Let’s Celebrate Human Resources Appreciation Week

Being in Human Resources (HR) can be difficult to handle. After all, the HR department plays an integral role in ensuring the success of organisations by nurturing and developing human capital. However, they do not get enough credit. Human Resources Appreciation Week is a holiday to change people’s HR perspective and learn why their job is valuable for businesses.

History of Human Resource Professional Day

Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen referenced Human Resource Professional Day (HR Professional Day) in October 2013. He created this day to recognise and celebrate HR professionals.

HR professionals carry out multiple tasks in an organisation. They have to follow important legislation, help co-workers get paid, and get to plan those fun company parties after a long year’s work. It was not until Governor-General Hon Steadman Alvin Ridout Fuller declared it an official holiday in Jamaica in 2018 that HR Professional Day came into the spotlight. Human Resource Professional Day is designed to tribute to those working in HR departments worldwide.

Human Resources Appreciation Week is an opportunity to learn about what HR does to improve employees’ lives and allow people to join the HR industry. Human Resources Appreciation Week is about thanking and appreciating the hard work of HR staff since they handle the most difficult situations, such as staff negotiations, corporate liaison, and legislation interpreting.

HR Professionals Day-to-Day

Becoming an HR officer is great for someone with strong interpersonal skills, who likes helping others, and who is self-motivated. Working in HR means implementing policies, advising on, and developing plans relating to how staff are used and operate within a business.

Your role is to ensure that you have the right balance of workers in terms of experience and skills and that development and training opportunities are available so that colleagues can achieve their corporate aims and improve their performance.

Several different activities are covered in the HR department. This involves working practices, recruitment, pay, negotiation with work-related external agencies, diversity and equality, and conditions of employment too.

There are many different skills that HR professionals are expected to have. This includes the potential to cope with a leadership role, negotiate and influence effectively, so personnel policies are implemented, and have good organisational skills, management skills, and business awareness.

Aside from this, working in HR demands someone who has a willingness and curiosity to challenge organisational culture where needed, approachability and integrity, and interpersonal skills so that effective working relationships can be formed with people at all levels.

Celebrate Your HR Professionals in This Human Resources Appreciation Week

As you can see, being involved in HR is not easy, and a lot will be demanded of you. This is why Human Resources Appreciation Week is so important. It is a great chance to honour everyone working in this industry. Express your gratitude to HR professionals that work so hard for you.

It is also a great day to raise awareness about this job role and share information about what it is like to be part of the HR community. If you’re interested in working in HR, you should be able to find a lot of great information online during this period too, but here are a few articles you can here:

• What is continuous background screening?
• Employee Fraud: Why are human factors so important in risk management?
• Employee Screening During COVID-19: It doesn’t have to be complicated
• The consequences of neglecting background screening
• Employee Background Checks: A requisite for all businesses
• How to Identify and Prevent Employee Fraud?

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Background Investigations: One-on-one interview with Zafar Anjum

Background Investigations: One-on-one Interview with Zafar Anjum

Having dedicated his career to a background investigation, fraud prevention, protective integrity, security and compliance, Zafar Anjum is a distinguished and highly respected professional in his field. As Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Corporate Research and Investigations Limited (CRI Group™), he uses his extensive knowledge and expertise in creating stable and secure networks across challenging global markets. For organisations needing comprehensive project management, security, safeguard testing, background investigations and real-time compliance applications, Anjum is the assurance expert of choice for industry professionals.

Q: To what extent have you seen an increase in corporate fraud in recent years? What are some of the common themes and underlying causes?

Anjum: Fraud always seems to be increasing. No matter how sophisticated our attempts to prevent it become, perpetrators are always adapting with new methods. According to the 2020 Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Report to the nations, asset misappropriation is the leading type of occupational fraud. It makes up 86% of fraud cases and causes a median loss of $100,000. On the other spectrum, financial statement fraud schemes are the least common (10% of cases) but are the most costly, causing a median loss of $954,000. A typical fraud case can last 14 months before detection and cause a loss of $8,300 per month – a whopping 5% of an organisations revenue is lost to fraud each year. There are various factors at play here, but it starts with ‘tone at the top’. Basically, corporate culture often sets the tone for how strict or lax an organisation prevents or detects fraud. Combine a lax approach with a country or jurisdiction where corruption is still prevalent, even considered ‘business as usual, and there will likely be a fraud.

Q: Could you outline the benefits of using background investigations to reduce potential fraud? Under what circumstances is it prudent to undertake a background investigation?

Anjum: It should be a priority to conduct thorough background investigations when engaging in a merger or acquisition, an initial public offering (IPO), engaging suppliers, contractors or new clients – your client relationships can affect your organisation’s reputation and your ability – to name a few situations. This can help you avoid becoming entangled with third parties that have hidden fraud and other legal issues. It will also make you aware of a potential partner who has credit risk, has claimed bankruptcy or is faced with debtor filings, for example. In one case, a company was seeking to engage a new supplier for medical supplies and equipment. A background investigation revealed that the warehouse’s physical location – claimed by this ‘supplier’ did not exist. The company’s principal had previously been charged with a ‘criminal breach of trust’. Three other civil damages claims against the principal were discovered, with millions claimed in liabilities.

Q: What are some of the best practice approaches to conducting a background investigation? 

Anjum: One of the most important aspects of thorough background investigations is having a ‘boots on the ground approach. Online database searches can only take you so far. When conducting due diligence on entities or individuals, red flags that pop up often warrant further checking before they can be truly weighed as part of the decision process. For example, if you are considering partnering with another company and providing information for their physical location, do you have agents who can visit that location to make sure it is legitimate? Investigations sometimes discover that purported ‘headquarters’ is actually an abandoned home or vacant lot. Also, if certain credentials are claimed, you need to make phone calls or possibly a visit to the school or accrediting bodies to verify them. These are the important details that help you with facts that help guide your decisions.

EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT THROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS. FIND OUT HERE

Q: What kinds of legal or regulatory issues might complicate a background investigation?

Anjum: Privacy laws are probably the most important issue, and they need to be carefully understood and followed for every jurisdiction. In the UK, for example, the pandemic has created new data privacy issues, but prudent organisations are constantly evaluating their data protection strategies under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When it comes to background investigations, similar privacy considerations apply. You might want to check an individuals’ financial or credit history – relevant information if they own a business you seek to partner with or acquire, or if you are considering them for a high-level position at your organisation. Accessing such information is permitted in some jurisdictions and restricted by law in others. The last thing you want is to end up in court for violating someone’s privacy. It is best to engage a professional due diligence background screening firm. They will be trained and up-to-date on the laws governing your background investigations, plus they will have access to resources that most companies do not have.

Q: To what extent are background investigations more challenging in a cross-border or multi-jurisdictional context? How can these additional challenges be overcome or avoided?

Anjum: This goes back to the importance of having investigators in various locations, your ‘boots on the ground’, in your approach to due diligence. The world is much smaller these days as organisations seek to expand across international borders. And the COVID-19 is teaching leaders invaluable lessons in business efficiencies and future strategy. This can lead to obvious challenges – both following the laws and regulations in various jurisdictions and overcoming language and cultural barriers. That is why it is important to have access to locally-based agents – including certified fraud examiners and similarly credentialed professionals – to help with your checks, whether investigating a potential third-party partner or an individual being considered for employment. Another advantage is to have a set, written policy and process for conducting background investigations that you can reference and rely upon when undertaking key business decisions. In this way, your organisation is less susceptible to someone convincing you to bypass proper due diligence simply because it might seem logistically difficult to conduct an overseas investigation.

MITIGATE EMPLOYEE RISK BEFORE & AFTER HIRE? LEARN MORE HERE

Q: Once the background investigation results are collated, what are the key points to analysing?

Anjum: If red flags are uncovered, the best way to further investigate is to understand discrepancies. For example, suppose you are conducting background screening on a potential employee, and something comes up in their criminal record, rather than eliminating them from consideration. In that case, you should ensure that there was no error in your background check, investigate the discrepancy, gather all relevant information, and ask the person to explain what you found and why they did not disclose it. They might have an explanation that affects your decision process. In other words, do not overlook potential talent. According to Nacro, more than 11 million people in the UK have a criminal record – that’s 1 in 3 men – however, just over half of these had been convicted on only one occasion, and 85% were convicted before they were 30 years old. Not all of those have a prison record, however. Most convictions are for motoring offences, such as speeding or unpaid tickets.

Q: What essential advice would you offer to companies on developing internal policies and processes to combat fraud? should intensive background investigations form part of their standard procedures?

Anjum: Intensive background investigations should be a part of an organisation’s standard procedures. It should be part of a greater risk management plan, be set forth as written policy that owners and directors approve, and be reviewed and understood by management and other relevant personnel. Engage risk management professionals when developing your policies and procedures. They can help tailor a plan based o your organisation. Key questions to address should include; who will implement the plan, how an investigation is conducted, who evaluates and reports the results, etc. Sometimes organisations put forth a thorough, excellent programme for background investigations and then, six months or a year later, nobody is following it. The key to success is following through with it and ensuring your entire organisation understands the process and why it is so important. The security of your company depends on effective risk management.

The security of your company depends on effective risk management

Background investigations are critical to any company’s success because working with qualified, honest and hard-working employees and other businesses is integral to thriving in the business community. What you don’t know can hurt you, and the simple act of one bad decision can result in an unprecedented loss for your company. 

From vendor and third-party screening to employment screening, CRI Group™ recommends background investigations as critical proactive measures to help keep your business safe. An effective background screening investigation will help screen for bad apples that can cause havoc down the road. Because we maintain a diverse talent base comprised of multilingual and multi-cultural professionals, CRI™ can traverse obstacles that often impede international background investigations. That’s why we are frequently contracted by our competitors to conduct background investigations in geographic regions not serviced or accessible by larger investigative firms. 

Meet our CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI Group™ (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading businesses organisations.  Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center-QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI Group safeguards businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI Group™ to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom  e: zanjum@crigroup.com | LinkedIn | Schedule a meeting | t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959

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What is Continuous Background Screening?

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What is BS7858 Standard? And Why it is Important?

What is BS 7858 Standard?

The British Standards Institution (BSI) has recently revised the British Standard for Security Screening of Security Personnel (BS7858:2004). The new code of practice BS7858:2019 came into effect at the end of September 2020, substituting the revoked BS7858:2012 revised standard, which was rescinded on the 31^st  March 2020. The BS7858 standard has become progressively more crucial when it comes to the protection of individuals, goods & services, estate, and personal data. The BS7858 safeguards such elements by guaranteeing that the veracity of the person authorized to access such sensitive data is certified and retains as such.

There is a lot of misrepresentation circulating regarding the changes to BS7858 Standard which CRI Group, as the only company in the Middle East and Asian region with an implemented BS 7858:2019 standard and BS 102000:2018 code of practice for investigative services and ISO27001 (Information Security Management System) certification, want to help clean up.

Why is the standard so important? 

