Without OSHA vaccine policy, companies at risk of undercutting corporate culture
The Supreme Court’s decision to block President Joe Biden’s Covid-19 vaccine-or-test policy for large businesses leaves a patchwork quilt of state, local, and city requirements that companies will have to follow as best they can, according to experts.
NAVEX: Top 10 risk and compliance trends for 2022
Diversity, equity, and inclusion; prioritizing ESG; business continuity; and more highlight the latest edition of NAVEX’s annual list of risk and compliance trends worth monitoring.
CPE Webcast: Best practices for acquiring and acting on employee concerns & feedback
Encouraging employee feedback and reports with the proper tools and processes can help companies retain top talent, save thousands of dollars from less employee turnover, avoid embarrassing and public legal action, build cultures of trust and longevity, and more.
Credit Suisse chairman resigns over breach of Covid-19 rules
António Horta-Osório, the leader who was supposed to bring stability and accountability back to Credit Suisse, resigned after eight months as chairman following an investigation into his flouting of Covid-19 rules.
CW accepting nominations for 2022 ‘Excellence in Compliance Awards’
Nominations are open for Compliance Week’s third annual “Excellence in Compliance Awards,” to be presented at our 2022 National Conference from May 16-18 in Washington, D.C.
Shirley Chisholm: An ‘unbossed’ leader worth emulating
In recognition of MLK Day, CW Director of Compliance Programs & Training Julie DiMauro spotlights the inspirational work of Shirley Chisholm, the nation’s first Black congresswoman.
CFTC hires first chief diversity officer
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced the appointment of Tanisha Cole Edmonds as the agency’s first chief diversity officer.
CCO liability framework seeks to acknowledge compliance support concerns
The National Society of Compliance Professionals has drafted a framework that urges regulators to consider chief compliance officer liability more holistically, in the context of the compliance culture within a CCO’s firm.
Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida to resign early amid trading scrutiny
Richard Clarida, vice chair of the Federal Reserve Board, will resign from his post two weeks earlier than the expiration of his term after a report called into question trades he made just prior to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
DOJ probe into shadowy underworld of short selling ‘long overdue’
A Department of Justice criminal investigation into illegal short selling is just the latest indication these schemes demand greater scrutiny that chief compliance officers and in-house counsel can no longer afford to ignore.
Carnival to pay $1M for environmental probation violation
Cruise line operator Carnival Corp. has pleaded guilty and agreed to pay a $1 million penalty for violating a condition of its probation relating to its environmental compliance plan.
Elizabeth Holmes verdict primes DOJ for white-collar crackdown
For Department of Justice leadership that recently laid out plans to strengthen their response to corporate crime, the outcome of the Elizabeth Holmes trial is an arrow in the quiver for what might be a new age of white-collar enforcement.
Riot Games to pay $100M in gender discrimination lawsuit settlement
Video game developer Riot Games has agreed to pay more than $100 million as part of a settlement in California resolving allegations of sex discrimination against female workers and harassment.
DiMauro: Seven compliance areas to watch in 2022
If 2021 was about transition under the Biden administration, 2022 is looking as if it will be a year of action. CW Director of Compliance Programs & Training Julie DiMauro shares her list of key areas she expects to receive enhanced scrutiny in the year ahead.
McDonald’s claws back $105M severance paid to disgraced former CEO
McDonald’s has agreed to drop its lawsuit against disgraced former CEO Steve Easterbrook, who will return more than $105 million in equity and cash he received upon the termination of his employment in 2019.
CCO Q&A: How Prime Trust is managing compliance in evolving crypto space
Compliance Week discusses with Nirvana Patel, chief compliance officer and BSA officer at Prime Trust, the unique challenges of practicing compliance in the cryptocurrency industry and his thoughts on the regulatory landscape moving forward.
SFO integrity questioned after Unaoil conviction overturned
The Serious Fraud Office will be investigated by the U.K. Attorney General’s Office after a court said the agency denied a convicted former oil and gas executive the right to a fair trial.
Ten things I’d like to see happen in 2022 (2021 in review)
ESG and cryptocurrency figure to be key topics in 2022, but we’re also keeping an eye on President Biden’s anti-corruption efforts, details on Amazon’s record GDPR fine, the status of Facebook’s first CCO, and more.
Volkswagen integrity head Hiltrud Werner to depart in board reshuffle
Hiltrud Werner, board member responsible for integrity and legal affairs at Volkswagen and a key figure in the Dieselgate monitorship, will leave the German automaker on Feb. 1, 2022, as part of a series of managerial changes.
Five compliance triumphs from 2021
A key CCO appointment, a company committed to transparency, and a bank that spent big on improving its AML controls highlight CW’s annual list of laudable ethics and compliance moments.
Top ethics and compliance failures of 2021
Systemic risk management lapses at a financial services firm, allegations of toxic culture at a video game giant, and more of the same baffling behavior from one of the world’s largest tech companies comprise CW’s list of the biggest ethics and compliance fails of 2021.
Ex-Immunomedics CFO charged with insider trading
The SEC charged former Immunomedics Chief Financial Officer Usama Malik and his former romantic partner with insider trading. The Department of Justice also announced criminal charges for securities fraud.
My Compliance Library: ‘The Long Game’ offers timely look at long-term career planning
Dorie Clark’s best-selling book “The Long Game” challenges us to ponder what it would look like to “discover our own definition of success” at a time when more professionals than ever are quitting their jobs in search of positive change.
Ex-LeClairRyan chief legal officer sentenced to 44 months imprisonment
A former chief legal officer of now-defunct law firm LeClairRyan was sentenced to 44 months in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine after pleading guilty to obstructing an embezzlement investigation into his own fraudulent conduct as a bankruptcy trustee.
