3 ways to protect your Company’s Reputation

In today’s connected business world, there are very few secrets. United Airlines, for example, recently learned the hard way that one ugly incident can go viral and spread around the world in a matter of minutes – not hours, days or weeks. protect company reputation

United initially faced criticism over the rough treatment of a passenger being removed from one of their planes. Then, the company learned a second lesson when its CEO’s response to the crisis seemed somewhat disconnected and uncaring. United was in the middle of a reputational crisis, and its first official response to angry consumers only added more fuel to the fire. Later, the CEO offered an apology and a more compassionate statement – but the damage was done.

There are lessons to be taken from this and other high-profile cases where companies have seen their reputation, which they’ve worked hard to cultivate, trashed in the public spotlight. The fact is, things happen, and no company has a guaranteed way to safeguard their reputation from ever being dinged or facing scrutiny, whether fair or not. But there are ways to mitigate the damage and help ensure your company survives the crisis, and can rebuild its reputation in a positive way.

Know that people are talking about you

In the age of Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and other social engagement sites, people are keen to talk about what they like, dislike, what they wish would be better, and anything else on their mind. That includes your company and your products or services. Accept this and embrace it. Engage with people who post on social media when appropriate, and always in a polite and respectful manner. When there is a legitimate problem, communicate that you are taking the matter seriously and looking to resolve it, and then do so.

1. Be transparent

A way to be proactive in your engagement with others is to ask for feedback. Then be prepared to address it, good or bad. Consumers, stakeholders and even your own employees will be impressed by the open lines of communication and an honest dialog. In this way, you can strive to improve your services and offerings and show that you are receptive to your client’ needs.

2. Protect your customers’ data

Nothing can destroy your reputation among your clients and customers quicker than having to tell them their personal information, which was entrusted to you to remain private and protected, is now in the hands of hackers or criminals because you suffered a security breach. Even worse is when they learn that your company did not take all the measures necessary, or even the most basic ones, to prevent such a breach from occurring. Not only might you be criminally liable, but customers will run from you, not wanting to take a risk that something like that could happen again in the future. In today’s high-risk environment, you must have the most sophisticated and up-to-date security measures in place to protect your date – and your reputation.

3. Conduct due diligence

How much do you know about your third-party partners – those suppliers and contractors that you’ve trusted for years, or new ones with whom you seek to engage? An unethical partner can have serious effects on your own company’s reputation – bribery, corruption, supply chain problems are all issues that can end up tainting your own business and causing your customers to lose trust in your products or services. Conducting thorough due diligence, with background checks and full risk assessments, is the only way to help protect your reputation from potential harm.

It may feel sometimes like your company’s reputation is out of your control. However, there are steps you can take to help manage your reputation and help steer the conversation. It becomes more difficult when you wait, and try to undo later the damage that has already been done. That’s why being proactive in maintaining a positive reputation is the best strategy. Contact CRI Group today and let us help you stay on the path to managing your message and your reputation.

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,

Why should you want your partners to be ISO 37001 certified?

We at the CRI Group believe that businesses that are being run free of corruption accomplish their vision and mission sooner and easier. They bring good to the world more effectively than others. When a business has a clearly set vision and a detailed plan on how to reach it, all it takes to accomplish it is to stick to the plan. However, since companies have to cooperate with other companies in their regular work, they don’t have a choice but rely on someone else’s ethics and principles of doing business. But we all know that business partners are not always reliable. Starting cooperation with one requires conducting thorough due diligence of their work before doing any serious business with them.

The risks could be enormous when your potential partners are involved in criminal activities. Unfortunately, white-collar crimes are not eradicated from the business world, especially when it comes to corrupt activities. Many acts of corruption are often in some kind of gray area – maybe they are legal, maybe not, but certainly are not ethical. In such circumstances, some businessmen don’t hesitate to reach for methods that don’t comply with your legal and ethical standards. If you are cooperating with such partners, you know that risks for your companies are huge. Not only because unknowingly you could be involved in corrupt practices and be investigated by law enforcement authorities, but also because they ruin your reputation and make other potential partners avoid working with you. You are aware that a mistake in choosing business partners can be very costly for your business. Sometimes these risks are easy to mitigate, but some of them could bring your company on the edge of shutting down.

This is where the ISO 37001 standard helps. If you get certified, that would mean implementing numerous anti-bribery standards that will protect your business from bribery. By requiring your partners be certified as you are, you show your preference to cooperate with partners who tackle bribery as well. That speaks of your values as a company. It will let the world know that your anti-bribery values don’t serve just to take space on the Values section on your company’s website, but you are dedicated to putting them in practice as well.

What is required of ISO 37001 certified companies?

