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) continue to increase, and organisations must remain diligent in conducting risk assessments and implementing control measures to remain in compliance.

5. Personal liability

One area of concern sure to grab the attention of any compliance officer is the issue of personal liability. Recent news stories have reported criminal convictions, some leading to prison sentences, of executives, “middle men” and other individuals involved in various scandals. Compliance officers should take heed, as their responsibilities to their company can also extend to their own professional conduct being placed under a microscope. Many compliance professionals are aware of this, as a recent Thomson-Reuters survey found that 60% of them expect personal liability to increase.

New initiatives underline this reality, such as the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SCMR) in Europe. It places a focus on firms’ senior managers and individual responsibility, and extends to all Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) solo-regulated financial services firms. The FCA itself has been increasing enforcement notices against individuals. We can expect an increase in these types of measures and they will apply to industries beyond those in the financial sector.

6. Ethics and integrity

Today’s business landscape brings an increased emphasis on the culture of an organisation, with an eye toward ethical practices and principles. With growing scrutiny from both regulators and stakeholders, the pressure is on for compliance professionals and their superiors to take broader responsibility for policies, procedures and controls to create a truly ethical business.

The Cambridge Analytica scandal is a notable example of how data misuse has serious brand and societal implications, on top of legal and compliance penalties. The public outrage was so intense that governments were forced to act, calling on Facebook and other involved parties to testify and explain themselves. The market’s reaction was also punishing, with more than $100 billion knocked off Facebook’s share price in days, while Cambridge Analytica went out of business.

In conclusion, AML regulations, conflicts of interest, innovation driving new demands, regulatory and political change, personal liability, and ethics and integrity issues are among the biggest challenges facing today’s compliance professional. This is the time to address solutions. There is expert help and a wealth of resources available, with no better time to leverage them than the present.

Let us know if you would like to learn more! Contact us today and get your FREE QUOTE now!

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening,

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Automotive, Aviation,