Activision Blizzard case study: When CCOs become the CEO’s mouthpiece
Many chief compliance officers report directly to the board or chief executive officer. But what happens to the CCO when the CEO is the problem? Take Activision Blizzard as an example of what not to do.
Ex-Cozen O’Connor attorney to pay $20K to settle insider trading charges
William Gericke, a former attorney with law firm Cozen O’Connor, has agreed to pay $20,004 and be permanently barred from appearing before the SEC to settle charges he traded on inside information on a corporate client.
Compliance must carve out role in company ESG efforts
Respondents to our “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey agree compliance should play a key part as businesses determine their ESG strategy—either through primary oversight or meaningful participation.
DEI & compliance: Signs of advancement and complications
A global outcry for racial justice reached a crescendo in 2020, and corporate America pledged to “meet the moment” with transformative change. According to our “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey, there are macro signs of companies trying to move the needle, but gaps in DEI progress remain.
CWE panel: EU Whistleblowing Directive a test for company procedures
Multiple weak points identified with the upcoming EU Whistleblowing Directive could put the burden on companies to determine how to best implement the law, experts discussed during CW’s virtual Europe event.
Stop normalizing the gender pay gap
Our “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey revealed women in compliance were paid far less than men. In a profession where practitioners are hailed as paragons of ethical integrity, why is this OK?
Compliance: The happiest profession on Earth?
While the “Great Resignation” takes its toll on many industries, compliance officers responding to CW’s “Inside the Mind of the CCO” survey still near-unanimously say they are happy with their jobs. Amii Barnard-Bahn speaks with practitioners for their insights into the disparity.
What it takes to work in sanctions compliance
Sanctions compliance veteran Visar Jaha explores for the ICA what it takes to be a successful in ensuring compliance with sanctions regimes within a firm.
Lawsuit: Ex-JPMorgan VP links firing to concerns raised about compliance program
A former compliance executive with JPMorgan Chase alleges she was fired after pointing out flaws in the bank’s compliance program and misrepresentations the bank made to regulators regarding a 2016 settlement of bribery allegations in the Asia Pacific region.
When racist words, stereotypes are not in the eye of the beholder
A recent case involving discrimination allegations raised by a former compliance executive at Commerzbank serves as a reminder that sometimes people use words that hurt others’ feelings, but it doesn’t always mean the intention is there.
Compliance Week National Conference is going back in person in May
Mark your calendars: Compliance Week’s National Conference in Washington, D.C. will be held in person for the first time in nearly three years from May 16-18, 2022.
Activision Blizzard compliance update: Personnel changes, transparency goals
Activision Blizzard announced the promotion of Jen Brewer to the role of senior vice president, ethics and compliance amid a series of other measures the embattled company is taking to enhance its culture.
When academic studies and hoax hotline claims go ‘off the rails’
Imagine this: An anonymous hotline tip comes through that a senior executive has engaged in insider trading. This scenario happened this summer as part of academic research, effectively leaving hundreds of unwitting corporate subjects to foot the bill for unnecessary follow-up conducted.
Ask a CCO: How do you get leadership to support compliance?
Seven senior compliance practitioners impart how to get leadership to understand the value compliance offers the business and commit to supporting ethical initiatives.
Ask a CCO: How to ensure right things done for right reasons
How do you encourage employees to do the right things for the right reasons? Seven senior compliance practitioners share what they and their respective companies do to best get results.
Lessons learned from actions of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen
Many whistleblowers are forced to take their complaints outside the company because their attempts to address the problems internally are rebuffed or ignored. Facebook is paying the price for that inaction.
Updated PhRMA Code addresses company-sponsored speaker programs
New voluntary standards issued by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America will soon take effect offering guidance related to company-sponsored speaker programs.
White paper: Prioritizing ethics and integrity
Within the technology industry, many companies have been the subject of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations. Companies that violate the FCPA often face substantial fines and reputational damage.
‘Raise Your Game, Not Your Voice’ a guide for ethics-minded professionals
Lisa Beth Lentini Walker and Stef Tschida’s guidebook teaches compliance practitioners how to win others over in the maelstrom without adding to the noise.
Activision Blizzard EEOC deal: All form, no substance
Activision Blizzard’s $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mirrors in many ways the terms ride-sharing company Uber reached in a deal with the EEOC in 2019—except the agreement is void of any accountability.
Wells Fargo to pay $72.6M for foreign currency exchange fraud
Wells Fargo Bank agreed to pay a total of approximately $72.6 million to resolve allegations it fraudulently overcharged hundreds of commercial customers who used the bank’s foreign exchange services.
Anti-corruption leaders share upsides of remote compliance program
COVID-19 has altered how companies operate their anti-corruption compliance programs, but not necessarily for the worse, according to experts from PepsiCo and Cook Group who shared their experiences at a recent Diligent virtual summit.
CMA’s Green Claims Code latest effort in greenwashing crackdown
Companies have until the end of the year to stop making misleading claims about the green credentials of their products and services or face regulatory action, the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority has warned.
ESG survey: Measure, monitor, and enhance your strategy
A Compliance Week and Fulcrum survey of more than 200 compliance, audit, legal, and finance executives worldwide revealed support for ESG initiatives, but uncertainty about how to monitor progress and measure results.
Embattled Activision Blizzard confirms SEC subpoenas
Activision Blizzard confirmed the company and several of its current and former employees and executives received subpoenas from the SEC “regarding disclosures on employment matters and related issues.”
How ContourGlobal, Osprey have established effective ESG programs
Crafting an effective environmental, social, and governance program is not an easy feat. At CW’s “Everything ESG” virtual event, compliance/sustainability leaders from ContourGlobal and Osprey shared how they are successfully working to meet their goals.