Certifying with ISO 37001 means that a third-party such as ABAC® has checked out on the company and confirmed that your partners have implemented the following anti-bribery standards:

• Annual and continuous risk-assessment
• Anti-bribery policies and procedures, including those for hospitality, gift-giving, and donations
• Anti-bribery training for employees
• Procedures for reporting and investigating cases of bribery in the company
• A compliance team to oversee implementation of anti-bribery measures
• Policies and procedures for mitigating the risk of bribery
• Safe channels for reporting bribery by whistleblowers
• The proper due diligence of third parties
• Continuous corrections of anti-bribery policies and procedures
• The commitment of top management to tackle bribery in their own company
• Risk-rating system for third parties

What does this mean for you when you cooperate with others?

Requiring your partners to be ISO 37001 certified will bring the following benefits for you:

It will protect you from potential bribery practices. Although implementing the ISO 37001 standard doesn’t necessarily mean that no one will ever try to ask or offer bribes, the mere implementing of the standards will make that very difficult to occur. If both you and your partners are certified, it’s unlikely that corrupt practices related to bribes will happen in your cooperation.

It will be easier to onboard new partners. Starting cooperation with a new company for which you don’t know how reliable it actually is will require doing a thorough due diligence analysis. If both of you are ISO 37001 certified by a third party, at least for the anti-bribery part, you’ll be sure from the start that the other party operates by the same standards as you.

You’ll have peace of mind when cooperating with your partners. You’ll know that someone knowledgeable of anti-bribery standards has confirmed that your new partner is ethical and doesn’t pose a threat to your company.

If you haven’t certified your company with the ISO 37001 Anti-bribery Management Systems standards yet, but you want to show your potential partners that you are serious about running a bribery-free business, contact us by filling this form. We will answer your certification inquiries as soon as possible.

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Protect Your Business from Money Laundering Activities

How to Protect Your Business from Money Laundering Activities? 

Today, having anti-money laundering processes in place is more than a matter of smart business. In most jurisdictions, it is also a legal necessity.

Organisations large and small are at risk of falling prey to unscrupulous business dealings and other threats posed by seemingly legitimate business partners. Governments and regulatory agencies are now placing the responsibility of avoiding these pitfalls on the owners and directors of the organisations themselves.

Take Citibank, for example. The banking giant has been fined $70 million in the U.S. “for failing to address shortcomings in its anti-money laundering policies.” According to an article by Reuters, titled “Citibank fined $70 million for anti-money laundering compliance shortcomings” (2018):

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency fined the bank in late December and announced it on Thursday. The regulator assessed the civil penalty because the bank had failed to address concerns it had first flagged in 2012.

The case is notable because it isn’t linked to a specific new allegation of money laundering per se. It is the alleged lack of compliance and efforts to enhance prevention policies that placed Citibank in hot water (you can read additional commentary on this case in the Bloomberg opinion piece).

Citibank isn’t alone. Western Union just settled a case for nearly as much ($60 million) for allegedly failing to deter and report transactions related to money laundering. Rather than the federal government, this settlement is with the New York Dept. of Financial Services. According to an article by Reuters, titled “Western Union settles New York money laundering probe for $60 million” (2018):

DFS alleged that from 2004 to 2012, Western Union failed to implement and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program aimed to deter criminals’ use of its electronic network to facilitate fraud and money laundering.

The regulator said senior Western Union executives and managers also ignored suspicious transactions to Chinese Western Union locations by several high-volume agents, including money transfers linked to human trafficking.

DFS Superintendent Maria Vullo said in a statement Western Union’s executive “put profits ahead of the company’s responsibilities to detect and prevent money laundering and fraud.”

CRI Group can help

The best way to prevent and detect money laundering is to have a robust set of anti-money laundering (AML) processes in place. CRI Group’s Investigative Due Diligence services provide clients with the specialised intelligence needed to guarantee complete compliance with anti-money laundering regulations and AML legislation involving trans-national implications.

The impact of not remaining in compliance can be severe, and might include the following:

• Damaged corporate reputation and brand devaluation
• Eroded employee moral
• Potential consumer boycotts
• Negative investor perceptions
• Possible legal action
• Fines and potential jail terms for directors

Anti-money laundering laws and regulations are constantly being strengthened as governments come under pressure to protect their economy and taxpayers from the damage caused by this widespread crime. Today, organisations must be diligent in protecting themselves, their investments, their reputations – and they must be fully compliant with the law. Contact CRI Group and be better protected against the risks of money laundering today.

