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.
EU due diligence directive back on track, despite concession concerns
The future of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive was thrown into doubt when the European Council failed to endorse proposals. The directive is back on track after being agreed upon, albeit in weaker form.
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.
Privacy by design a silver bullet for stemming AI risks?
The proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies—and their reliance on publicly available data—has reinforced the need for tech developers and the companies using their solutions to ensure privacy by design and by default is at the crux of any offering.
Study: Climate transition impact reporting still lacking
Large polluters are failing to account for climate change impact and adaptation, but policymakers need to harmonize disclosure requirements to drive coherent action.
SFO launches probe into collapsed Carlauren Group
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office announced two raids and three arrests coinciding with the launch of an investigation into collapsed property developer Carlauren Group.
FCA fines financial adviser $1.1M over British Steel advice, oversight lapses
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority fined Inspirational Financial Management nearly £900,000 (U.S. $1.1 million) regarding alleged failures in advice and oversight provided to customers who were primarily members of the British Steel Pension Scheme.
Italian DPA fines UniCredit $3M over data breach GDPR lapses
The Italian data protection authority announced a fine of €2.8 million (U.S. $3 million) against UniCredit for alleged violations of the General Data Protection Regulation regarding insufficient security measures the bank had in place during a cyberattack.
SFO director support for whistleblower incentives enough to drive change?
When Nick Ephgrave of the Serious Fraud Office said in his maiden speech he favored paying whistleblowers in exchange for information, he might not have been fully aware of the implications, according to legal experts.
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.
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.
FCA warns CEOs over firm AML failings
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority warned the chief executive officers of approximately 1,000 financial institutions it supervises regarding common failures in anti-money laundering procedures it observed during recent assessments.
KPMG fined $1.9M by FRC over M&C Saatchi audit lapses
KPMG agreed to pay a reduced penalty of nearly £1.5 million (U.S. $1.9 million) assessed by the U.K. Financial Reporting Council addressing admitted failings in the Big Four audit firm’s financial year 2018 work at advertising services company M&C Saatchi.
Swedbank says Estonia money laundering probe closed
The Estonian branch of Swedbank is no longer under investigation regarding suspected money laundering and other criminal activities.
Best practices for determining need for a human rights policy
Does your business need a human rights policy? An increasing number of organizations believe they do, according to research firm Gartner.
FCA vows transparency, faster case outcomes in new enforcement strategy
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority will rein in its enforcement focus and commit to providing more updates on its ongoing investigations as part of a revamped strategy designed to quicken the pace and increase the deterrent impact of its cases.
FCA calls attention to continued trade manipulation tactics
Financial firms continue to flout rules designed to protect investors from being misled about the true value of financial products, according to a recent bulletin from the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority.
New European AML agency to be based in Germany
The European Union’s recently approved Anti-Money Laundering Authority will be based in Frankfurt, Germany, and begin operations in 2025.
Compliance’s role in managing challenges related to employee side hustles
Employees engaging in side businesses—part-time jobs or new company creations—can introduce a myriad of risks for a company.
Experts: No easy fix for U.K. senior manager accountability shortcomings
Legal experts generally agree the U.K.’s record for prosecuting board-level executives for financial and economic crime could be better. But some believe there is a problem criticizing poor enforcement when the legislation in place has its own shortcomings.
Lloyds discloses FCA probe into AML controls
Lloyds is the latest U.K. financial institution being probed by the Financial Conduct Authority regarding its anti-money laundering control framework.
Barclays says FCA probe into AML controls closed
Barclays Bank disclosed an investigation by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority into the bank’s anti-money laundering controls has closed without a penalty.
U.K. labor shortage stakes up following tripled illegal worker fines
Fines for employing people who do not have a legal right to work in the United Kingdom have risen, meaning employers who fail to carry out the required checks or neglect to re-examine the status of those on temporary work visas could face substantial penalties.
SFO raids kick off probe into collapsed Signature Group
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office carried out several residential raids as it announced the launch of a criminal investigation into collapsed property investment firm Signature Group.
Public consultation on GDPR opens door for changes
Feedback from a European Commission consultation on the six years of enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation could result in tweaks to the rules and potential changes to the way data protection authorities enforce them.
Q&A: ManpowerGroup compliance director on CSRD prep efforts
James Levey, compliance director at global recruitment agency ManpowerGroup, discusses with Compliance Week his focus on preparing the group’s European operations to gather the data required for compliance with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.
Verifiable data key as companies begin TNFD-aligned disclosures
More than 320 organizations worldwide committed to disclosing their impact on nature following the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures.
