Accountancy bodies urge ethical behavior amid exam cheating scandals
Trust in the integrity of corporate finance and auditing is vital, but repeated scandals over exam cheating at the largest multinational firms are denting faith in the system globally.
CW2024 mentors explain why ‘in compliance, you’re never an island’
Mary Shirley is always looking for innovative ways to spur conversation, sharing, and crowdsourcing among compliance professionals. Her workshop at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference was no different.
Intersection of compliance, IT one of opportunity
With senior-level decisions on technology only increasing in frequency as new tools rapidly evolve, a panel at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference agreed compliance must consider the opportunities available to influence those conversations.
DOJ pilot floats NPAs for whistleblowers involved in corporate misconduct
The Department of Justice launched a new pilot program that encourages voluntary self-disclosure by corporate executives who are themselves involved in financial misconduct, with the incentive of a nonprosecution agreement for those who help an agency investigation.
U.S. senator calls for Temu ban over forced labor, privacy concerns
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is calling on the Biden administration to investigate and ban Chinese e-commerce company Temu over forced labor and data privacy violation concerns.
Focused on consumer privacy? Don’t forget employees’ rights
The implications of a privacy rights case involving a U.K.-based Uber Eats driver underscore a popular belief that companies prioritize protecting the personal information of their customers over the data rights of their employees.
Proterial Cable America earns DOJ declination in apparent fraud case
Proterial Cable America received a declination notice from the Department of Justice related to its voluntary self-disclosure and remediation of apparent fraud committed by its employees.
SEC’s Grewal: General compliance principles for avoiding AI washing
Gurbir Grewal, director of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, laid out general principles for “proactive compliance” to avoid making false or misleading claims about the capabilities of artificial intelligence products and services.
ECHR ruling opens door to climate change litigation on basis of human rights
By holding the Swiss government accountable for failing to do more to limit climate change, a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights might have significant implications for legislators and organizations in other countries across the European Union.
‘You have to sell compliance’: Tips for building compliance programs from scratch
A panel of experienced compliance professionals shared the various approaches they took to build compliance programs from the ground up at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
JBS CECO on overcoming ‘fear, anxiety, and chaos’ of taking job post-FCPA settlements
Mike Koenig explained at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference how he helped rebuild JBS Foods’ compliance department following Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlements with the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.
Effective risk culture starts at the top. Everyone is required to make it successful
There is no magic wand compliance professionals can wave to promote a strong risk culture within their organizations, experts discussed at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
Highlights from Compliance Week 2024
Compliance officers took to the main stage to share their experiences at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference, while other highlights included conversations around artificial intelligence and the modern challenges the industry is confronting.
KPMG Netherlands fined record $25M by PCAOB for exam cheating
KPMG Netherlands agreed to pay a record $25 million penalty levied by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board for allegedly allowing widespread cheating by employees on internal training exams and misinforming regulators about the misconduct.
What the DOJ’s whistleblower reward program needs to succeed
The Department of Justice is set to join a growing list of U.S. federal agencies to have a whistleblower reward program in place, but how impactful it will be at generating more white-collar investigations and prosecutions rides on its initial design, according to experts.
May 8 | Virtual Roundtable: Whistleblowing in 2024: What compliance officers need to know
Compliance Week is hosting a virtual roundtable in which we’ll explore the modern whistleblower landscape and what corporate compliance programs need to know to follow the rules while enabling a speak-up culture.
Experts: ESG gone mainstream, but new regs still create headaches
Environmental, social, and governance goals have gained acceptance from senior leadership because of upward pressure from employees, investors, and customers, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
Data, consumer support key to conveying value of compliance
Presenting data to the board and providing examples of positive consumer response to ethical decision-making help compliance departments demonstrate value beyond keeping an organization in line with rules and regulations, experts discussed at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
CW2024 leadership panel on navigating scrutiny, prep for more change
The global political landscape should be high on the risk radar of compliance officers in 2024, according to compliance leaders speaking at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference, along with increased regulatory scrutiny toward forced labor, ESG, and M&A.
CW2024 women’s brunch panel: Five steps from compliance to the board
So, you think it might be fun to sit on a board someday. Panelists shared misconceptions to unlearn, factors to consider, and preparatory steps to take before rehearsing one’s board pitch during the women’s brunch held at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference.
Ex-Albemarle CCO shares drivers behind data analytics success at CW2024
Former Albemarle CCO Andrew McBride explained at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference how he led the company’s compliance department to remediate the issues that led to apparent FCPA violations and how the team used data analytics to assess risks and implement compliance solutions.
AI expert at CW2024: Why AI needs compliance
If there was one takeaway Diana Kelley offered during her keynote address at Compliance Week’s 2024 National Conference, it was that artificial intelligence tools—especially generative AI—need compliance.
CBP stats show persistent problem areas under UFLPA
It’s been nearly two years since the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act took effect, and as enforcement statistics and recent reports demonstrate, many businesses are still not adequately vetting their supply chains.
Ericsson: Monitor certified anti-corruption program post-FCPA settlement
Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson announced its independent monitor appointed by the Department of Justice certified its compliance program satisfies the requirements ordered by the U.S. agency following its 2019 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlement.
U.K. sets recommendations to address misogyny in finance
Sexism, sexual assault, and bullying are rife at financial services organizations, according to a recent report by the U.K. Treasury Committee. “The government and financial regulators have important roles to play in driving change,” the committee said.
DOL orders Tuff Torq to pay $1.8M over child labor violations
The Department of Labor ordered Tennessee-based Tuff Torq Corp. to pay nearly $1.8 million over alleged child labor violations.