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, Compliance Solution, Resources by admin
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How to Protect Your Business From Money Laundering Activities

Money laundering should be near the top of the list of any business owner’s concerns. Anti-money laundering legislation and regulations are strict and increasingly enforced, and remaining in compliance through implementing proper prevention controls is a must. Countless businesses large and small – from corporations to third-party contractors – have learned this lesson the hard way. Take Citibank, for example. The banking giant was recently fined $70 million in the U.S. “for failing to address shortcomings in its anti-money laundering policies” (Reuters, 2018). It was the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency that levied the fine against the bank because it had allegedly failed to address money laundering concerns that were first flagged five years earlier.

The case is notable because it isn’t linked to a specific new allegation of money laundering per se. It is the alleged lack of compliance and efforts to enhance prevention policies that placed Citibank in hot water (Bloomberg, 2018).

Money Laundering Cases in the News

Citibank isn’t alone. Other recent high-profile cases serve as warnings to companies that aren’t taking money laundering prevention seriously:

• Pakistan’s biggest lender, Habib Bank Ltd, was fined $225 million by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) for failures over anti-money laundering and sanctions rules at its single U.S. branch. (Reuters, 2017). According to media reports, the DFS was previously seeking to impose a fine of up to $630 million, the largest ever faced by a Pakistani financial institution, for “grave” compliance failures.
• Western Union, accused of failing to deter and report transactions related to money laundering, settled its case with the DFS for $60 million (Reuters, 2018). From 2004 to 2012, Western Union allegedly failed to implement and maintain an effective anti-money laundering program aimed to deter criminals who were using its electronic network. The company also allegedly ignored suspicious transactions to locations in China by several high-volume agents (including money transfers that were linked to human trafficking).
• French bank watchdog ACPR fined Société Générale, one of France’s largest banks, 5 million euros for a number of alleged shortcomings in its money laundering and terrorism financing prevention controls (Reuters, 2018). Also, a French investigator sent documents to Brazil prosecutors that suggest Société Générale might have breached money laundering rules in the alleged corruption surrounding the selection of Rio de Janeiro as the host for the 2016 Olympics (New York Times, 2017). The allegations involve payments from a Brazilian businessman to the son of a former Olympic Committee member – the payments were allegedly routed through Société Générale accounts.

Money Laundering’s Lasting Harm

Anti-money laundering (AML) efforts by regulatory bodies worldwide are serious business. Multinational organisations, and especially financial institutions, must employ the toughest AML compliance controls and standards to avoid the risk of even appearing to run afoul of AML laws. That’s why CRI Group advises clients to have robust AML controls in place, especially when dealing in business overseas, and entering into any new partnerships or mergers.

The impact of corruption and money laundering allegations are often severe, and can include:

• Damaged corporate reputations and brand devaluation
• Eroding employee moral
• Potential consumer boycotts
• Negative investor perceptions
• Possible legal action
• Fines and potential jail terms for directors

The best way to prevent and detect money laundering is to have a robust set of anti-money laundering (AML) processes in place. CRI Group’s Investigative Due Diligence services provide the specialised intelligence needed by global financial institutions and multinational corporations to guarantee complete compliance with anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and legislation involving trans-national implications.

Strategies to Combat Money Laundering

As part of any system of anti-money laundering controls, there are some common-sense elements that can help keep an organisation better protected. CRI Group founder and CEO Zafar Anjum said that it’s important that companies take a top-down approach to prevent money laundering because in today’s climate, they cannot afford to take a blind eye.

“The days when companies could plead ignorance to money laundering activities taking place among their business transactions are over,” Anjum said. “Governments have been clear with new laws and regulations that they expect a proactive effort to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, and they will prosecute organisations and their personnel who don’t meet this expectation.

“To take things a step further, most international companies are performing due diligence and taking careful measures not to partner with organisations that are high on the money laundering risk scale, because that would increase their exposure,” Anjum said. “Being in compliance isn’t just a sound legal strategy – it’s also good business.”

By adopting policies and procedures aimed to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, companies will enhance their efforts to be on the right side of compliance. A few of these policies include:

• Scrutinising unusually large and/or complex transactions. Systems should be automated to flag these types of transactions for review to determine their purpose and legitimacy.
• Reviewing odd patterns of transactions. Sometimes smaller transactions can reveal a pattern of illegal activity related to money laundering or terrorist financing; AML software will flag such patterns of possible abuse for review.
• Disallowing anonymity among financial transactions. This common-sense protocol can help discourage and prevent money laundering activities, as anonymity is the shield through which most suspicious actors hide their financial activities.
• Identifying clients who might be politically exposed persons (PEP). PEPs are recognised as such by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an independent inter-governmental body that develops and promotes policies to protect the global financial system against money laundering, terrorist financing and the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
• Conducting client due diligence. Within the boundaries of a jurisdiction’s privacy laws, the organisation should perform due diligence on high volume clients to verify their identities, business purposes and business relationships.
• Maintaining complete and thorough records. This includes clients, transactions, and due diligence findings that should be kept on file for at least five years.
• Training employees. As with all areas of fraud prevention, the front line against money laundering is the organisation’s staff. Employees should be aware of anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws and regulations, and their personal responsibility in helping the organisation remain in compliance. Expert training and certification should be provided on a scheduled basis to keep employees knowledgeable about changes in the law, new threats and updates to control procedures.

