This “case study” is the latest in a series of articles aimed at helping public companies understand how other organizations are using technology to comply with new regulations and standards. These are not advertisements or marketing vehicles for the companies mentioned; Compliance Week’s editorial staff speaks with the public company that has deployed the technology, […]
Ethics & Culture
Posted inEthics & Culture
Case Study: Whistleblowing System At Overstock.com
This “case study” is the latest in a series of articles aimed at helping public companies understand how other organizations are using technology to comply with new regulations and standards. These are not advertisements or marketing vehicles for the companies mentioned; Compliance Week’s editorial staff speaks with the public company that has deployed the technology, […]
Posted inEthics & Culture
SOX Yielding “Grade A” Opinions, So Who’s Getting “C”s?
Since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed in the summer of 2002, there has been a steady stream of criticism and objections from a wide range of players. The business community claims the additional costs caused by SOX 302 and 404 are choking off much needed risk taking and profit creation. The Europeans—led by a very […]
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Compliance Programs Critical Despite Ruling On Guidelines
The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision eviscerating the mandatory nature of the federal sentencing guidelines should have no immediate affect on corporate compliance programs established under the sentencing standards, experts tell Compliance Week. On Jan. 12, a deeply divided Supreme Court ruled in United States vs. Booker that the guidelines that have governed all federal […]
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SEC’s ‘Up-The-Ladder’ Claims In TV Azteca Case Overstated?
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s filing of civil fraud charges against TV Azteca on Jan. 4 appears to be the first enforcement action implicating the “up-the-ladder” attorney-reporting requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley. However, the case also highlights the fact that, at present, there is no requirement that the SEC be told of a corporation’s non-compliance with the […]
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Carrot And Stick: Understanding The SEC’s Agenda
Corporate boards and management have had to scramble to understand and implement the new rules under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Yet, as far-reaching as the changes Congress has made are, an even bolder agenda may be taking shape at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Recent developments indicate that the Commission is conducting investigations of corporate fraud, […]
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Q&A With Director Of Ethics & Compliance At $21.5b Alcoa
This profile is the latest in a series of weekly conversations with executives at U.S. public companies who are currently involved in establishing and developing compliance programs. An index of previous conversations is available here. Describe your duties at Alcoa. I’m part of the global compliance organization. Our chief compliance officer is also chief legal […]
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Lines Blur Between Law Firms, Public Relations Practices
In April of this year, The Wall Street Journal ran an unfavorable article about $349.2 million NovaStar Financial, claiming that the subprime mortgage lender had purportedly failed to comply with state licensing rules. The article led to a 30 percent stock-price dip, a class action suit, and an informal inquiry by the SEC—all in the […]
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Lessons From The First SOX Whistleblower Cases
The whistleblower protections contained in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are already creating a groundswell of employee complaints, with more than 300 whistleblowers claiming their employers retaliated against them for their allegations of corporate misconduct. While only a handful of claims to date have been decided on their merits, they offer important cautionary tales for […]
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CalPERS Wants To Crack Down On Conflicts Of Interest
The nation’s largest public pension fund, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, recently fired off a letter to the Fortune 100 CEOs, asking them to disclose any “interested-party transactions.” Specifically, the fund wants the CEOs to provide information on directors and executives who hold a financial interest in companies with which the CEOs do business. […]
