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31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

One Month to a More Effective Compliance Program in Training and Communications – Using Social Media to Innovate in Compliance

I am a huge fan of using social media in your compliance function. But how can you get your arms around how to structure such a program for your company?  After acknowledging that social media focuses on the social aspects of communication, the most important thing to remember is that communication in social media is two-way, both inbound and outbound. It helps to bring your employee base together in an efficient manner to create an environment conducive to compliance for your organization. It also has the benefit of continued engagement. It is more than putting on training or even a set of initiatives; you can continue the conversation and enthusiasm about compliance going forward throughout the year. The authors break this down further into three parts that emphasize 1) the need to listen to and learn from user-generated content, 2) the need to engage and facilitate dialogue with employee innovators, and 3) to find an audience of early adopters to create excitement and collect feedback.

If your goal in the compliance function is to create awareness and publicize your compliance program and initiatives, social media can be a powerful tool. This is so paramount that it should become a core activity of your compliance function. Using social media tools, your compliance function can tell the story of compliance, communicate expectations, and even train. Yet again, it is simply more than a one-way tool. Just as employees are more apt to tell you about a concern immediately or soon after being trained on that issue, they may well communicate directly with you after receiving social media communication on subjects such as managing third-party relationships.
CCOs and compliance practitioners must develop a dedicated compliance strategy around social media in the context of their corporate objectives. It allows you a 360-degree view of compliance, through which you can take input from your employee base and create a compliance experience that your employees will embrace.

 Three key takeaways:

  • Never forget that social media is a two-way communication.
  • Company employees are the customers of the compliance department.
  • As with all compliance issues, assess what works for your company and appropriately tailor your social media approach.

For more information, check out The Compliance Handbook, 4th edition here.

Categories
Daily Compliance News

Daily Compliance News: May 4, 2023 – The 5% of Global GDP Edition

Welcome to the Daily Compliance News. Each day, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, brings you compliance-related stories to start your day. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee, and listen to the Daily Compliance News. All from the Compliance Podcast Network. Each day we consider four stories from the business world, compliance, ethics, risk management, leadership, or general interest for the compliance professional.

Stories we are following in today’s edition:

  • Senate panel explores ethics at Supreme Court. (Reuters)
  • Poloniex pays $7.6MM for sanctions violations. (WSJ)
  • Corrupt costs the world 5% of global GDP. (UN)
  • B-Corp attracts better talent. (BBC)
Categories
Compliance Week Conference Podcast

Compliance Week 2023 Speaker Series – Hemma Lomax on Risk Assessments

In this episode of the Compliance Week 2023 Speaker Preview Podcasts series, Hemma Lomax discusses some of her panel at Compliance Week 2023,  “Approaches to Risk Assessment Programs – Benchmarking Best Practices Across Industries.”

Some of the issues she will discuss in her presentation is:

  • How cross-functional professionals are structuring their risk assessment programs, benchmark best practices, and walk away with ideas to enhance their program;
  • Cohesive approaches to concurrent risk assessments; and
  • A discussion on the insourcing vs. outsourcing external assessments and weighing the pros and cons of each.

I hope you can join me at Compliance Week 2023. This year’s event will be May 15-17 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. The line-up of this year’s event is simply first-rate, with some of the top ethics and compliance practitioners around.

Gain insights and make connections at the industry’s premier cross-industry national compliance event offering knowledge-packed, accredited sessions and take-home advice from the most influential leaders in the compliance community. Back for its 18th year, compliance, ethics, legal, and audit professionals will gather safely face-to-face to benchmark best practices and gain the latest tactics and strategies to enhance their compliance programs. And many others to:

  • Network with your peers, including C-suite executives, legal professionals, HR leaders, and ethics and compliance visionaries.
  • Hear from 75+ respected cross-industry practitioners who are CEOs, CCOs, regulators, federal officials, and practitioners to help inform and shape the strategic direction of your enterprise risk management program.
  • Hear directly from the two SEC Commissioners, gain insights into the agency’s enforcement areas, and walk away with guidance on remaining compliant within emerging areas such as ESG disclosure, third-party risk management, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, and more.
  • Bring actionable takeaways from your program from various session types, including ESG, Human Trafficking, Board obligations, and many others, for you to listen, learn and share.
  • Compliance Week aims to arm you with information, strategy, and tactics to transform your organization and career by connecting ethics to business performance through process augmentation and data visualization.