It is no secret that confidence is key when it comes to the mass of decision ruling. Instilling confidence in its personnel is critical for all organizations and their triumph, particularly when said personnel oversees susceptible individuals, valuable resources or data protection. Organisations have to be able to guarantee that their security personnel have been subordinate to the best meticulous screening process. This ensures pleased clients, as well as pleased personnel as the foundation to a fortunate and reliable organization, begins from within. The BS7585 aids organizations to avoid scandals such as:

• British Airways (BA): fined £20 million by the UK’s data protection authority over data security failings which permitted unauthorized access to be acquired to private data and payment card information concerning more than 400,000 of its consumers
• Sina Weibo: when hackers stole the private data of 172 million users – this included real names, site usernames, gender, location, and phone numbers. The data was sold on the dark web for a mere  ¥1,799 ($250) but caused considerable harm, distress and chaos to the daily lives of Weibo’s users.
• Canva: the Australian graphic design tool suffered an attack that exposed 137 million users email addresses, usernames, names, cities of residence. The hackers also managed to view, but not steal, files with a partial credit card and payment data.

The revised BS7858 has been made clear that the responsibility and accountability for the security and effectiveness of the vetting process rest with the organization itself and leading management. The BS7858:2019 connects with the move we have seen worldwide to corporate social responsibility and compliance and follows that trend. Other occurrences of the movement consist of instances such as the GDPR (April 2016) and the FCA (Dec 2020) which both expect leading management to be practical in their approach to compliance.

As a significant volume of data requires authentication in a screening process, several organizations may find executing an employee screening and vetting process to be highly complex. Additionally, the degree of evaluation of the applicant’s provisional data must be carried out effectively as well as promptly and include specific checks, such as credit checks or checks against the Financial Services Register.

BSI brought the BS7858 Standard to 2021 with the inclusion of:

Right to Work checks in line with Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) identity requirements:

In antithesis to common acceptance, the BS7858-compliant vetting checks do not need to include DBS checks. This is due to the fact that the Security Industry Authority (SIA) oversees these criminal record checks as part of an individual’s registration process. Nevertheless, they do continue to be a measure of best practice, and the revised Standard firmly contends in its favour. See 7.3.2 (c) and 7.7. (j) in the 7858 Standard. Organizations can also refer to the SIA’s ‘Get Licensed’ handbook which asserts that when an operative is in connection with children or susceptible adults, the Standard or an alternate heightened degree of admission should be deemed essential.

Global watchlist checks during the application process

7.4 (c) of the BS7858 Standard comprises the compulsory requirement to examine a variety of international watchlists, sanctions and fraud databases. Hitherto to this, the Standard simply asked the examining of the HMG sanctions list.

Social media checks as an advised best practice for pre-and post-employment

Personnel social media posts could generate problems for organisations that are operational in protected and regulated conditions; BSI has updated the BS7858 Standard to consider this matter. The BS7858:2019 Standard urges organisations to complete social media screening pre and post-employment.

Searching for supplementary data utilizing best practice social media and additional open-source internet checks can support your organisation with superior perceptions and decrease your employee risk.

For extra assistance on social media and further knowledge on the perils of social media within your organisation, please see our article and free playbook on “Risks of Cybercrime & Social Media“. A complete Guide on How to Protect Your Organisation and Team!

Other significant changes of the BS7858 Standard:

• Removal of character references
• Approval to passing on pre-employment screening records from vocation to vocation.
• Conditional Offer: Formerly, there were two steps an employer was obliged to follow before making an offer of conditional employment; fulfilling the stipulated preliminary checks and adequately fulfilling limited screening on the subject. The new standard initiated the third element on top of the other two conditions – to commence a risk review and confirm that “the degree of risk in the envisioned employment has been evaluated and is deemed to be acceptable and documented” and consequently, the organization is happy to extend the offer based on their evaluation and the candidate’s risk profile.
• Preservation of candidates’ background screening records during their employment. Ineffective applicants records can be retained for 12 months while for ex-employees, particular records can be kept for an additional seven years after the employment ended.
• All groups involved in carrying out BS7858 vetting should be prepared for envisioned obligations.

It is clear to see that the BS7858 standard is crucial for employment in not only the security region but each region of employment; pre-employment screening expending the updated BS7858 standards promises that each member of the public, from manual laborer’s to office workers, can maintain life in a safe environment.

If the new standard still feels a little daunting to you, why not consider booking a free 30-minute consultation with one of our experts here at CRI Group? Our specialists have years of experience and are qualified to offer your organization personalized guidance to fit your professional requirements. Don’t hesitate, get in touch today and stay ahead of the vetting rules and regulations.

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Author bio

Zafar I. Anjum, is Group CEO of CRI Group (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, integrity due diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London, with offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China and USA, CRI is licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center-QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM.

Contact Details

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, LLM, CFE, CII, MABI, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime), Int. Dip. (GRC)
CRI Group Chief Executive Officer
37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA, United Kingdom
t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

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Employee Fraud: Why are Human Factors so Important in Risk Management?

When any fraud, including employee fraud, is discovered, it’s usually by surprise. That’s because most of us aren’t used to looking for criminal behaviour inside our organisation. We trust our employees and co-workers, and we keep our focus on succeeding as a team and accomplishing our goals for the business. Nobody wants to think that someone might be subverting the rules for their gain.

Unfortunately, though, fraud does happen. The statistics tell us that, on average, organisations lose about 5 per cent of their total revenues to fraud, and the median loss in frauds committed by owners/executives is $600,000. If that’s not bad enough, the average fraud lasts 18 months before being discovered – if it is discovered at all (ACFE, 2020). 

