Directors should be more accountable for failure, while also taking more risks, says U.K. regulator
Director accountability is back in the spotlight in the U.K., even as the government pushes for regulatory simplification to cut red tape and drive growth. This raises questions about how boards can be encouraged to take risks to grow their businesses while also being held more accountable for governance failings. ...
Ex-FBI informant says three things can save companies from themselves
Tom Hardin paid the price for crossing legal and ethical lines as a financial analyst accused of insider trading in one of the most notorious Wall Street scandals. Now he’s on a mission to save businesses from themselves. A keynote speaker at Compliance Week National, he built a second career ...
Survey highlights demand for quick, customizable, and cost-effective compliance training
Compliance training has become less expensive and more customizable to keep up with the constant rule changes, according to a new survey by microlearning training platform Ethena and Compliance Week.
Should Tesla board, compliance rein in Musk? Expert says tech tycoon ‘doubly untouchable’
Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk has admitted he’s leading his businesses “with great difficulty” while serving as President Trump’s senior adviser. The carmaker’s shareholders are openly questioning his bandwidth. Why isn’t Tesla’s board firing him? He’s “doubly untouchable,” a corporate governance expert says.
When it comes to trust, make sure to verify
The increasing efforts to fight modern slavery across the globe are getting a boost from EU rules that require companies to track and report on the issue. But compliance executives can’t lean on easy databases and automated solutions, experts increasingly say, that supply chain companies may ignore or lie to.
The future of DEI isn’t about ‘diversity’
With White House directives ending DEI programs across the U.S. government, many companies are now facing the question of how to meet their diversity goals without upsetting the political climate. The answer has been to give up the name but not the spirit of DEI.
Making a pitch for compliance: The great chase for stakeholder engagement
Speakers at Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit swapped engagement strategies rooted in human behavior, including with through the use of generative AI, free merchandise, and live events, to meet employees where they are.
Compliance should be a business partner, not a blocker
Compliance has long been viewed by some as the “Department of No.” What typically happens is a new product or service is being launched, and compliance is brought in at the end of the process. Inevitably, the compliance team finds aspects of the new product or service that violates a ...
Photo gallery: Ethics & Compliance Summit
Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit, held March 19-20 in Boston, Mass., gathered legal, compliance, and risk professionals to share best practices and engage in discussions on timely topics, regulatory developments, and effective strategies to foster an ethical culture.
Small wins can have big results
When talking about ethics programs at various companies, there are plenty of examples of firms that do right and those that do wrong. But building up a struggling program is a whole other challenge.
SEC postpones compliance date for amendments to investment company names rule
Investment companies will have six additional months to comply with an update to the Securities and Exchange Commission rule aimed at making investment fund names more accurate.
PCAOB fines KPMG units $3.4M, PwC Singapore $1.5M for audit, independence violations
Nine affiliates of KPMG agreed to pay a total of nearly $3.4 million for alleged violations of audit and quality control standards, while PwC Singapore will pay $1.5 million to settle separate allegation that the firm manipulated independence compliance reporting.
EU drives ‘omnibus’ of simplifications through landmark sustainability reporting directives
The European Commission has adopted proposals for radical simplifications to the EU’s trailblazing environmental regulations. The commissioners argue that this is a pragmatic response to changing global economics and indicates that they have listened to the concerns of smaller businesses that are struggling to comply with onerous and conflicting rules.
Learn to identify, redirect unethical behavior at summit
A panel at Compliance Week’s Ethics and Compliance Summit will use interactive exercises, real-world case studies, and DOJ guidance to “equip participants with actionable tools to navigate high-pressure environments and build stronger, more human-centered compliance cultures.”
Why are CFOs struggling to stay compliant?
CFOs are tasked with overseeing an organization’s entire financial processes, not least ensuring that financial operations remain compliant with the multitude of global regulations. It’s a heavy burden to carry that might be alleviated slightly with the help of artificial intelligence, writes Markus Hornburg, head of compliance at Basware.
Shareholders back Apple sticking to DEI goals as Trump blasts move
Tech giant Apple solidified its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at its annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, with 97 percent of shareholders rejecting an anti-DEI proposal, according to a public filing.
