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?

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions, Employee Background Check by admin
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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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Seven Types of Business Risk You may Want to Address in Your Company

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FCRA: Risk Assessment and Financial Crime

A thorough understanding of its financial crime risks is key if a firm is to apply proportionate systems and controls. The following are self-assessment questions to help you implement an efficient risk assessment to mitigate the risk behind finance crime.

Self-assessment questions:

• What are the main financial crime risks to the business?
• How does your firm seek to understand the financial crime risks it faces?
• When did the firm last update its risk assessment?
• How do you identify new or emerging financial crime risks?
• Is there evidence that risk is considered and recorded systematically, updated assessments, and appropriate sign-off?
• Who challenges risk assessments and how? Is this process sufficiently rigorous and well-documented?
• How do procedures on the ground adapt to emerging risks? (For example, how quickly are policy manuals updated and procedures amended?)

Examples of good practice:

• A comprehensive risk assessment.
• Risk assessment is a continuous process based on the best information available from internal and external sources.
• The firm assesses where risks are greater and concentrates its resources accordingly.
• The firm actively considers the impact of crime on customers.
• The firm considers financial crime risk when designing new products and services.

Examples of poor practice:

• Risk assessment is a one-off exercise.
• Efforts to understand risk are piecemeal and lack coordination.
• Risk assessments are incomplete.
• The firm targets financial crimes that affect the bottom line (e.g. fraud against the firm) but neglects those where third parties suffer (e.g. fraud against customers)

Using An External Services Provider to Conduct Your Financial Crime Risk Assessment

Aside from it often being difficult to schedule time for this type of review or know where to start, there is considerable benefit in having an independent, objective review of the financial crime risks your business faces. Corporate Research and Investigations Limited (CRI Group™) has a wealth of knowledge in Financial Crime and can help you identify risks and exposures that might otherwise be missed, thereby enabling appropriate procedures to be put in place.

To engage CRI Group™ to conduct your Financial Crime Risk Assessment, contact the CRI™ team. CRI™ has a dedicated team of experienced compliance consultants who can provide expert assurance and peace of mind. Get in touch to see how we can help your organisation.

About CRI Group™

CRI Group™ has protected businesses from fraud, bribery and corruption since 1990. We are a leading Compliance and Risk Management company licensed and incorporated entity of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) and Qatar Financial Center (QFC). CRI™ protects businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business.

In 2016, the company launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence. This independent certification body helps organisations mitigate internal and external risks by providing a complete suite of Anti-Bribery, Compliance and Risk Management programs.

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. Our global team can support your organisation anywhere in the world. 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 and 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 organisations. Contact ABAC™ for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Due Diligence, Industry Insights, Resources by admin
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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.

Get in Touch

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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Review and Reassess Your Organisation’s Third-Party Relationships

Is it the Time to Review and Reassess Your Third-Party Relationships? 

The global pandemic is rattling economies worldwide, disrupting supply chains, interrupting production, wreaking havoc on industry sectors and shuttering businesses; this impacts third-party relationships businesses have. At some point, organisations that affiliate with outside providers will eventually have to deal with any number of operational interruptions resulting from a third-party relationship-related issue. And while the risks involved in partnering with outsiders haven’t changed over time, the potential level of liability has been ratcheted up several notches.

International Borders have been ripped down. Technology has improved the way businesses communicate. Easy access to data and information enables the media to report on business news before a business can respond. Consequently, the markets are quick to react based on this 24/7 on-demand news cycle. The result of this increased liability can be highly problematic:

• Business litigation has skyrocketed.
• Corporate reputations are negatively impacted due to the fallout from the current global pandemic.
• Risk management frameworks are continually evolving to acclimate to changing business environments.
• Board members are becoming increasingly subjected to intense scrutiny from outside critics.

THE CHALLENGE: The Global Business Climate is Changing. So Are Your Third-Party Partners.

• Organisations suffer financial loss as the supply chain falters and loses customers because of poor-quality service from a third party.
• Company data systems are exposed and breached because of poor security practices by third parties.
• Companies are experiencing supply chain issues due to poor disaster recovery procedures by third parties.
• Organisations are increasingly being exposed to litigation because relationships with an outside provider significantly violated contractual terms, potentially resulting in regulatory exposure.