Employee fraud is a combination of complex events, and many organisations include “human factors” in generic terms in the causation path of failure. Because for many organisations, it is hard to specifically identify human factors and understand how to manage them. At CRI Group™, we have 32 years of experience in the causes of potential deviations, the unwanted scenario that organisations may face, and the controls necessary to prevent or mitigate incidents. Our analysts uncover the truth every day; here are the most common human factors that lead to employee fraud:

• Pressures to Perform
• Staff Reductions
• Departmental Cuts
• Business Survival
• Overworked Audit Staff
• Increased External Vulnerability Due to Weak IT Controls
• Reduced Regulatory Oversight

Human factors in risk management

Understanding the impact of human behaviour on your primary process is key. When we address human factors related to health and safety, we aim to optimise human performance and reduce human failures. Organisations need to take a proportionate approach to human factors in risk assessment based on their hazard and risk profile. Several large companies have recognised the value of adopting some kind of a risk model. 

Applying human factors tools and techniques in your risk assessment is detrimental to the safety of your workforce too. This human factor risk management process should consider work ethic, culture, and stakeholder expectations as organisational culture is affected by these concepts and links management processes to corporate sustainability.

Benefits of implementing human factors in risk management

• Reduce turnover and training costs
• Gain a competitive edge through the hiring of better people
• Increase productivity – help your employees be more productive knowing that everyone employed by your company has been screened
• Set your company apart and win more business
• Reduce employee-related problems
• Protect company reputation/brand & customer relations
•  Comply with mandates created by state or federal law for certain industries
• Increase retention
• Reduce negligent hiring claims
• Avoid violence in the workplace (threats of violence and actual violence)
• Reduce theft and espionage
• Avoid lawsuits and the costs associated with the defence
• Avoid loss of goodwill

Mitigate employee risk

Organisations spend years and thousands, even millions, to brand their products and services – it only takes one bad hire to cause a loss of capital and reputation. Employee Background Checks can aid in reducing the risk of hiring an employee who does not live up to their supposed skill set and could cause irrevocable damage. It can cause a business to fail, especially if the employee holds malice toward the organisation. EmploySmart™ is CRI Group’s own solution aiming to expose vulnerabilities and threats within your organisation. Our EmploySmart™ is a risk management measure that can significantly reduce business and financial crime, fraud and malpractice within your workplace.

Our EmploySmart™ solutions are also certified by the British Standard Institute BSI for the scope of BS 7858:2019 Screening of individuals working in a secure environment, Code of practice (the only BS 7858 certified background screening services provider in the UAE and across the Middle East); and BS 102000:2018 Code of practice for the provision of investigative services.

Let’s Talk

Other Solutions…

CRI Group™ has experts who have conducted fraud investigations worldwide for organisations of all sizes and industries. Our investigators work on-site at your company bringing a boots-on-the-ground approach to uncovering all the case facts. When you’ve uncovered fraud, that’s the time to let the experts take over. You owe it to yourself and the future of your business to make sure every investigation is done professionally and effectively. 

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CRI Group’s unique identity and vision evolved from our fundamental desire to support our clients and their candidates, thus creating the DueDiligence360™. Identifying key risk issues clearly and concisely helps enhance your knowledge and understanding of the customer, supplier, and third-party risk, helping you avoid those involved with financial crime. The DueDiligence360™ reports help organisations comply with anti-money laundering, anti-bribery, and anti-corruption regulations. This service also proves beneficial ahead of a merger, acquisition, or joint venture. It can be used for a third-party risk assessment, onboarding decision-making, and identifying beneficial ownership structures.

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Stop Gender Based Violence: Incorporate Risk Assessment Into Your Due Diligence Process

Gender Based Violence: Incorporate Risk Assessment Into Your Due Diligence Process

Gender based violence is constantly on the rise – research by the UN Women, “The economic costs of violence against women” suggests that the cost of violence against women is 2% of global GDP, equivalent to US$1.5 trillion – incorporating gender-based violence into risk and mitigation analyses is a must. The company and country-level economic costs of violence include losses in productivity and increases in health and legal costs according to UN Women, “Ending violence against women”

Gender-based violence is known to increase in emergency situations, and the global COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency across the globe. During this global pandemic with long-lasting effects, the rising rates of violence are impacting every country and sector. Incorporating an analysis of gender-based violence can help to mitigate the risks of a future that looks very different than it did even three months ago.

UNICEF has launched the 2022 Covid-19 Diligence Tool Criterion. This tool equips investors to understand the risk their investments are exposed to because of gender-based violence and to incorporate that risk assessment into the due diligence process.

Due diligence is a standard process that all investors undertake when deciding whether and how to invest in a company. This tool is designed to align with standard diligence processes for direct private investments. It also offers recommendations and tools that investors can use to mitigate the risks of violence. The risk assessment is also relevant to public investors at the sector and market levels.

Covid-19 Diligence Tool Criterion highlights the areas of focus in due diligence to determine a company’s exposure to risks created by gender-based violence in the company. This tool provides you with company-level due diligence questions that can help you mitigate any risk:

• Is the company leadership, including the board, aware of potential regulatory changes?
• Have any policies been reviewed or changed in response to the pandemic?
• How has the company responded during the crisis? Have disaster mitigations been measured, effective, and gender-balanced?

This tool is one component of a broader global effort to ensure the right to live free of violence and toward greater gender equality. Download the report now.

The mere process of asking questions about gender-based violence creates an impact and could result in improved practices and business.

Staying one step ahead of any critical risk to your organisation is part of being an effective business leader. Contact us today to get started on implementing a robust program that will serve you well for years to come. Get your FREE QUOTE now!

Let’s Talk!

Don’t leave hiring to chance. Take a proactive stance with the highest level of background screening as a part of your essential corporate strategy. Contact us today to learn more about our full range of services to help your organisation stay protected.

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Who is CRI Group™?

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group™ also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management- Guidelines; ISO 37000:2021 Governance of Organisations; ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management System; ISO 37301:2021 (formerly ISO 19600) Compliance Management system (CMS); Anti-Money Laundering (AML); and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems ABMS. ABAC™ offers a complete suite of solutions designed to help organisations mitigate the internal and external risks associated with operating in multi-jurisdiction and multi-cultural environments while assisting in developing frameworks for strategic compliance programs. Contact ABAC™ for more on ISO Certification and training.

