CRI® meets with HR managers at SHRM17
The SHRM17 Annual Conference & Exposition was a huge success, and CRI® Group was proud to be on hand at the event in New Orleans to meet with human resources managers and specialists to talk about their challenges, best practices and how EmploySmart can help make their jobs easier and more effective. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) holds the annual event to gather the top HR professionals from around the world. CRI® Group knows that HR is in a critical role when it comes to helping organizations prevent fraud.
CRI® Group has participated in the SHRM17 Annual Conference & Exposition in New Orleans (June 18-21). SHRM and their world-renowned annual conference is a must-attend event for HR pros. Human resources managers and specialists are in a unique position when it comes to helping their organizations prevent fraud. An HR team that conducts thorough background screening in the employment process, for example, can help keep potential fraudsters out before they have a chance to damage a company from within.
CRI® Group’s agents discussed how thorough background screening for new and existing staff can help detect red flags, potentially saving companies millions in future losses from fraud and corruption. Using EmploySmart, CRI® Group analyses a job candidate’s claims and credentials, and can complement HR efforts with a “boots on the ground” approach to extensive background checking. With EmploySmart, CRI® Group examines all of the details provided by a potential employee including their identity, criminal background, education credentials, job history, employment references, and financial and credit checks (as permitted by law); among many other details.
If you missed getting a chance to meet with CRI® Group’s experts at the conference, or if you are an HR professional who would like to know more about how EmploySmart can help you, please contact us today! We are always eager to chat about how we can help complement your efforts and make you a hero in fraud prevention at your organization. With EmploySmart, you can make sure your prospective (and current) employees are who they say they are, and that you only hire the best.
Are you ready to EmploySmart?
Let’s Talk!
Don’t leave hiring to chance. Take a proactive stance with the highest level of background screening as a part of your essential corporate strategy. Contact us today to learn more about our full range of services to help your organization stay protected.
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 that provides education and certification services for individuals and organizations 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 organizations 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.
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
Happening now: CRI® at SHRM17 in New Orleans
The 2017 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition kicked off yesterday in New Orleans, and CRI® is proud to be participating as an exhibitor and telling top human resource managers about EmploySmart.
SHRM is the Society for Human Resource Management, and their world-renowned annual conference is a must-attend event for HR managers and specialists. Those professionals, by the way, are in a unique position when it comes to helping their organisations prevent fraud.
By conducting thorough background screening for new hires, for example, HR can help keep fraudsters out of a company before they can do damage from within.
At SHRM17, CRI® Group’s agents are meeting with attendees to tell them all about EmploySmart, our pre-employment background screening process.
EmploySmart analyses a job candidate’s claims and credentials, and can complement HR efforts with a “boots on the ground” approach to extensive background checking. With EmploySmart, CRI® Group examines all of the details provided by a potential employee including their identity, criminal background, education credentials, job history, employment references, and financial and credit checks (as permitted by law); among many other details.
If you are attending SHRM17 (which runs through Wednesday, June 21), please come by and visit with us in the exposition. CRI® Group would love to talk about your goals and challenges in helping your company stay better protected from fraud and corruption.
Every successful business owner knows that your greatest resources are your employees. Make sure they are who they say they are, and that you only hire the best.
Are you ready to EmploySmart?
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.
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.
Ethics and Compliance Hotline: your frequently asked questions answered…
Ethics hotlines are growing in popularity. In 2017 the South Africa Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced over 3,000 officials were found guilty of misconduct related to cases reported via the National Anti-Corruption Hotline (NACH). “The closure rate underscores a commitment by government departments to investigate allegations of corruption as reported through the NACH.” Ethics and compliance hotlines work! Organizations must have an ethics and compliance hotline to help promote the organization’s code of conduct and nurture a culture of honesty and accountability.
Don’t opt out of an ethics hotline
The 2019 Global Business Ethics Survey found that more reports of misconduct were made to direct supervisors (a median of 51 per cent) compared to hotlines (6 per cent). However, it is still crucial to have an Ethics and Compliance Hotline. Why? Having an ethics and compliance hotline shows employees that the business leaders genuinely want to hear from them, making it a great employee relations tool.
The ethics and compliance hotline is an anonymous reporting mechanism. So when the normal channels of communication fail, a hotline can facilitate any flagging. They provide an accessible way for employees to report potential wrongdoing, possibly illegal, unethical, or improper. A company can better protect itself from fraud, learn of employee misconduct and proactively mitigate any corruption-related risk. Despite industry or size, any organisation should be 110% committed to having an open dialogue on ethical dilemmas regardless.