Ensuring compliance is a responsibility that must be embraced and managed at the senior level of the company. Anjum, a 27-years veteran in fraud prevention, protective integrity, security and compliance, said this includes communicating the policies and procedures – as well as the results: “If there are areas to improve, management must take the lead in recognising those weaknesses and developing strategies to address them,” Anjum said.

CRI Group has a vast offering of services to help organisations stay ahead of the curve with anti-money laundering measures and the processes required to remain fully in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, giving companies, their business partners and their clients the confidence of knowing that the organisation, and its reputation, is protected from the negative consequences of money laundering.

Anti-money laundering laws and regulations are constantly being strengthened as governments come under pressure to protect their economy and taxpayers from the damage caused by this widespread crime. Today, organisations must be diligent in protecting themselves, their investments, their reputations – and they must be fully compliant within the law. Contact CRI Group and be better protected against the risks of money laundering today.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, Resources by admin
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Corruption won’t stop: is your organisation protected?

In one case, an enforcement agent for a Malaysian government department pleaded guilty for receiving a bribe from a business owner. In another, a U.S. district attorney from Philadelphia was accused of taking cash in return for helping people with their legal cases. He was accused of 28 counts of bribery, and in the end was given a deal to plead guilty on one count. Both cases show how easy it is for organisations to fall victim to bribery and corruption.Businesses, non-profits, government organisations both face a risk to their financial well-being and reputation.

In Malaysia, the case centred around an employee of the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry. According to the article “Domestic Trade enforcement staff fined RM1,200 for bribery” published in the New Straits Times, Muhammad Mat Sa’ad, 36, was charged with taking bribes from a fuel storage owner in 2014. His case was prosecuted by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

In the U.S., Philadelphia’s top law enforcement officer, District Attorney R. Seth Williams, pleaded guilty to bribery in a more sweeping case with some very troubling details. According to the New York Times article “Philadelphia District Attorney Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Resigns,” Williams allegedly accepted bribes from business people in return for offers of legal help with their cases or those of their friends. But he may have also defrauded his own mother.

The article states:

“Mr. Williams accepted gifts including a trip to the Dominican Republic and checks for thousands of dollars from people who wanted favours, prosecutors said. According to an indictment by the United States attorney’s office for New Jersey, he promised one of the business people that he would “look into” a case that had been brought against a friend of that person.

He also faced charges including wire fraud and extortion for his alleged personal use of political action committee funds and government vehicles. Among the most damaging charges against Mr. Williams was that he defrauded a nursing home and family friends of money that was designated for the care of his mother.”

He faces a up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

These types of troubling cases can likely be prevented with the right training, internal controls, and certification. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued the ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard to help companies worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and corruption.

CRI® Group is registered as a foremost ISO 37001:2016 Certification Body with the Dubai Accreditation Center (DAC) Government of Dubai, UAE, and has formally launched its ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems certification program. ISO 37001:2016 certifies that your organisation has implemented reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent bribery. These measures involve top-level leadership, training, bribery risk assessment, due diligence adequacy, financial and commercial controls, reporting, audit and investigation.

Through CRI® Group’s 3PRM-Certified™, the ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification will help your company, organisation or department to reduce risk of bribery and corruption by establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving your management system. The certification empowers you with the ability to safeguard and maintain the integrity of your company by:

• Guaranteeing that all workers and agents are devoted to the latest anti-bribery practice.
• Regularly validating compliance to appropriate legislation like the FCPA and UK Bribery Act 2010.
• Jointly cooperating with stakeholders to observe and reduce the risks throughout your supply chain.
• Externally scrutinising your company, testing the effectiveness of your anti-bribery policies and processes.
• Creating “Compliance in Action.”

ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification is offered under CRI® Group’s ABAC® Centre of Excellence, an independent certification body established for Anti-Bribery Management System training and certification, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and Risk Management System certification. The program will be tailored to your organisation’s needs and requirements. For assistance in developing and implementing a fraud prevention strategy, contact ABAC® today or get a 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, Compliance Solution,

Any successful ethics and compliance strategy needs 5 key ingredients …

Once upon a time, the idea of business ethics was more of an abstract or philosophical notion that seemed more suited for discussion in a university lecture or at a business conference. Today, however, organisations of all sizes and industries must have concrete ways of addressing ethics and compliance issues as a principal component of their business processes and strategy. 