Meet the CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI Group™, a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI Group™ safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI® Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI Group™ to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI Group™ Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

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CRI™ Named Certified Provider by HRO Today Association

CRI Group™ has been approved by the HRO Today Association as a Certified Provider to the human resources services industry. CRI Group™ completed a rigorous audit process and “demonstrated a high level of accountability of standards and ethics,” according to an HRO Today Association statement.

“The HRO Today Association has long been the HR industry’s standard-setting organisation,” said Renee Preston, Global Executive Director of the HRO Today Association. “We are pleased to add CRI Group™ to the growing list of certified providers who are dedicated to offering the highest level of service to the HR community.”

“We are extremely proud to be recognised by HRO Today Association for our diligence and rigorous processes to ensure best practices across organisations,” Anjum said. “At CRI Group™, we share the vision with HRO Today Association that shifting demographics and increased globalisation means that human resources truly lead from the front among employers, candidates and customers,” Anjum said.

Established in 1990, CRI Group™ is a leading global provider of expert employee background screening services. Serving clients worldwide, CRI Group™ also provides investigative due diligence, third-party risk management, compliance and other professional investigative research services. Addressing a need for thorough pre- and post-employment background screening, CRI Group™ developed its own EmploySmart™ background screening service to avoid negligent hiring liabilities. EmploySmart™ can be tailored into specific screening packages to meet the requirements of each specific position within an organisation.

Proper pre-employment checks can reduce the risk of hiring someone who could cause irrevocable damage. Zafar Anjum, founder and CEO of CRI Group™, said “Firms spend years, thousands, even millions to brand their products and services, and one bad hire can cause loss of capital and reputation. EmploySmart™ focuses on using best practices, technological solutions, and a ‘boots on the ground’ approach to provide the best possible background screening for clients.”

About HRO Today Provider Certification Program

HRO Today Association certified members demonstrate that they have undergone evaluation and testing to verify themselves as credible and trusted providers. This form of certification ensures customers have access to qualified service providers in the HR services and technology industry.

Let us know if you would like to learn more

If you have any further questions or interest in implementing compliance solutions, please contact us. 

About CRI Group™…

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group™ also holds BS102000:2013 and BS7858:2019 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC™ operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group™’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organizations. Contact ABAC™ for more on ISO Certification and training.

Meet our CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI Group™, a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI Group™ safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI Group™ maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Estonia, Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI Group™ to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI Group™ Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

Filed under: CRI News, Due Diligence, Employee Background Check, Resources by admin
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What are Cultural Barriers in Background Screening Across the Globe?

Background Screening Cultural Barriers

Background screening cultural barriers: the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the expansion in wireless connectivity between personal and working communities around the globe; however, this has not come without the trials in upholding an operational and compliant employment background screening program in the globalization of the digital workforce. Background Screening plays a significant role in reducing bad hires by ensuring that your candidates are qualified to do the job they have applied for. This is important in safeguarding the reputation of an organization and the nature of how commerce is conducted.

CRI® Group surveyed to gauge the state of human resources in which it was revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic is raising fears of fraud and the protection of sensitive and confidential data since the implementation of virtual in work-from-home (WFH) arrangements.

It was estimated that roughly 88 per cent of the surveyed admitted that the pandemic is indeed having an impact on the way their HR operations are being carried out, while 65 per cent are considering new ways to hold on to employees during the crisis outside of government schemes, i.e., the furlough scheme in the UK. Alarmingly, a staggering 54 per cent of the surveyed admitted to not screening their employees for criminal, media, employment history perspectives before any work-from-home arrangement as they would have done if they were being asked to work from the office despite being these employees having access to sensitive information.

Before COVID-19, it was found that an estimate of 85% of organizations testified to conducting background screening of some type. On the same note, a vast 92 per cent stated that they trust their employees with confidential data but without the assistance of a background screening measure. Background screening is vital to organizations of all types and industries as it can assist in authenticating your employees track record and help avoid a bad hire.

Find out other ways COVID has impacted the hiring process or download our brochure.

Are Background Screening Checks Essential?

Background checks are essentially an inquiry into an employee’s/candidate’s character inside and outside their vocations. At CRI® Group, we offer a complete, in-depth background screening service for candidates and employees at all levels across the globe. Working with different cultures in different geographies raises background screening challenges that should be considered when conducting a thorough background check – to be able to conduct business successfully in a geographic location that you are unfamiliar with, it is crucial to consider these aspects to be able to integrate your organizations into the locality seamlessly; these are particularly important if you are considering a partnership with oversea organizations. 

CRI® is certified by British Standard Institute BSI for the scope of BS 7858:2019 Screening of individuals working in a secure environment, Code of practice and BS 102000:2018 Code of practice for investigative services. The BSI is the only BS 7858 accredited background screening services provider in the UAE and across the Middle East. Find out more about the BS 7858:2019 below or download the free playbook.

The Different Challenges of Background Screening Across the Globe

Regulatory policies

• The guidelines for background screening checks differ from country to country, with personal privacy and data protection being a universally passionate debate. The laws in the United States, for example, are not the same as those that impact investigations in the Middle East and the Middle East policies vary from the European ones. International Background Screening necessitates compliance with personal data protection regulations across regions where it is conducted. Background screening in the US typically must conform with the Fair Credit Reporting Act to conduct domestic background investigations. In the case of Europe, its GDPR effectively fell into force in 2018.

If you need more information on establishing GDPR procedures in your organization, read our guide on maintaining GDPR compliance.

