Compliance

Middle market employers’ concerns about government regulations have grown dramatically, superseding their concerns about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – signed into law by President Obama in 2010 — and health care costs for the first time since the study’s inception in 2012.

Cars have brakes not just so we can slow down, but also so we can go fast. An effective compliance program should serve the same purpose – not only providing limitations, but enabling the business to thrive – safely. The challenge for the CCO in making this happen, however, is shifting from a tactical mindset to a more strategic one.

A Texas Court of Appeals has handed down a ruling in a case involving insurance coverage for the existence of and exposure to mold, and the decision does little to bring clarity to mold insurance law. Peter McGrath explores this case and others like it and what they mean for policyholders.

Real estate is one of most attractive sectors for criminals to launder dirty money due to the ease of entering and exiting the market, as well as weak regulations in the industry. This article highlights the most common schemes criminals use to launder ill-gotten money.

The annual Corruption Perceptions Index is out, and Asia-Pacific showed little improvement overall in 2015. Only a fraction of the 27 countries in the region “passed” in Transparency International’s scoring system, and while several nations did show slight increases in their scores and rankings, others took a tumble.

A critical component of any best practices BSA/AML compliance program is a periodic, independent review. The need for these evaluations is clear, but do you know what’s necessary to ensure your organization is sufficiently prepared for them?

Executive Boards don’t just want to know that their companies have anti-corruption compliance programs. They want to know that the programs are effective at protecting the company. Certification can attest to more than the program’s existence, but its effectiveness for the specific organization. The key is flexibility in the standard used, with room for evaluation and feedback.

New author and compliance expert Ahmed Taimour, who specializes in AML/CFT compliance, internal audit and fraud, offers an overview of the latest developments in the compliance space worldwide. Read on for several in-case-you-missed-it news items.

With focus on compliance in Latin America on the rise, there has also been a steady increase in the compliance competency in the region. Naturally, there have been some growing pains. An international conference last month in Columbia on anti-corruption compliance and enforcement shed light on some of the more significant mistakes emerging.

Global organizations have historically struggled with capturing a holistic view of their customers – one that spans international jurisdictions, lines of business, and product offerings while still allowing the corporation to maintain compliance. How does an organization standardize the definition and identification of customers when so many factors are at play?

The U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division gives little credit for an existing compliance program. However, a recent criminal case in Ohio establishes that the Division will credit certain compliance programs after conviction by a guilty plea or trial.

A continuation and expansion on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol from the ‘90s, the Paris Agreement, which took place in December, offers a glimmer of hope to those who want to see an international, coordinated response. Unfortunately, there is little substance in terms of expectations; the bar for compliance may be set pretty low.