According to a study by PwC, 98 per cent of senior leaders say they’re committed to compliance and ethics; however, only 67 per cent have a process in place to identify the owners of compliance and ethics-related risks, with only a third having an officer in place for the overall compliance and ethics. Fifty-six per cent of the companies don’t have a chief ethics officer at all, and only 20 per cent have a Board of Directors that formed separate compliance and ethics committees. The study reports that 82 per cent of leaders communicated with employees on ethics, but 46 per cent of this is done in business meetings or by email. You can read the result on the full PwC website.

Business leaders are usually quick to communicate their expectations to employees, especially when it comes to financial goals or tasks that they want to be accomplished. However, what is often lacking is a clear, concise explanation of what the organisation expects regarding ethical behaviour and a compliance framework in place to follow. Today citizens, media, politicians and international bodies across all regions actively condemn abuses of power. And past scandals and their consequences have created a demand for increased regulations, greater transparency, and other rigorous scrutiny measures to be taken. To maintain (or regain) public trust, the ethics and compliance function has been placed at the centre of the strategic core of organisations by effective leaders.

Empower your organisation to mitigate risk!

To ensure a robust compliance and ethics strategy, five critical elements need to be implemented; 1) tone at the top; 2) corporate culture; 3) risk management, 4) a Chief Compliance Officer; and 4) testing and monitoring.

1 – Building Tone at the Top

“Tone at the top” is a term used to describe the ethical atmosphere created at an organisation or workplace by their leaders and their attitudes and behaviours. Tone at the top is vital in determining whether fraud, bribery, or corruption are likely to occur. Because all levels of management set it, it has a trickle-down effect on all employees. If the top leaders show a robust and zero-tolerance approach to fraud, employees are likely to lead by example.

An organisation with a strong ethical culture is usually led by a board of directors and senior management personnel who actively promote a culture of compliance and zero tolerance for fraud and other unethical business behaviour. Effective tone at the top will communicate to the organisation at all levels the expected type of conduct, what is considered unacceptable, and what the consequences will be for transgressions. A zero-tolerance approach should be followed at all times; it is vital in maintaining the culture of ethics and compliance at the organisation; below are some examples of failed tone at the top:

• The Enron scandal
• Arthur Andersen obstruction of justice
• Xerox fined by SEC
• Scandals at Fannie Mae
• Global financial crisis
• Tyco Scandal
• MCI Inc/WorldCom
• ImClone Systems trading case

For more scandals, check out our list of the “Top 10 Bribery & Corruption Stories of 2020“.

2 – Corporate culture

The prevailing norms, expectations, and recognised acceptable behaviour form the corporate culture of an organisation. By implementing an ethical code of conduct and compliance with all regulations a part of those norms, the organisation will help promote positive behaviour and integrity among its staff. 

You might be making assumptions that your employees know how to conduct themselves ethically when, in fact, this expectation only exists in a grey area in their minds – if at all. Some employees who have engaged in fraud, corruption or other unethical situations have claimed that while they knew their behaviour was wrong, they thought it was implicitly accepted by their bosses and, in some cases, their company on the whole.

Similar to establishing an effective tone at the top, fostering a positive corporate culture hinges on effective communication, and it needs to permeate different layers of the organisation. In other words, sending occasional emails about ethical behaviour isn’t enough to influence the culture at a company. Develop videos, team-building exercises, new employee orientations, and employee appreciation events; these provide opportunities to recognise positive behaviour and reinforce the company’s values. When employees see their colleagues being recognised and rewarded for maintaining a compliant and ethical corporate culture, they are more likely to help cultivate an ethical workplace. When the tone at the top and corporate culture are tied together, everyone understands what is acceptable and expected in being a part of the organisation’s success.

3 – Risk management: perform risk assessments

Risk management is identifying, evaluating, and prioritising risks (defined in ISO 31000 as the effect of uncertainty on objectives) followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimise, monitor, and control the probability or impact of unfortunate events to maximise the realisation of opportunities. In other words, before you establish an ethics and compliance framework – first, a risk assessment should be conducted to uncover any vulnerabilities that need to be addressed with new processes. 

> Risk assessment breakdown: Identification, Analysis, Evaluation   

This means you need to assess how your business is conducted. So ask yourself:

• Have the various roles at the company been appropriately allocated, and is there a proper separation of duties?
• Are employees qualified for their responsibilities?
• Is the workforce trained to recognise the red flags of unethical behaviour and fraud?