• Other investigations outside of the West are considered far more complex. Middle Eastern countries have no prohibitive legislation governing employment screening or employee due diligence. This means that the process largely relies on consent from the applicants. Background screening industry professionals in the Middle East must follow strict data protection requirements (such as the GDPR, local Data Protection regimes, DIFC Data Protection, ADGM Data Protection and QFC Data Protection regulations) to process consensually based on personal data information. In contrast, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Data Protection standards allow for processing sensitive personal information, including criminal history, with signed consent from the data question for operative due to diligence necessities. Read more about compliance with privacy laws in the UAE. With this in mind, it is important to bear regulatory policies in mind and do further research on them when conducting these checks overseas.

Find out more about CRI Group’s compliance solutions below or contact us to get a free quote.

Local Practices

• Much like the regulatory policies, obtaining background screening data differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The Middle East, for example, have background investigators journey to remote destinations to conduct interviews, find and use other resources and enlist local assistance to verify the information. Leading background screening firms often conduct investigations that regularly involve a thorough review of local press records and online and proprietary databases to locate the appropriate public records. This is not a requirement in the US as the data is digitized and available in official sources. In South Africa, on the other hand, such a procedure would require the candidate’s fingerprints due to the digital gap. Investigators would have to go through the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) in Australia.

Technology gap

• As mentioned before, the same technology is not available in all countries across the globe. The technology gap is an additional task that can impact the effectiveness of a comprehensive background screening check. The technology gap is an echo of local practices and regulatory policies; this solidifies the notion that auditors must adapt to meet the organization’s needs centered on the resources they have available to them. It is a good idea to collaborate with a screening firm in the designated country that an organization wishes to hire to make sure that no policies are being broken nor any obstacles, such as the technology gap, hinder the HR process.

Political Differences

• Political differences and solidarities should be considered during a screening as it means that the officials and authorities of the country may have different priorities than the organisation’s country of habitation. The cultural barrier index shows Africa and Middle East regions having unrest due to political instability as a significant challenge. Africa, for example, principally concentrate on preserving law and order leading to organizational processes such as verification being of lesser priority to them. In geographies where the socio-economic conditions are worse than the organization’s abode, there will certainly influence the turnaround time, which is why it is mandatory to implement the correct procedures in place – especially if you would like your organization to reap larger benefits of outsourcing.

Time differences and regional natural disasters

• This reason is not as easily recognized but is just as important for successfully performing background screening checks. The climate is known to fluctuate from one geography to another, which means that some regions are more prone to natural disasters. Some natural disasters such as earthquakes or typhoons in certain regions might impact the speed of conducting a background screening. Another important aspect to consider is the time difference and the difference in working days. The working week differs across regions, some dependent on societal expectations and others on religious understanding – this is more than likely to impact the turnaround time of completing a background check. While the working week in Europe is usually considered to be Monday to Friday, the offices in UAE shut their doors earlier, with the weekend starting on Fridays and the 5-day working week beginning on Sunday. As the UAE is a predominantly Muslim country, Fridays are typically a shorter day in the working week for devout observations such as Jumu’ah (Friday) prayers.

Local Festivities

• Replies from employees, employers, education institutions and even government officials may slow down during Christmas in the Western world, Ramadan in the Middle East region, or Lunar New Year in Asia. It is an effective strategy to bear the national holidays in mind when hiring or screening your candidates, and it prevents any further delays than what has already occurred.

Social behavior

• Social behavior can vary from one district to another within the same land, so any visitor, individual or corporation is anticipated to acknowledge the cultural norms and social behaviour of the country they are visiting and to respect it as a measure of good practice. In some areas, what could be considered normal practice might be disrespectful or offensive in others. For this reason, the cultural index was established. The cultural index is a directory that notes the different cultural barriers and their impact on various regions; it is typically measured on a scale of 1, known as “not a challenge” to 5, which is “highly challenging”. Social behaviour was rated as three across countries in APAC and the Middle East as was rated as two across other regions. Again, establishing a local team will ensure a seamless process due to their awareness of how to conduct HR processes.

Language

• Failure to read or the inability to translate documents required for any step of any HR procedure would increase the turnaround time for completing the background screening process. Europe is typically challenged in this aspect as it is a continent that is representative of several diverse official languages, and a background screening service that is not adaptable nor accommodating to several languages could lead to a language barrier, thus resulting in delays and data inaccuracy. Based on this, CRI® Group has implemented a ‘boots on the ground strategy and employs local experts in remote areas in the world, who are equipped with technical skills and local knowledge and understand the cultural subtleties to help set the tone at the top.

Next steps, Locating Reputable Screening Firms

It is crucial that your organization works hand in hand with a reputable screening firm to ensure the screening process is effective in the organization’s homeland and overseas – this will aid in minimizing most if not all of the cultural barriers we have discussed thus far. Most firms who work with partners overseas are likely to adapt to your organization’s work culture fast enough as they are used to the concept of outsourcing and malleability. The best way to go about locating a reputable screening firm in the country of your choice is by following the steps below:

1. Research home and overseas background screening firms supplied by the Professional Background Screening Association https://thepbsa.org/.
2. Research the local and regional laws beforehand and ask your firm how they conform to local and regional laws governing individual privacy and data protection.
3. Screening firms are also capable of outsourcing their cases to a third party. Avoid this by ensuring that the firm’s physical address is in the region in which you’re looking to conduct investigations.
4. Know how your chosen firm investigates and conducts background screening; it is best to steer clear of firms that investigate exclusively through media searches. This provides very little personal information on the candidate.
5. Auditors in your chosen firm should comply with GDPR and maintain Information Security Management System ISMS (ISO27001). This is important for data management and protection laws. It is best to avoid those with no (international) standards implemented.
6. Evade firms that specialize in checks of the International Terrorist Watch List and the OFAC watch list; these lists are available online at no cost to the general public.
7. Ask your firm how old the data collected is, and steer clear of firms that won’t supply you with the source of the records they have acquired.
8. Background checks must involve investigative research and not just press clippings. Make certain that your firm will merge in-depth field investigations with routine public records searches as part of its process.
9. Service delivery is essential in foreign investigations, so it is best to look into average turnaround times and get commitments from your chosen firm for delivery in advance.
10. Ask for references as you would from your potential employees.