Summit will offer framework for ethical AI use
Artificial intelligence tools are being adopted at a rapid clip in many organizations, in some cases without proper guardrails and without taking ethical considerations into account.
Experts explain why IIA's new global audit rules will be 'central' to securing high-quality assurance
Compliance teams should expect more support from their organization’s internal audit functions. That is the clear message from the Institute of Internal Auditors, the global body of national affiliated internal audit institutes, which has just put into action its new Global Internal Audit Standards.
PCAOB fines PwC Israel $2.75M amid ongoing sweep for internal training exam cheating
The Israeli affiliate of Big Four audit firm PwC agreed to pay $2.75 million to settle allegations it failed to prevent widespread cheating on training examinations despite internal warnings to staff about an ongoing crackdown.
DEI programs are under attack. Compliance should help plan what comes next
U.S. President Donald Trump has proven himself to be a chaos agent in the opening weeks of his second term, firing federal workers, shuttering agencies, and issuing executive orders that attempt to upend policies and laws he doesn’t like.
U.K. Employment Rights Bill promises to thwart forced labor through new consolidated regulator
For the past decade, the United Kingdom has tried to make companies more directly accountable for forced labor in their supply chains. But lawyers warn that the government’s latest plans to beef up protections against worker violations risk being heavily watered down and poorly policed by regulators.
Apple bucks trend in Big Tech, defies anti-DEI headwinds
Apple, one of the most valuable tech giants on the planet, is pushing back against pressure to stop diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, saying that “a culture of belonging” remains a core value of the organization.
CW nomination deadline for 2025 ‘Excellence in Compliance Awards’ closed
The nomination deadline has closed for Compliance Week’s sixth annual “Excellence in Compliance Awards.”
SEC charge against CCO in penny stock scheme raises more questions about gatekeeper liability
A recent complaint by the Securities and Exchange Commission against the chief compliance officer of a Chicago-based investment firm contains some of the most worrisome examples of how CCOs can be found liable for misconduct at their firm.
SEC slams WWE founder Vince McMahon for misstatements caused by hush money payments
Vince McMahon, the founder and former CEO of WWE, was fined $400,000 and ordered to reimburse the wrestling giant more than $1.3 million to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission that he failed to disclose hush money payments he made on behalf of himself and the company.
Google’s fate under Trump could be a sign of antitrust battles to come in 2025
As Donald Trump begins his transition to become president, there are questions about the fate of tech companies, as well as regulators from multiple administrations. Google in particular is fighting a high-profile antitrust ruling after an investigation started by Trump in 2020 could be resolved in his next administration.
Data analytics in compliance: Time to get started, or expand, in 2025
Launching or expanding a corporate data analytics program for compliance can seem like a daunting task, but it is one worth adding to your to-do list in 2025.
Ericsson's 'integrity journey' post-FCPA settlement top compliance triumph of 2024
It’s been a long “integrity journey” for Ericsson, according to the company’s Head of Compliance Global Affairs Alison Howell. Since settling with the DOJ over FCPA violations in 2019, the company has gone through a "business critical transformation," resulting in the end of its compliance monitorship.
U.S. Appeals Court overturns Nasdaq board diversity rule
A U.S. Appeals Court overturned a Securities and Exchange Commission rule that had required companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange to disclose whether their boards had women or minority members–and if not, why not.
Whistleblower’s defamation case reveals scope of USAA ‘coverup’
A defamation lawsuit filed by a whistleblower against USAA, which a Florida judge recently dismissed on a technicality, revealed in public court records an estimated 400,000 violations of the Military Lending Act by USAA Federal Savings Bank (USAA Bank), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of USAA.
Book review: Larry D. Thompson’s memoir revisits lessons from VW, Enron, and PepsiCo.
Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Larry D. Thompson participated in landmark legal cases, such as the Justice Department’s Enron investigation and the Volkswagen Independent Compliance Monitorship. Now his memoir looks back on his extensive career in compliance, offering profound insights into corporate culture, diversity, ethics, and integrity.
Experts explain why red flags can often be ignored due to ‘underlying systematic issues’
Companies spend huge sums on audit, risk management, and compliance to alert them about potential legal issues before they escalate into serious corporate governance failings. There’s only one problem, however–they often misread their own early warning signs or ignore them altogether.