Once the risks are identified, they can be isolated and addressed as part of your organisation’s comprehensive approach to ethics and compliance. The risks should be prioritised:

• Which ones pose an immediate threat?
• Could they effectively shut down the business?
• Do they pose a risk of financial, legal, or reputational risk – or all of the above?

Once prioritised, the identified risks should be assigned to critical members of the organisation. Whatever your reasons or motivations might be, if your organisation’s objective is to have an effective risk management strategy in place, then ISO 31000 can provide the principles, framework and a process for managing risk.

4 – A Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)

The implementation of a robust ethics and compliance strategy can give your organisation a competitive edge. A compliance officer or a CCO plays an essential and crucial role in the implementation. They are tasked with the day-to-day responsibility of overseeing the management of compliance and ethical risks whilst ensuring that the organisation is in compliance with the various regulatory requirements and that employees adhere to internal procedures and policies. Oversight should be provided by the board of directors (or ownership and executives) to ensure that problem areas have been adequately addressed and the organisation is taking a proactive approach to mitigating risk. 

5 – Testing and monitoring

When all the new processes have been implemented (the anti-fraud policy and employee code-of-conduct, anti-bribery and anti-corruption training and policies, allocation of duties and responsibilities, an anonymous reporting -hotline- process for unethical behaviour), a thorough testing and monitoring regimen is critical to ensure the new process is working. 

It is important to remember that having the best processes on paper won’t make a positive difference on its own. You need to monitor how they are being used and their success. A schedule should be in place that promotes frequent, regular check-ups of the ethics and compliance controls, with metrics that show results (i.e. surprise audits). A surprise audit is an effective way to test if any new controls have reduced the flagged irregularities. Before implementing ethics and compliance controls, the risk assessments should have identified risk areas with the new processes to mitigate that risk. Only by testing and testing frequently can the organisation determine if the new controls have the desired effect. If they are not, the company should develop new solutions that specifically robustly target these problem areas – and, in time, test them again.

Addressing ethics and compliance issues at an organisation can be a daunting task. However, with careful preparation, expert help, and a common-sense approach, any organisation can develop or enhance its corporate culture to be proactive in mitigating ethics and compliance risks. The benefits will be obvious – increased productivity, better security, and empowered employees who understand that their organisation values integrity and an ethical work environment.

Create a zero-tolerance approach to fraud with ISO 37001 ABMS

Creating a zero-tolerance approach to fraud doesn’t happen overnight. When your organisation enrols in ISO 37001:2016 ABMS training and certification, the program involves your entire team. The training helps establish an ethical culture by educating your employees on the following:

• What constitutes fraud, corruption, and bribery, and why these are so damaging to business
• How to identify red flags of fraud, corruption and bribery
• The process for reporting fraudulent and unethical acts
• The organisation’s zero-tolerance attitude toward unethical behaviour and willingness to terminate employees for breaches and prosecute unethical acts
• The severe ramifications for committing fraud or bribery, the legal consequences, and the negative impact on one’s career

Employees shouldn’t be expected to follow a code of conduct that they aren’t aware exists. That’s why ISO 37001:2016 ABMS creates a communication plan through which organisation leaders regularly communicate their ethical behaviour expectations to the staff periodically. Read more on how to build trust in the workplace with ISO 37001 Certification.

About 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 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.

Speak up – report any illegal, unethical, or improper behaviour

If you find yourself in an ethical dilemma or suspect inappropriate or illegal conduct, and you feel uncomfortable reporting through normal communication channels or wish to raise the issue anonymously, use CRI Group’s Compliance Hotline. The Compliance Hotline is a secure and confidential reporting channel managed by an independent provider. When reporting a concern in good faith, you will be protected by CRI Group’s Non-Retaliation Policy. COMPLIANCE HOTLINE

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Building trust in the workplace with TPRM and ABMS Certification:

One of the most important aspects of any organisation is its culture. How do employees relate to one another? Is it a positive and enriching place to work? Do employees trust their colleagues, and look forward to working with them? ISO 37001:2016 Certification

Unfortunately, an organisation that lacks proper controls against fraud, bribery and corruption and falls short on compliance standards is likely to have a negative office culture, as well. Employees who see their colleagues bending or even breaking rules will have a diminished view of their organisation as a whole, and won’t feel they can depend on their fellow employees to do the right thing.

That’s why ISO 37001:2016 training and certification is so important. First of all, ISO 37001:2016 isn’t just for the security team or executives. It involves the entire organisation. Staff learn how to recognise red flags of noncompliance for bribery and fraud, and how to report them. They also gain an understanding that the organisation won’t tolerate unethical behaviour.