I hope you can join me at the event. For information on the event, click here. Listeners of this podcast will receive a discount of $200 by using code TF200 on the link here.

Categories
The Circle of Gumption

The Circle of Gumption – Creating and Maintaining Healthy Relationships

Zig Ziglar Said,  “I Believe Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” Kenneth O’Neal carries this tradition forward in his work and podcast, The Circle of Gumption, showing how maximizing your God-given talents and abilities leads to a successful, well-balanced existence in all areas of life. Join co-hosts Tom Fox and Kenneth O’Neal as they explore The Circle of Gumption to help change your life mentally, spiritually, physically, financially, and professionally by improving the health of your relationships with others and yourself.

Join Tom Fox and Kenneth O’Neal on their latest episode of Circle of Gumption, where they delve into the fundamentals of the Circle of Gumption and the four pillars of being, doing, giving, and creating a legacy. In this episode, they discuss the importance of relationships and how they relate to personal development and create a kind and gentle atmosphere. They also emphasize that effective communication and engagement are key to success in the workplace, with topics like the power of compliments, listening skills, body language, and the impact of a positive attitude. Remember to listen out for the word of the week and relationships, and reflect on how it can impact your life. If you’re interested in discussing strategy, goal setting, and discovery to learn more about how to serve them, reach out to Tom and Kenneth. Tune in to Circle of Gumption for insights on creating a life of integrity, self-discipline, and personal development!

Having healthy relationships is crucial for our mental and emotional well-being. So here are three tips to improve your relationships:

1. Communication is key: Good communication is the foundation of any healthy relationship. Make sure you express your thoughts and feelings clearly to your loved ones and listen actively when they share their own.

2. Practice Empathy: Try to put yourself in other people’s shoes and understand their perspective. This way, you can empathize with their feelings and experiences.

3. Spend Quality Time: Make time for the people you care about. Whether it’s a date night or a simple coffee catch-up, spend time with your loved ones and make meaningful memories together.

So, if you want to learn more about the importance of relationships in your life and how to improve your relationships, tune in to this week’s episode of Circle of Gumption. Remember to write down the week’s words and reflect on how you can improve your life through your relationships.

We highly recommend tuning in to this episode to hear Kenneth O’Neal’s inspiring story of turning adversity into a life of purpose and action.

Resources

Kenneth O’Neal

The Circle of Gumption

Tom Fox

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Categories
31 Days to More Effective Compliance Programs

One Month to a More Effective Compliance Program for Training and Communications – Use of Social Media in Compliance

What is the compliance message inside of a corporation, and how is it distributed? In a compliance program, the largest portion of your consumers/customers are your employees. Social media presents some excellent mechanisms to communicate the message of compliance in the future. Many of the applications we use in our communications are free or available at very low cost. Why not take advantage of them and use those same communication tools in your internal compliance marketing efforts going forward?

Louis Sapirman, Vice President and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for Panasonic Corporation of North America – Panasonic USA, often discuss integrating social media into compliance. It would be best if you started with the tech-savvy nature of today’s workforce. It is not simply about having a younger workforce but a workforce whose primary tool for communication is social media. If your company is in the services business, it probably means your employee base is using technological tools to deliver business solutions. Finally, consider the data-driven nature of business today, so using technological tools to deliver products and solutions is something your company probably does now. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even TikTok can all be utilized.

Finally, never forget the social part of social media. Social media is a more holistic, multiple-sided communication. Not only are you setting out expectations, but also, these tools allow you to receive back communications from your employees. The D&B experience around the name change for its Code of Conduct is but one example. You can also see that if you have several concerns expressed, it could alert you earlier to begin some detection and move toward prevention in your compliance program.

Another approach is to use audio as a part of your compliance communications. Podcasts are a great way to tell a long-form story about your compliance successes and challenges. Ronnie Feldman, the founder of L&E Entertainment, continually reminds us that the engagement of your compliance audience is through the entertainment of your compliance communications. But the key is that the audio format can be a powerful tool for you and a way to reach your employee base that you need to take advantage of. It can be as simple as interviewing employees on the importance of culture and how they use it to guide their decision-making in their daily work. Your imagination only limits you.

