Ethics & Culture

Image: Everyone knows that independent chief compliance officers make for a better compliance program, right? Um, perhaps we need to think again: New data suggests that companies with compliance reporting into the general counsel tend to be more effective. The lesson may not be one of inherent superiority, says LRN’s Wayne Brody; it could be a warning that independent CCOs face a tough task of building strong, enterprise-wide relationships.

Companies with top-performing ethics and compliance programs conduct formal assessments of their programs at least annually compared to their lower-scoring peers. They also are more likely to use metrics—such as audits, employee survey results, Code of Conduct violations, hotline call metrics, and more—in setting business objectives, and they typically have the full cooperation of the business units when conducting risk assessments. So says a new report from LRN; more survey results inside.

More financial institutions, facing pressure from regulators and investors, are starting to tie compensation practices to ethical behavior and appropriate risk-taking—although progress has been slow. “A consistent leadership culture is necessary in which corporate values, business strategy, and formal incentives support each other,” said Jürgen Fitschen, co-chair of the group executive committee of Deutsche Bank. Details inside.

Compliance and ethics training needs to move beyond the standard training video and PC-based testing. While online tests are an adequate exercise in rote memorization, experts say the future of effective training means understanding the unique psychologies of the workforce and managers, customizing your messages, and shaping training objectives around risk assessments and the concerns of internal audit.

Image: Compliance and HR have been tussling for years over which function owns company culture, when the truth is both have a crucial role to play. “If HR and compliance could come together and realize and accept that they’re on the same team … it could be a really powerful alliance,” says Carrie Penman of NAVEX Global. Inside, we look at ways to foster cooperation between compliance and HR.

Image: More and more evidence suggests compliance officers are now sitting alongside other senior corporate leaders at their organizations—so now they need to exercise that leadership role properly. That was the discussion at Compliance Week 2015, and we have all the insights inside. “More compliance officers are being asked for a leadership vision,” said Janice Innis-Thompson, chief compliance and ethics officer for TIAA-CREF. “They are expected to move the company ahead.”

During a keynote speech at the Compliance Week 2015 conference, Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell provided some insight on what a robust compliance function and strong internal investigations look like. “Overall, our message is really a simple one: we really expect that corporations will take compliance risks as seriously as they take other business risks,” Caldwell said. More of her comments inside.

LRN, an ethics and compliance advisory services and education firm, today announced the launch of Catalyzing Conversations Toolkits, a turn-key solution designed to help mid-level managers start a dialogue with employees about the organization’s code of conduct and policies, as well as actively engage employees in E&C training. Details inside.

As corporate social responsibility becomes a business norm across Europe, two questions for compliance officers are what role they should play, and how they can leverage a vibrant CSR effort to enhance corporate culture and values. In part two of our look at CSR programs, this week we explore how Volkswagen, Novo Nordisk, Orange, and other businesses are trying to find answers.