CRI® Group encourages everyone to report any wrongdoing. We believe that everyone should have a voice and protect themselves, colleagues and the organizations that they work for. Everyone must seek to maintain transparency to comply with the code of conduct and compliance regulations. If your organization considers an ethics and compliance hotline, here are some must-knows.
Who can report? And what can you report?
All individuals – employees, clients, contractors, vendors and others in a business relationship with you or your organization – have a duty and responsibility to report any known or suspected noncompliant behavior or violations of any regulatory mandates and/or local policies, including but not limited to:
- Ethical standards violations;
- Violation of laws and company policy and internal control;
- Risk and safety;
- Theft, embezzlement or misappropriate of assets and fraud;
- Bribery and corruption;
- Employee rights, employee relations, work environment;
- Privacy laws or security of personal information;
- Discrimination;
- A dispute related to a supervisor, HR and other departments;
- Physical and verbal harassment in the workplace;
- Issues related to job responsibilities;
- The report related to a suspicious activity being a witness; and/or
- Unfair dismissals.
How to report?
You can report your concern using the Ethics and Compliance hotlines at any time, 24/7. And an effective Ethics & Compliance Hotline should allow reporting via phone, email, web-based compliant forms and even walk-ins.
How does it work?
This will depend on your organization structure; however, if you allow reporting directly by telephone, the caller should speak with the Compliance Department directly. The caller can remain anonymous or may want follow-up, in which case(s) he will give contact details. If the individual submits a report online, the system should guide the individual through the reporting process, and a PIN number will be generated automatically once they complete the report. The compliance department specialist who receives the tip is then in charge of validating it. This compliance officer typically receives special training on gathering enough information to ensure the complaint is credible. The tip is then routed to the right department within the organisation, such as audit, legal, or human resources.
What is the process of the investigation?
The Compliance Department or Committee should then review the report and conduct an investigation. The investigation may include an interview with relevant witnesses review of records, computers, telephones and other equipment per relevant personal data regulations. The reported individual will be able to follow the status of the case and communicate with the Compliance by giving their case number. However, no party can contact the individual directly if you have chosen to remain anonymous. The investigation conclusions and recommendations are reported to Management.
Can we generate anonymous reporting?
Yes, if the individual wishes to remain anonymous when reporting their concern, they can. However, you should encourage the individual to identify themselves where/when possible, enabling your organization to investigate the report more effectively. If they provide their names, your compliance department should protect their confidentiality to the greatest extent possible during the investigation. The organization should have a Non-Retaliation and Whistleblower Policy to help ease the process.
What is a Non-Retaliation Policy?
While on the surface, hotlines may seem a convenient option to receive employee complaints, tips or concerns, often, it’s the process that surrounds the hotline which can determine whether it ultimately succeeds or fails. Areas such as employee relations are particularly challenging for anonymous tips. An organisation needs to have a whistleblower process in place – this is a critical component of any compliance monitoring system. It enables companies to identify and mitigate potential risks early before they impact operations, reputation and ultimately, financial performance.
How can we make sure they deliver a credible report?
When reporting an issue, encourage individuals to ensure that they provide as much relevant information as possible, for example, the names of persons involved in the alleged conduct, potential witnesses, appropriate documentation or data, visual evidence etc. Provide them with forms that allow them to understand what they need to submit a credible report, with the appropriate questions and empty spaces for further feedback, including the ability to upload any initial profs. This will allow your Compliance to effectively follow up on the case.
What makes a successful implementation?
- A strong and clear message is delivered to employees and stakeholders by a senior individual who champions the overall programme.
- A clear understanding of how best to engage with your employees at all levels and in all countries. Remember to take into account country and cultural differences.
- A robust internal process to deal with reported issues as laid out in your code of conduct policy or ethics programme.
Are you addressing corporate Compliance?
Prove that your business is ethical. Find out if your organisation’s compliance program aligns with worldwide Compliance, Business Ethics, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Frameworks. Complete our FREE Highest Ethical Business Assessment (HEBA) and evaluate your current Corporate Compliance Program. Let our experts prepare a complimentary gap analysis of your compliance program to evaluate if it meets “adequate procedures” requirements under the UK Bribery Act, DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs Guidance and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Find out what’s a Gap Analysis and why do you need it?
Report with CRI® Group!
If you find yourself in an ethical dilemma or suspect inappropriate or illegal conduct, feel uncomfortable reporting through normal channels of communication, or wish to raise the issue anonymously, use the reporting process in this Code of Conduct, including the 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 the CRI® Group Non-Retaliation Policy.
CRI® will not accept any retaliation or discrimination against any employee or external stakeholder who uses our Compliance Hotline in good faith or participates in an investigation. Any employee who breaches the policy will be subject to disciplinary actions. If you wish to learn more just have a look at our article on Ethical code of conduct: What should be covered?
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,
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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