 Three key takeaways:

1. Incorporating social media into your compliance communications can pay big dividends.

2. Focus on the ‘social’ part of social media.

3. Consider incorporating podcasts and audio clips into your compliance communications and training.

For more information, check The Compliance Handbook, 3rd Edition available here.

Categories
Daily Compliance News

Daily Compliance News – May 3, 2023 – The Even in Illinois Edition

Welcome to the Daily Compliance News. Each day, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, brings you compliance-related stories to start your day. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee, and listen to the Daily Compliance News. All from the Compliance Podcast Network. Each day we consider four stories from the business world, compliance, ethics, risk management, leadership, or general interest for the compliance professional.

Stories we are following in today’s edition:

  • Florida bans ESG investment. (Reuters)
  • Oregon Sec of State resigns over COI.  (WSJ)
  • ComEd defendants found guilty. (Law360)
  • News Flash: Crypto is unreliable.  (WaPo)
Categories
Compliance Week Conference Podcast

Vince Walden on Using Data Analytics to Improve Compliance

In this episode of the Compliance Week 2023 Speaker Preview Podcasts series, Vince Walden discusses some of his panel at Compliance Week 2023,  “Data Analytics to Improve Compliance.”

Some of the issues he will discuss in his presentations are:

  • The expectations for compliance professionals in using data analytics in their programs;
  • Insights from both sides of the coin – government and compliance professionals on lessons in creating and cultivating data-driven compliance programs; and
  • A sense of what’s coming down the pike, including technical advancements creating opportunities for compliance, ethics, and risk professionals

I hope you can join me at Compliance Week 2023. This year’s event will be May 15-17 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. The line-up of this year’s event is simply first-rate, with some of the top ethics and compliance practitioners around.

Gain insights and make connections at the industry’s premier cross-industry national compliance event offering knowledge-packed, accredited sessions and take-home advice from the most influential leaders in the compliance community. Back for its 18th year, compliance, ethics, legal, and audit professionals will gather safely face-to-face to benchmark best practices and gain the latest tactics and strategies to enhance their compliance programs. And many others to:

  • Network with your peers, including C-suite executives, legal professionals, HR leaders, and ethics and compliance visionaries.
  • Hear from 75+ respected cross-industry practitioners who are CEOs, CCOs, regulators, federal officials, and practitioners to help inform and shape the strategic direction of your enterprise risk management program.
  • Hear directly from the two SEC Commissioners, gain insights into the agency’s enforcement areas, and walk away with guidance on remaining compliant within emerging areas such as ESG disclosure, third-party risk management, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, and more.
  • Bring actionable takeaways from your program from various session types, including ESG, Human Trafficking, Board obligations, and many others, for you to listen, learn and share.
  • Compliance Week aims to arm you with information, strategy, and tactics to transform your organization and career by connecting ethics to business performance through process augmentation and data visualization.

I hope you can join me at the event. For information on the event, click here. Listeners of this podcast will receive a discount of $200 by using code TF200 on the link here.

Categories
The Hill Country Podcast

Hill Country Podcast – The John Aceti Story – Episode 1, An Early Childhood Trauma

Tom Fox takes things in a different direction today as he cross-posts Episode 1 of an exciting new podcast series entitled “From Last to First: The John Aceti Story.” In this podcast series, Tom Fox tells the story of one of Kerrville’s most interesting residents, John Aceti, who has lived a life well-lived.

What is the measure of a man? What is a life well lived? Tom has often thought about those questions, and with John Aceti’s help, he had the opportunity to explore them through John’s amazing life. Spry and vibrant at 93, Tom met John after he had published his 7th book in 92. As he got to know him and his life story, he wanted him to share his amazing and inspiring journey from Niagara Falls in the 1930s to his current life in the Hill Country of Texas. Overcoming a humiliating incident at age 8, John was the first in his family to go to college, served in the Air Force, became a teacher and the principal, and retired from his first career. In his second career, he and his wife traveled internationally and ended up in Kerrville, Texas, where John began another career as an author. Join Tom on this fascinating journey From Last to First with John Aceti.