Like any aspect of corporate conduct, background screening has its challenges, but that is not to say that they are impossible to deal with. By default, proper planning, research, and local knowledge can help your organization navigate the cultural barriers to successfully run services overseas. The more you invest in sourcing morally correct corporate conduct, the more you can expect to be rewarded with a catalytic action to grow and expand your organization.

Let’s Talk!

Don’t leave hiring to chance. Take a proactive stance with the highest level of background screening as a part of your essential corporate strategy. Contact us today to learn more about our full range of services to help your organization stay protected.

GET A FREE QUOTE

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI Group™ Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

Filed under: Employee Background Check, Global, Industry Insights, Resources by admin
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Managing HR through COVID-19 in 4 Simple Steps

Managing HR through COVID-19

Managing HR through COVID-19, here are the four simple steps. COVID-19 continues to affect communities on every continent. This global crisis called for fresh due diligence and risk management review of the company’s third-party partnerships; it has disrupted business and entire industries as we know it; a fraud spike in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has consequently led to an increase in identity theft cases; for many HR professionals, employee screening during COVID-19 has become complicated, with its many new ways COVID-19 impacted background checks enhancing why critical background Screening has become. This pandemic has made managing HR more difficult than ever.

While we must take vigorous action to control the spread of the coronavirus and save lives, we must also act to protect our livelihoods. The steps you need to take now relate to four categories: Review, Communicate, Update and Travel. These checklists provide chief human resources officers (CHROs) and other HR professionals with practical ideas for keeping employees safe while maintaining productivity and charting recovery paths. And then, the following will form a good starting point.

The four simple steps in managing HR through COVID-19

1. REVIEW

• Review business continuity plans and how these would be maintained if employees suffer from coronavirus absences.
• Review existing sickness policies and procedures, are they disseminated to staff? Do they need amending? 
• Review contracts of employment. It may be relevant to establish whether individuals can be asked to undertake different work or at other locations or at various times from the norm. 
• Review your emergency procedures, e.g., if there is an infection and the workplace is closed temporarily. If appropriate, carry out a test run of emergency communication to see how robust the process is. 
• Ensure contact details for all staff are up to date. 
• Undertake risk analysis of high-risk groups of employees and what steps can be taken to try and reduce risks for those groups. These groups may include: 1) those who frequently travel to countries where there is currently or may well be a risk of infection. 2) those with health issues, such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, or those who are pregnant, are more likely to suffer adversely if they become infected with the virus. 
• Review procedures in the office for preventing the spread of the virus, e.g., increased cleaning, availability of hand sanitisers and tissues etc. 
• Review planning for the possibility of large-scale absenteeism. For example: 
• Identify the essential positions within the business, what needs to carry on during an emergency, and what is the minimum number of employees required?
• Identifying employees with transferable skills so that these essential positions can always be temporarily filled. 
• Considering flexible work patterns, such as employees working from home.
• Identify employees who have the necessary IT infrastructure to work from home (e.g., remote access to the office computer systems). 

2. COMMUNICATE

• Identify an appropriate person as spokesperson/ communicator of updates on policies etc., with appropriate credibility.
• What, if anything, is said about absence from work for reasons other than ill-health, e.g., where an office is closed?
• Assuming the employer has a health and safety committee, have there been any discussions with that committee about COVID-19 and its potential impact? If there is no such committee, the employer may want to consider setting one up. 
• Communicate as a matter of urgency with the high-risk groups identified in any risk review to ensure they are aware of their high-risk status and the measures taken to assist. 
• Ensure managers are aware of the relevant workplace policies. 
• Consider issuing guidance to employees on recognising when a person is infected with the coronavirus. What are the symptoms, and what should one do if one is taken ill at home or work? It is also important to emphasise that individuals may not recognise that they have the virus and may not be exhibiting symptoms. Employees should be informed of the reporting procedure within their employer if they have a potential infection and any official reporting process. 
• Provide advice to encourage individuals to take responsibility for their health and safety and slow the virus’s spread. For example, advice on handwashing and sanitiser gels, coupled with a willingness to self-identify where individuals may have encountered individuals with the virus, have become infected themselves or have returned from private travel abroad to an area that turns out to be affected by the virus.
• Make clear that where staff are ill, they must not come to work regardless, i.e. “Struggle through”.

3. TRAVEL

• Log employee travel before it is booked and check against the latest travel protocols. 
• Ensure staff know that this applies to personal travel and business travel. 
• Encourage staff to tell you if close family members with whom they share a house are travelling to infected areas. 
• Replace face-to-face meetings (especially those involving travel) with video conferences, telephone conferences, etc. 
• Consult/communicate about whether to encourage varied work patterns to avoid travelling on public transport at rush hour. 

4. UPDATE 

• Initiate a system to keep up-to-date, especially given the spread of infection. 
• Consider establishing a committee on the employer’s side to coordinate responses and engage with any staff consultative forum, with particular responsibility for staying up-to-date with public health updates. 
• How will employers communicate regular updates on the coronavirus and its spread to employees? As news develops, it is vital for an employer to be issuing fact-based updates to avoid the possibility of fear being used by worried employees to make decisions about whether or not to come to work, whether to travel abroad, etc. 
• Who will have the authority to determine changes to policy and issue any new communications to staff?