NAVEX whistleblower report finds third parties lead on business integrity
A new report on corporate whistleblowing and hotline trends in 2023 found reporting volume at an all-time high, with key disparities uncovered between reports filed by third parties and those filed by employees.
OCC’s Hsu: ‘Sense of fairness’ key to bank compliance initiatives
Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu argued banks should adopt a “strong sense of fairness” to bolster the effectiveness of their compliance programs, particularly regarding lending decisions guided by AI and machine learning tools.
SEC charges attorney over independence violations post-compliance engagement
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a New York-based attorney for allegedly engaging in improper conduct by violating her obligations to remain independent after preparing an independent compliance report for a company.
Chapter 4: Investigations into misconduct: What banks can do
Both JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank retained their respective Jeffrey Epstein relationships for too long. Yet, there is a case to be made for why exiting a high-risk relationship too soon can become an inverse form of recklessness.
Experts: Legal noise around SEC climate disclosure rule no excuse for standing still
Legal experts are advising their public company clients to move forward with plans to comply with the SEC’s climate-related disclosure rule, despite lawsuits and other challenges being brought against the controversial policy in the aftermath of its approval.
Chapter 3: Egregious failures: Customer due diligence and transaction monitoring
Why did JPMorgan Chase retain Jeffrey Epstein for more than a dozen years? How did the relationship persist despite glaring red flags? The “why” is straightforward; the “how” is more complicated.
Chapter 2: KYC shortfalls: JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank’s onboarding of Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein’s designation as a high-risk client should have subjected him to enhanced due diligence that never appeared to occur, most notably at Deutsche Bank. Instead, Epstein was allowed to continue his misconduct despite numerous red flags.
Chapter 1: Compliance v. complicity: The ‘underbelly’ of bank culture
Why were decisions made the way they were at the banks that serviced Jeffrey Epstein? Evidence points to a cultural tension: a tug-of-war between the allure of profit and the drag of compliance, with the former having all the pulling power.
Case study: ‘The Banks Behind the Epstein Enterprise’
This Compliance Week case study offers a deep dive into the anti-money laundering compliance failures—and alleged complicity—of JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank, the two banks that enabled the Jeffrey Epstein enterprise to flourish for decades.
Policy changes underscore need for enhanced child labor due diligence
Rooting out potential child or forced labor violations in your company’s supply chain can have benefits beyond protecting reputation and being ethically sound. The process can also help your firm comply with pending child labor laws in other jurisdictions.
Departing ABN AMRO risk chief says climate, cyber among priorities
Tanja Cuppen, chief risk officer of ABN AMRO, shared her view on the Dutch bank’s biggest risk focus areas and the accomplishments of her tenure a month ahead of her planned departure.
CFTC awards $1.25M to compliance/audit whistleblower
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a landmark whistleblower award of approximately $1.25 million to an individual in an internal compliance or audit function who came forward with information on misconduct occurring at his or her employer.
The auditor’s role in supply chain due diligence
Although compliance should be the company’s primary responsibility, auditors have become the last line of defense and are getting pressured and blamed for supply chain issues, including instances of child labor. Is this expected to become the normal for the profession?
Want to be an ethical supply chain influencer? It’s all about the ‘collab’
Supply chain and ethics and compliance professionals could take a page out of the social media influencer playbook and look to collaborate with suppliers more to create their own win-win scenarios.
DOL seeking more authority in crackdown on child labor violations
The Department of Labor has stepped up its enforcement of child labor law amid a concerning rise in child labor exploitation, yet the agency acknowledges its resources are not great enough to be a significant deterrent for such misconduct.
Child labor violations are on the rise in U.S. Are they in your supply chain?
The compliance community has not been spending time addressing a problem mistakenly thought to be a rarity: The proliferation of child labor violations occurring in the United States.
DOJ eyeing more FCPA cases with whistleblower program
The Department of Justice anticipates its upcoming whistleblower reward program will help the agency increase its pipeline of cases involving apparent violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri.
EU to ban sale of products made with forced labor
The European Union announced an agreement to ban products made with forced labor, a decision that will oblige organizations to track and declare more information about their supply chains for goods entering EU markets.
CW National 2024 Q&A: JBS CECO on compliance post-settlement
Michael Koenig, global chief ethics and compliance officer at JBS Foods, previews his session on rebuilding the compliance department following settlements with the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission at CW’s National Conference in Washington, D.C.
DOJ on sprint toward pilot whistleblower reward program
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the Department of Justice will look to fill gaps in its whistleblower procedures with the launch of a 90-day sprint toward a DOJ-led pilot whistleblower reward program.
Ericsson promotes investigations head to CCO
Ericsson shook up its reporting structure with the promotion of Head of Corporate and Government Investigations Rebecca Rohr to chief compliance officer.
Top brands shamed for U.K. minimum wage failings ahead of hike
The U.K.’s Department for Business and Trade named 524 businesses found to have failed to pay the national minimum wage, ahead of wage hikes for certain workers that will take effect April 1.
CW National 2024 preview: Former Albemarle CCO on FCPA case lessons
Andrew McBride, former chief risk and compliance officer at chemical company Albemarle Corp., joins the Compliance Week podcast with Aaron Nicodemus to preview his session at CW’s National Conference in Washington, D.C.
NYAG lawsuit: JBS misleading public with sustainability claims
Two U.S. subsidiaries of Brazilian meat processing company JBS are the subject of a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general accusing the businesses of using misleading statements and marketing regarding their environmental commitments.