Ethics

Sound governance must encourage those who see something to say something. But that’s easier said than done. In this excerpt from his upcoming book, “Standing Up to China: How a Whistleblower Risked Everything for His Country,” former ZTE general counsel Ashley Yablon shares the fallout of trying to do the right thing. Yablon had served as general counsel to Chinese...

Those monitoring criminal antitrust activity now have more clarity on the Biden Administration's approach to enforcement. But that's no excuse to rest easy. The DOJ Antitrust Division has amplified its 'whole-of-government' approach by seeking cooperation from other agencies and enforcers overseas. Recent initiatives target the Covid-era collusion schemes creating supply chain disruptions. .@TheJusticeDept Announces Initiative to Protect Americans from Collusive...

In 1992, Mark Whitacre, a divisional president at ADM, began to cooperate with the FBI in their investigation into alleged price-fixing at the company. Before and during this period, he also embezzled millions from his employer. Whitacre provides multiple cautionary tales to young professionals looking to lead an ethical career.   It’s no coincidence Mark Whitacre has been the subject of...

Russia's invasion of Ukraine may be largely motivated by the drive to expand corrupt practices, writes Columbia University adjunct professor Matthew Murray. To understand the situation, we need to look back to Ukraine's 2013-14 Euromaidan movement. The demonstrations saw Ukrainians protest the government of former President Viktor Yanukovych and his refusal to sign legislation that would lead to EU membership....

The potential to discriminate is not confined to the walls of any business – it can extend to hiring practices as well. If neglected by ethics and compliance teams, companies might find themselves in a position similar to the NFL, which faces a lawsuit from former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. A lawsuit over whether the NFL discriminates against Black...

A recent working paper lays out a provocative thesis: senators pressure DOJ to pursue FCPA charges against foreign businesses that operate in their states in the run up to elections. Harvard Law Professor Matthew Stephenson doesn't buy it.  Is enforcement of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) improperly politicized? The notion that it is has gained traction in some...

We've come a long way from the move fast and break things era. But C-suite and board members of any growing corporation inevitably reach a crossroads (or many crossroads) where they must choose between scaling aggressively and scaling ethically.  We should be celebrating the empathetic entrepreneur who understands customer needs deeply and figures out the responsible way to serve them,...

Many are quick to say that improving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) makes business sense for any company. But what does that actually look like for HR, risk and compliance professionals? In a chapter of his latest book, Intended Consequences, General Catalyst Managing Director Hemant Taneja describes three successful DEI initiatives and their positive downstream consequences.  It's common today for...

The rabbi who helped his congregants escape the hostage standoff in Texas a few days ago credited the security training he received for keeping everyone alive. When we practice something in advance, we can think more clearly when facing the real situation. We can also act more quickly. This is why military personnel, firefighters, and other first responders use most...

Demonstrators protest outside amazon investment firm Remote employee monitoring is ubiquitous — and likely here to stay. However, using monitoring indiscriminately is a dangerous strategy. This article explains why and gives actionable advice on how employee monitoring can become more equitable and sustainable.

Health-related small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Asia-Pacific region with high or medium ethics program maturity have had stronger economic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research conducted by ethics think-tank Ethisphere. The study, conducted in collaboration with professor Laura Spence at the University of London Royal Holloway, covered more than 220 firms across 18 members of the...

The New York City Public Library system recently gave compliance professionals a lot to think about. The typical compliance program follows this recipe: Identify expected behaviors Punish those who don't comply In the world of libraries, patrons are expected to return books on or before the due date. If they don't, they must pay a fine. So it was a...