What’s your risk appetite? EU firms grapple with ‘ridiculously complex’ ESG reporting rules
Discussions on the increasingly complex ESG rules in the EU were the crux of some conversations at Compliance Week Europe, a two-day conference in Amsterdam Oct. 15-16. The event brought together Compliance Week and its sister organization, the International Compliance Association, and more than 200 GRC professionals across industries.
AI & Compliance Summit notebook: ‘Think big. Start small. Scale fast.’
When starting artificial intelligence efforts for companies large or small, one approach compliance practitioners said they’ve found works best is to start with a specific use case.
AI and government: How Trump or Harris presidency will differ on policy, regulation
AI may be one of the hottest things in the business world but former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris haven’t devoted much time to discussing the technology. Still, each candidate has offered a few clues as to how they would govern over this next wave of innovation.
Deloitte survey: AI adoption raising concerns about trust, reputational damage, ethics
As the artificial intelligence boom sweeps into the business world, employees are increasingly concerned about ethics questions and data privacy, a new Deloitte survey found, leading them to increasingly lose trust in their organizations.
‘Tick-box’ training leads to tragic outcome in Costa Coffee allergen case
Company training has always been equal parts important and annoying. But a recent inquest found some eLearning courses fail to warn companies when employees struggle through education and testing. For 13-year-old Hannah Jacobs, the consequences ended with her death.
An Amsterdam discussion on increased role of CCOs
Compliance Week and its sister organization the International Compliance Association will bring together more than 200 GRC professionals for Compliance Week Europe Oct. 15-16 in Amsterdam to discuss how they’re making sense of the constantly changing regulatory landscape.
Norfolk Southern fires CEO, CLO for affair that violated company policies
Norfolk Southern Corp., the railroad still cleaning up the environmental and financial damages caused when one of its trains derailed in a small Ohio town, has fired its top executive and chief legal officer after concluding they had an affair that violated company policies.
U.K. whistleblower protections, awards needed to compensate ‘career suicide’
Discrimination against whistleblowers in the U.K. has risen to such a level that the government may need to actively pursue plans to afford greater legal protection, as well as introduce financial awards to compensate for their “career suicide.”
How are you keeping up? The adoption of AI in compliance
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the business landscape, and this is especially true for anyone working in compliance. But while AI offers immense potential to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and mitigate risks, it also introduces a new set of challenges that compliance professionals must navigate.
CPE Webcast: UK Worker Protection Act: Safeguarding rights and responsibilities
This webinar will deep dive into the UK Worker Protection Act, ensuring you know the key facts and advise you on the next steps.
Q&A: APCC chair on culture challenges facing financial services firms
Julie Ampadu, chair of the U.K.’s Association of Professional Compliance Consultants, spoke to Compliance Week about why culture is the biggest issue facing financial services firms.
Many dating apps a matchmaker for cybercriminals, study finds
Location-based dating apps are not doing enough to protect user privacy, with exact location and other personal data being exploited by stalkers and bad actors, a recent analysis found.
SFO staffing shortages improve under new leadership
Staffing shortages that have plagued the U.K. Serious Fraud Office are trending in the right direction since its new director took charge, with the anti-bribery agency forging ahead with initiatives to ensure its future sustainability.
Risk visibility striking fear in companies onboarding new customers
A lack of risk visibility is causing companies to reject customers–and potentially lose money–over fears they might be in danger of violating rules around anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations.
Survey tackles aligning cross-generational views of ethics in the workplace
Companies may need to examine employees by age group to find out how likely some workers might be to ditch compliance to complete tasks.
Lessons from PwC’s failure to squelch dissent in the ranks with ‘silent layoffs’
It’s been a trying time for staff at firms with redundancies, affecting morale as layoffs mount amid an effort to silence dissent in the ranks for those departing.
New U.K. codes strive to restore falling trust, integrity
Codes of ethics and conduct are becoming ubiquitous, yet instilling high standards of corporate integrity still seems an elusive goal. Why is corporate culture such a challenge?
How fintechs can overcome major compliance hurdles in embedded finance
Margaret Holmes Tibbets, chief compliance officer at financial technology company Pipe, explains how firms are facing an existential compliance crisis, and to survive they’ll need to overcome not one but two hurdles.