Expert training from an accredited body

CRI®  is registered as a foremost ISO 37001:2016 Certification Body with the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) Government of Dubai, UAE, and has formally launched its ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems certification program.

Through CRI® Group’s 3PRM-Certified™, the ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification will help your company, organisation or department to reduce risk of bribery and corruption by establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving your management system.

When everyone is on the same page and playing as a team, the organisation is stronger because employees trust one another to do the right thing. Those “grey areas” of rule-bending and non-compliance are no longer grey. The organisation culture dictates that only ethical behaviour and compliance with anti-bribery and anti-fraud standards will be acceptable.

When an organisation undertakes our partner’s ISO 37001:2016 training from ABAC® Center of Excellence, employees understand that ethical behaviour is the norm, and anything outside of those bounds will be punished – perhaps with the loss of their job, or even prosecution.

The training helps establish an ethical culture by educating your employees on the following:

• What constitutes fraud, corruption, and bribery, and why these are so damaging to business
• How to identify red flags of fraud, corruption and bribery
• The process for reporting fraudulent and unethical acts
• The organisation’s zero-tolerance attitude toward unethical behaviour and willingness to terminate employees for breaches, and prosecute unethical acts
• The serious ramifications for committing fraud or bribery, the legal consequences, and the negative impact on one’s career

Get started today

Learn more about ABAC® Center of Excellence’s ISO 37001:2016 training and certification at ABACGroup.com. Set the tone in your workplace today, and create a culture that nurtures trust and productivity. Sign your company up for ISO 37001:2016 training and certification, and create the zero-tolerance atmosphere toward fraud, corruption and bribery that will help your organisation and your employees be ethical and successful.

Other Solutions

While CRI® may not offer the ABMS certification, we do offer other services. We specialise in solutions regarding compliance, working as trusted partners to businesses and institutions across the globe. Our experts work with energy, insight and care to ensure we provide a positive experience to everyone involved – clients, reference providers and candidates. CRI® Group’s unique identity and vision evolved from our fundamental desire to support our clients and their candidates, thus creating the DueDiligence360™.

The DueDiligence360™ reports help organisations comply with anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, and anti-corruption regulations. This service also proves beneficial ahead of a merger, acquisition, or joint venture as it can be used for a third-party risk assessment, onboarding decision-making, and identifying beneficial ownership structures. Identifying key risk issues clearly and concisely helps enhance your knowledge and understanding of the customer, supplier, and third-party risk, helping you avoid those involved with financial crime.

Why not consider our background investigative solutions? 

Our solutions are also certified by the British Standard Institute BSI for the scope of BS 7858:2019 Screening of individuals working in a secure environment, Code of practice (the only BS 7858 certified background screening services provider in the UAE and across the Middle East); and BS 102000:2018 Code of practice for the provision of investigative services.

Another risk management solution to consider from CRI® is our Third-Party Risk Management solution (TPRM), also known as 3PRM™. In the wake of the global pandemic, the 3PRM-Certified™ was developed in a bid to aid organisations in accurately determining the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of external parties, vendors, and customers who seek to be affiliated with and represent the business.

The 3PRM-Certified™ program consists of gap analysis and investigative due diligence on the targeted above parties. This highly thorough program reveals anti-corruption, compliance and risk management discrepancies associated with the international regulatory framework helping your business to flourish at any scale. Find out more about CRI® Group’s Risk Management Solutions.

If you’re unsure of what solution may be best for you and your business, how about connecting with one of our experts for a free consultation? Receive tailored advice from the top analysts and investigators across the globe.

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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 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: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
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ISO 37001 certification: enhance your reputation and credibility

Bribery and corruption are serious concerns to businesses, government agencies and non-profit organisations. In fact, the risk of being associated with the negative impacts of this type of fraud extends to third party partners and influences present and future businesses relationships.

In this business climate, consider the tremendous advantage your organisation will enjoy if it is ISO 37001:2016 certified to prevent bribery and corruption, a designation you can proudly communicate to the public and market to potential partners. CRI® Group‘s ® Center of Excellence provides that assurance – not just to you, but to your potential partners, as well.

Due diligence as a critical business tool

When it comes to due diligence, CRI®  helps organisations thoroughly evaluate third-party partners for red flags, such as:

• Reputational risk
• Compliance risk
• Operational risk
• Business risk
• Strategic risk
• Credit risk
• Country/location risk

The flip side of that coin is that organisations that are identified as ethical and maintaining a zero-tolerance approach to fraud gain immediate preference over others in their industry or field. By engaging with CRI® Group, your organisation can immediately see the benefits of ISO 37001:2016 certification by being established and recognised as a potential partner or provider that is ethical and effective at preventing bribery and corruption, satisfying all of the risk criteria above.