If your organisation requires any of the following within your compliance checklist, then you must consider a third-party risk management solution:

• Have a lack of visibility or understanding danger of the risks posed by your relationships with many types of third parties?
• Want greater visibility into third-party performance and risks?
• Need to improve operational costs, process, efficiencies, and organisational agility associated with your third-party relationships?
• Need to gain greater control over the related risks?
• Want to be confident that third parties are compliant with your business’ policies and their own based on government regulations and industry requirements?

The role or size of the third party is not as important as the nature of the relationship they have with your business. Think of your third-party access to your sensitive data or property! A cleaning company with access to your filing cabinet represents a different but still significant risk. And remember, you are accountable for the inappropriate actions of any of your third parties.

THE SOLUTION: 3PRM: A Third-Party Certification Program; Qualify Your Partners. Protect Your Organisation.

Corporate Research and Investigations Limited (CRI Group™) is pleased to announce the rollout of its 3PRM-Certified™ program, specifically designed for organisations across the Middle East, Europe and Asian regions. 

This highly specialised Third-Party Risk Management assessment and certification program was developed to help organisations accurately determine the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers, and customers who seek to affiliate with and represent your business.

Download our 3PRM™ Brochure 

The 3PRM-Certified™ program consists of gap analysis and investigative due diligence on targeted third-party partners, suppliers and agents seeking to affiliate with your organisation. This highly thorough program can reveal any anti-corruption, compliance and risk management deficiencies associated with the international regulatory framework.

CRI® Group employs a network of locally qualified, subject-specific auditors, investigators, certified fraud examiners and industry-specific professionals across the Middle East, European and Asian regions who can provide expert counsel in offering 3PRM-Certified™ strategies as an effective pre-emptive measure. 

OUTCOMES – Identifying red flags

• Undisclosed third-party transactions
• Material misrepresentations or omissions
• Unreported financial liabilities
• Criminal or regulatory sanctions
• Prior bribe or corruption allegations
• Undisclosed legal or bankruptcy proceedings
• Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)

RESULT: A highly educated market responds immediately with their pocketbooks.

Has your organisation vetted its third-party relationships lately? CRI Group’s 3PRM™ Third-party risk management strategy can safeguard your organisation against unwanted business dealings and risks from the third party. Contact CRI Group to learn more about our 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 threats posed by third-party partnerships.

We look forward to assisting you. Feel free to reach out to our CEO, Zafar I. Anjum, MSc, MS, LLM CFE, CIS, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime), Int. Dip. (GRC), MBCI, CII Int. Dip. (AML) | e: zanjum@crigroup.com | t: +44 7588 454959

GET A QUOTE

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.

We’d like to share with you 10 great reasons to partner with CRI Group™ today:

1. CRI Group’s Personal Touch: Our high level of service sets us apart from our competitors: As your partner, our team become members of your team – working for you with our “boots on the ground” approach to gathering information. Our experts excel at deterring, detecting and investigating fraud and other crimes against businesses.
2. Our Vast Business Intelligence Network: We access information from 180 countries, gathering local knowledge in places our competitors cannot. Our presence in Pakistan, Oman, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, as well as other countries in Africa and the whole of Southeast Asia, means that many of our competitors contact us for information from those countries.
3. Competitive Pricing: CRI Group™ does not maintain the high overhead of larger firms, many of which lack our specialisation and level of individual client attention. We work within your budget, as CRI Group’s prices are consistently lower than our competitors’ rates.
4. “3PRM” – Our Third-Party Risk Management Strategy™: At CRI Group™, we have developed our own comprehensive service for helping clients manage third-party risks. Our team of experts provide the highest level of protection for companies worldwide.
5. CRI Group’s Wide Knowledge Base: Our experts come from a variety of professions and possess industry knowledge and experience serving clients spanning the oil and energy, banking, investments, international finance, and public and privately held multinational business sectors. CRI Group™ professionals work closely with your business to analyse systems and develop effective solutions that reduce the risk of your company falling prey to employees, suppliers or outside crime.
6. Our Background Checks Catch Everything: CRI Group’s background screening and pre-employment screening services expose vulnerabilities and threats within your organisation and can significantly reduce the potential of business and financial crime, fraud and malpractice from occurring within your workplace.
7. We’re Recognised and Acclaimed: As well as winning awards for “Anti-Fraud Advisor of the Year,” “Leading Adviser in UAE”, and “Business Due-Diligence Firm of the Year,” CRI Group™ is also working towards the “Investors in People” accreditation.
8. We are Discreet: Let’s face it; there are some problems you just don’t want announced to the world. Fraud, internal investigations, due diligence or liability issues – CRI Group’s experts are trained to maintain the highest levels of client confidentiality. We keep your private business private.
9. Our Updates Keep You in the Know: As industry experts, we offer a publication called Fraud 360, which is produced on a quarterly basis, with monthly email updates offering awareness, knowledge, latest trends and helpful advice for companies on fraud. If you would like to be on our mailing list, please subscribe here.
10. CRI Group™ is Truly International. We maintain offices in UAE, Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States and the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit www.crigroup.com.

