Every Thursday, Compliance Week puts a snarky spotlight on individuals, companies, and governments that “Failed It” in the areas of ethics and compliance during the week and gives out kudos to those that “Nailed It.” If we missed any or if you have any nominations for next week, let us know on Twitter (@ComplianceWeek) or in the comments section below.
Nailed It
Volkswagen: The German automaker this week completed its 3-year independent compliance monitorship, officially fulfilling the conditions of its 2017 plea agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. Volkswagen famously pled guilty to three criminal felony counts relating to Dieselgate, “a long-running scheme to sell about 590,000 diesel vehicles in the U.S. by using a defeat device to cheat on emissions tests,” a 2017 DOJ press release states. The court-appointed monitor, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Larry D. Thompson, certified that Volkswagen had satisfactorily designed and implemented a compliance program that would prevent and detect violations of anti-fraud and environmental laws. VW board member in charge of integrity and legal affairs Hiltrud Werner told the Financial Times that “fraudulent activities, I’m absolutely certain, cannot creep into processes and the organization for 10 years as it was with [Dieselgate].” The “people’s car” is in the clear! —Aly McDevitt