The benefits of being certified

Here are just a few of the benefits of participating in training and certification opportunities offered through ABAC® Center of Excellence:

• ISO 37001:2016 certification helps ensure that your organisation is implementing a viable anti-bribery management system.
• It provides assurance to management, investors, business associates, personnel and other stakeholders that the organisation is actively pursuing internationally recognised and accepted processes to prevent bribery and corruption.
• In legal proceedings, having completed the certification process provides acceptable evidence to prosecutors or courts that the organisation has taken reasonable steps to prevent bribery and corruption.
• Certification helps set your organisation apart as a proactive, ethical team that would be a preferred partner, supplier and/or service provider for other businesses or agencies.

Don’t delay – the sooner your organisation is certified to prevent bribery and corruption, the sooner you can build stronger and more beneficial relationships.

ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification is offered under CRI® Group’s ABAC® Centre of Excellence, an independent certification body established for Anti-Bribery Management System training and certification, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and Risk Management System certification. The program will be tailored to your organisation’s needs and requirements. For assistance in developing and implementing a fraud prevention strategy, contact ABAC® today or get a 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 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: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution,

Fraud Advisory Panel celebrates 20 Years

CRI Group wishes to congratulate Fraud Advisory Panel on the 20th anniversary. It was a pleasure to attend the event and celebrate this great occasion of FAP fighting fraud for 20 years. It has been a great honor to be the member of the panel. Looking forward to continuing working together in the future!

Connect with us for Risk, Compliance and Anti-Bribery solutions across 80 countries.

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 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: Compliance Solution, Industry Insights, Resources by admin
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Investigative research reveals opportunities

Having the critical information you need can mean the difference between success and failure in business. When it comes to investigative research, trained experts can uncover facts that help you make the right decisions; and save your organisation from making costly mistakes. CRI® Group has trained investigators positioned worldwide who can help provide a range of investigative research services. When used as a tool of effective due diligence, investigative research can provide an immediate advantage and be a proven benefit for an organisation in any industry. In this article, we’ll discuss a few ways investigative research can help uncover previously unknown weaknesses.

Finding fraud

Any organisation is susceptible to fraud. To make matters worse, corporate fraud is often a complex crime, requiring a high degree of investigative expertise to ensure that evidence is gathered and handled correctly, interviews are conducted effectively, and laws are carefully followed in the investigation.

CRI® Group has conducted financial investigations for companies worldwide to uncover a variety of criminal activity, including:

• Corporate and accounting fraud
• Asset misappropriation
• Data manipulation or data theft
• Internal & external corruption
• Embezzlement
• Kickback schemes
• Expense manipulation
• Procurement fraud
• Third-party fraud
• IP Infringement
• Insurance fraud

The worst type of fraud scheme is the one you don’t know about. Statistics say that a typical fraud lasts as long as 18 months before it is discovered. With proper investigative research, you can uncover fraud sooner – and hopefully prevent the next one.

Discovering IP Theft

Intellectual property (IP) theft is a serious threat to any organisation. Unfortunately, trying to counteract it can be a slow and expensive process. Using proper investigative research by an expert provider like CRI Group can help uncover cases of IP theft and help you begin the process of securing your property.

Did you know how many types of IP theft are out there? In today’s high-tech world, your organisation can’t afford not to protect its IP assets. Through IP infringement investigations, our experts have helped uncover the following:

• Trade secret breaches
• Data breaches and IP leaks
• Patent investigations
• Theft of proprietary customer data
• Copyright abuse
• Unauthorised use of trademarks
• Counterfeit & pirated products
• Threats to brand integrity and reputation
• Brand imitation & product copying

Uncovering conflicts of interest

Conflicts of interest can cause serious harm and weaken your organisation. They can impact your bottom line, such as when an executive awards business to a colleague or friend at higher prices or partners with an unethical or disreputable third party. Investigative research provides extensive due diligence, looking deep into partnerships and vendors to uncover potential conflicts of interest.

Some of the scenarios CRI® Group’s experts have discovered:

• Criminal conduct and background issues
• Hidden assets
• Shell companies
• Unethical partnerships
• Bid-rigging
• Hidden financial interests among executives or management

Investigative research is critical in helping your organisation stay on top of any issues before spiral out of control. And as an effective tool for risk management, it helps you put preventative measures in place for the future. In business, the more you know the facts, the better positioned you will be. Contact CRI® Group to learn more about how investigative research can help your organisation today.

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, 

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, Investigative Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
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