Toeing the ‘fine line’ of cloud security compliance
When organizations move their data or operations to the cloud, the compliance team has their work cut out and then some, experts discussed at CW’s Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit.
New SFO director vows quicker cases, stumps for whistleblower payouts
“Under my leadership, the SFO will be bolder, more pragmatic, more proactive,” said Nick Ephgrave in his first public speech as head of the U.K. Serious Fraud Office.
U.K. governance code revisions: Boards lead on culture, audit supports
Corporate culture, internal controls, and assurance moved up the boardroom agenda with the publication of the U.K.’s revised corporate governance code and its supporting guidance.
FCA fines, bans ex-London Capital & Finance compliance head over promos
The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority issued a fine of £31,800 (U.S. $40,000) against a former compliance director at London Capital & Finance for allegedly approving misleading promotions that led to investor deception.
The blurred lines of employee monitoring under GDPR
The French data regulator’s fine against an Amazon warehouse manager for violating employees’ rights to privacy in the workplace once again raises questions about what constitutes an overzealous approach to employee monitoring and why companies fail to recognize the signs.
Examining precedent set by French DPA’s Amazon employee monitoring fine
The decision by France’s data regulator to fine an Amazon warehouse manager for breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation over the way it monitored employee productivity raises questions about the reach data protection authorities have over corporate conduct.
Uber facing $11M fine over driver privacy rights violations
Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies was assessed a penalty of €10 million (U.S. $11 million) by the Dutch Data Protection Authority for alleged privacy rights violations regarding the handling of European drivers’ personal data.
Jury out on viability of AI in ESG reporting
Tech vendors believe ESG reporting is a ripe market for artificial intelligence to help companies sift through data and ensure compliance with both mandatory and voluntary reporting standards. Compliance officers appear less sure.
Q&A: LKQ sustainability VP on importance of environmental data
Richard Brasher, vice-president of sustainability at multinational automotive parts company LKQ Corp., discusses with Compliance Week his view on the added attention sustainability initiatives are receiving and where improvement remains.
PRA fines HSBC units $73M over deposit protection failures
The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority penalized two HSBC units £57.4 million (U.S. $73 million) over historic failures in deposit protection identification and notification.
Meta’s ‘pay or consent’ model to force GDPR to adapt?
Experts weigh in on Meta’s plans to charge EU users monthly if they do not want to be tracked for online advertising and what the ramifications of the model would mean for the future of the General Data Protection Regulation.
Consultation opens debate on proposed U.K. cyber governance code
Cybercrime is regularly cited as a leading concern for executives, yet board oversight of cyber risks is often inadequate and governance poorly understood, according to the authors of a proposed U.K. code of practice on cybersecurity governance.
The pros and cons of generative AI in AML compliance
Generative artificial intelligence providers often promote their technologies as revolutionary tools that can enhance anti-money laundering processes. But the issues and shortcomings associated with the technologies must also be acknowledged.
U.K. Post Office scandal sparks contractor accountability debate
The recent furor in the United Kingdom over the Post Office’s wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters for alleged fraud has put the government’s relationship with private contractors under the spotlight and raised questions about how companies could be held more accountable in future.
FINMA eyeing more power over banks. Will it make a difference?
Bonus clawbacks, more fines, and a senior management regime that clearly identifies individual executives’ responsibilities for key governance areas are all options being considered by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority in response to the collapse of Credit Suisse.
ICO seeking input on generative AI to inform guidance
The U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office is seeking input from developers, users, and those interested in generative artificial intelligence to help inform policy and guidance regarding the technology.
FCA sets out data ambitions, challenges firms to keep pace
Experts expect improvements in the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s use of data and reporting means a heightened obligation for timely compliance by companies subject to its remit.
Amazon unit fined $35M under GDPR for employee productivity tracking
Amazon’s warehouse management arm in France was assessed a penalty of €32 million (U.S. $35 million) for violating the General Data Protection Regulation by excessively tracking the productivity of employees.
FRC ups board responsibilities in corporate governance code revisions
The Financial Reporting Council held back on the latest round of updates to the U.K.’s corporate governance code, as the country remains wary of pushing away businesses and investors.
Stiffer U.K. audit penalties posing more problems?
Legal experts are unconvinced record fines against audit firms imposed last year by the U.K. Financial Reporting Council will necessarily improve audit quality.
Mixed reactions to new U.K. pensions code of practice
Lawyers and accountants in the United Kingdom have welcomed the publication of The Pensions Regulator’s new pensions code of practice but warned it might not improve the management of those that are not already well run.