Employsmart™: Background Checks During COVID-19 and More

As a background screening provider, CRI Group™ can support you by proactively monitoring the data sources and working with them to understand when and how to carry out verification requests. By working with a background screening partner, we can tailor your screening needs to the challenging times we’re facing. EmploySmart™ is CRI Group’s robust pre-employment background screening service that helps companies of any size and industry avoid negligent hiring liabilities. We know you have lots of questions. We compiled a FAQ ebook, read now or download your FREE ebook.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s imperative to ensure a safe work environment for all of your employees. EmploySmart™ can be tailored to meet the requirements of each specific position within your company. As a leading worldwide provider of specialised local and international employment background screening, CRI Group™’s services are second-to-none in providing risk mitigation and peace of mind in the hiring process.

Learn more about how EmploySmart™ can help your company stay protected during these strange and uncertain times. Contact CRI Group™ today.

Want to Know the Most Crucial Factors in the Hiring Process? 

Download our “Top 10 things every organisation should know about background checks” infographic. Get answers to frequently asked questions about background checks/screening cost, guidelines, check references etc. This eBook of compiled list of background screening related questions taken is the perfect primer for any HR professional, business leader and company looking to avoid employee background screening risks. It provides the tools and knowledge needed to make the right decisions. 

READ MORE

Who is CRI Group™?

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider.

We have the largest proprietary network of background screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group™ also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management- Guidelines, ISO 37000:2021 Governance of Organisations, ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management System, ISO 37301:2021 (formerly ISO 19600) Compliance Management system, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems.

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions, Background Investigation, COVID-19 Insights, Employee Background Check by admin
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Employee Screening During COVID-19: Doesn’t Have to be Complicated

Employee Screening During COVID-19 Made Simple

Employee Screening During COVID-19. Unsurprisingly, the virus has had a massive impact on businesses, and the recruitment industry is certainly not immune to that. Companies adapted quickly to survive, and the legacy of COVID-19 may forever change the nature of recruitment and the workplace landscape. CRI Group’s survey revealed that 77 per cent of HR professionals accept that there is a risk that employees can initiate fraudulent activity because of the work-from-home arrangement. The rise in recruitment fraud is creating several challenges – last year, it cost £23 Billion just in the UK. The COVID-19 is set to cost even more. And what is particularly worrying for any HR professional is that fraud in recruitment regularly sees genuine businesses used to add legitimacy to illegal behaviour. 

Background checks and necessary screenings are vital to avoid horror stories and taboo tales that occur within HR, your business or even your brand – simply investing insufficient screening can save you time, money and heartbreak. COVID-19 is adding even more complexity and new challenges to your job:

1. Money mule scammers specialise in hacking employer accounts at job recruitment Websites like Monster.com and other popular employment search services. Armed with the employer accounts, the crooks are free to search through millions of resumes and reach out to people who are in fragile situations due to COVID-19.
2. According to jobs site Glassdoor, the virus has sparked new demand for professions related to infectious diseases, which has recorded a more than doubling of job postings with keywords related to coronavirus this month, particularly within the government, healthcare, and biotech and pharmaceuticals.

The recruiters that weather the COVID-19 storm will be those that adapt as the situation unfolds. Outsourcing your background screening is smart and effective. CRI™ Employee Background Checks can reduce the risk of hiring someone who could cause irrevocable damage. Firms spend years, thousands, even millions to brand their products and services and one bad hire can cause loss of capital and reputation to the extent that may bring a business to fail. A robust pre-employment check can help you and your company:

GET A FREE QUOTE NOW!

BS 7858:2019 Standard: A new way to mitigate employee risk during COVID-19

BS 7858:2019 Standard is the revised standard for screening individuals working in secure environments. The far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 outbreak has affected virtually every business and economic sector worldwide. Depending on the global region, the far-reaching implications have hampered (on various levels) the ability to conduct proper and thorough background screening investigations.

In the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, the countrywide lockdowns forced leaders to close sites and send their workforce home. Many must learn how to manage people working from home (WFH) or remotely for the first time. The previous concerns about productivity, privacy and protecting sensitive information only grew more with the practice of WFH.

They highlighted the vital importance of pre-employment background screening and background investigations. BS 7858:2019 Standard for screening individuals working in secure environments offers a complete solution.

Unfortunately, conducting such investigations in a reliable and timely manner has brought its struggles. The closure of public information sources has dramatically impacted accessing public records to verify previous employment, education and criminal charges.

Drug screening tests have been delayed or postponed until such companies are permitted to reopen their doors for business. On the applicant side, it’s been widely reported that individuals are concerned (and rightly so) about participating in face-to-face interviews. Applicants are concerned with leaving their homes to do a drug test and returning to a work environment that may or may not appear healthy, protected and safe.

Want to know the most crucial factors in the hiring process? 

Download our “Top 10 things every organisation should know about background checks” infographic. Get answers to frequently asked questions about background checks or screening cost, guidelines, check references etc. This eBook of compiled list of background screening related questions taken is the perfect primer for any HR professional, business leader and company looking to avoid employee background screening risks. It provides the tools and knowledge needed to make the right decisions. 

READ MORE

Learn more about how EmploySmart™ can help your company stay protected during these strange and uncertain times. Contact CRI Group™ today.

Who is CRI Group™?

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider.

We have the largest proprietary network of background screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group™ also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management- Guidelines, ISO 37000:2021 Governance of Organisations, ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management System, ISO 37301:2021 (formerly ISO 19600) Compliance Management system, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems.

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions, Background Investigation, COVID-19 Insights, Employee Background Check by admin
Comments Off on Employee Screening During COVID-19: Doesn’t Have to be Complicated