From Last to First is an inspiring podcast that shares how difficult events in childhood can shape one’s professional career. Host Tom Fox visits with guest John Aceti, who talks about growing up in Niagara Falls, New York, working as a shoe shiner for tourists, and his family values of education. In a heartfelt conversation, John opens up about a third-grade traumatic experience that impacted him for years. He also shares how he overcame it and became a teacher, using his experiences to help his students. Listeners will be captivated by the engaging dialogue and inspirational story that reminds us of the importance of perseverance and resilience.

Join Tom and John each week for their next conversation in this must-listen podcast. You can check it out here.

Categories
Compliance Into the Weeds

Compliance into the Weeds: BAT Sanctions Enforcement Action

The award-winning, Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into a compliance-related topic, literally going into the weeds to explore a subject and looking for some hard-hitting insights on sanctions compliance. Look no further than Compliance into the Weeds!

Tom Fox and Matt Kelly dive into the recent enforcement action against British American Tobacco (BAT) for violating North Korean sanctions. After years of evading sanctions and funneling over $630 million, regulators have imposed the maximum penalty. Join the podcast to understand the scheme enacted by BAT and the consequences of their actions. They also discuss the need for clarity around who is responsible for ensuring compliance with OFAC and the Justice Department for the next 5 years. With potential penalties looming, the consequences senior management could face, and the extent of compliance commitments expected of BAT, this is a case you want to take advantage of. Listen to Tom and Matt make sense of this perplexing case and what it means for companies in countries like North Korea.

Key Highlights:

·      Sanctions enforcement on British American Tobacco

·      The North Korean Scheme of British American Tobacco

·      British American Tobacco’s Sanctions Compliance Penalty and Requirements

·      Legal implications of BAT’s North Korea joint venture

Notable Quotes:

“I almost think we should just name this series, ‘the hits just keep on coming’ as  sanctions is the new FCPA.”

“This is a long-running, complicated scheme involving the highest levels of BAT knew this was going on to evade sanctions risks.”

“Short of Activision Blizzard, this case strikes me as 1 of the most egregious that we have seen in any form of trade control, export control, trade sanctions, FCPA, or other major corporate white collar.”

“They talk about how BAT and its subsidiaries knew full well that US sanctions said you can’t do business with North Korea; they were upset over how BAT publicly announced it.”

 Resources

Matt 

LinkedIn

Blog Post in Radical Compliance

Tom 

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Twitter

LinkedIn

Categories
Great Women in Compliance

Great Women in Compliance – Vera Cherepanova From Italy with Integrity

Welcome to the Great Women in Compliance Podcast, hosted by Mary Shirley and Lisa Fine.

Mary has known of Vera Cherepanova for a long time due to her contributions on the FCPABlog but they only just met in person for the first time at the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics ECEI in Amsterdam at the conference in March 2023. Mary was delighted to invite Vera to the #GWIC podcast to talk about her specialty subjects matter areas of behavioral change, behavioral risk and speaking up. We’re pleased to feature Vera who is very accomplished as the author of the first book on corporate compliance in Russian.

You can find the Great Women in Compliance Podcast on the Compliance Podcast Network where you can find several other resources and podcasts to keep you up to date in the Ethics and Compliance world. You can also find the GWIC podcast on Corporate Compliance Insights where you can learn more about the podcast, stream prior episodes and catch up on Mary’s monthly column “Living Your Best Compliance Life.”

Corporate Compliance Insights is a much-appreciated sponsor and supporter of GWIC, including affiliate organization CCI Press publishing the related book; “Sending the Elevator Back Down, What We’ve Learned from Great Women in Compliance” (CCI Press, 2020). If you enjoyed the book, the GWIC team would be very grateful if you would consider rating it on Goodreads and Amazon and leaving a short review.  Don’t forget to send the elevator back down by passing on your copy to someone who you think might enjoy reading it when you’re done, or if you can’t bear parting with your copy, consider it as a holiday or appreciation gift for someone in Compliance who deserves a treat.

If you enjoyed the book, the GWIC team would be very grateful if you would consider rating it on Goodreads and Amazon and leaving a short review.  Don’t forget to send the elevator back down by passing on your copy to someone who you think might enjoy reading it when you’re done, or if you can’t bear parting with your copy, consider it as a holiday or appreciation gift for someone in Compliance who deserves a treat.

You can subscribe to the Great Women in Compliance podcast on any podcast player by searching for it and we welcome new subscribers to our podcast.

Join the Great Women in Compliance community on LinkedIn here.