Check out our Why Partner With CRI Group™ InfoPack

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WEBINAR | Compliance and Adequate Due Diligence for Third-Party Risk Managements

Building a Culture of Compliance and Trust Through ISO 37301:2021 CMS: Compliance adequate Due Diligence for Third-Party Risk Management – corporate compliance program

Free Webinar | 4 August 2022 | 2 pm – 3 pm UAE Time | in collaboration with ABAC™

CRI Group™ is hosting a free webinar on August 4th in collaboration with sister brand the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence. Our intention is to be able to provide resources on corporate compliance and due diligence to organizations around the globe that will aid them in expansion and an ethical working environment. Take advantage of this free webinar on compliance and adequate due diligence for Third-Party Risk Management.

Compliance in the Workplace

The compliance standard directs an organization to establish ideals and ethics. It involves the organization to illustrate those ideals and ethics adequately in a manner in which team members can recognise them and submit to them. A compliance standard necessitates that an organization train team members on ideals and ethics and demands that the organization hold team members liable for their conflicts and behaviors. In other words, compliance helps to define the force in the wake of the organization and its motivational efforts. However, many authoritative figures view compliance as intrinsically fundamentalist as they assume that the objective of compliance is to rein in conduct that couldn’t be further than the truth. Compliance provides a compelling instrument of prolonged adjustment. If everyday behavior branches from education and codes of conduct, and codes of conduct branch from ethics, expression, and alteration; over time, these said principles can intensely influence administrative behavior. Standards can be deemed as a leveraging point, and in the long run, compliance centers on the driving principles of an organization therefore, it is incredibly important to implement them into your corporate culture which is what we intend on discussing in our webinar.

Discussion points

• Most individuals are vaguely aware of what fraud prevention entails but many cannot fully comprehend how intensive and impactful a proper fraud prevention strategy can be. Our speaker will be looking at the following points.
• What does compliance mean?
• Compliance obligations
• Compliance related areas
• What is ISO 37301:2021 Compliance Management Systems
• Common elements of the framework
• Compliance risk assessment
• The process: Top management
• Questions to ask when developing a compliance management policy
• The involvement of third parties
• The results: the pay-off of good governance
• The results: long-lasting benefits integration with ISO 37001
• Anti-Bribery Management System, ISO 37000:2021 Governance of organizations, and ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management systems  

Meet our speaker, Samia El Kadiri

Consultant, Author & Trainer, 6σGB |IRCA- QMS Lead Auditor | TOT | Auditor | Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence

She brings in over eight years of progressive experience working in private and government owned entities in compliance, management, quality assurance and excellence functions. Possess keen understanding, oversight and reporting mechanisms on Financial Crimes – Anti-Money Laundering, UAE Central Bank regulations, Dubai and UAE federal government mandates. She Developed and delivered various number of workshops and awareness sessions to leaders and decision makers on “Good Corporate Governance Practices”, “Development of Strategic Plan and Effective Policies” and “Financial Ethics” (AML&CFT according to local Guidelines). She authored reports and research papers on Compliance and the evolution of CG in the MENA region. She participated in the ESG Index; MENA wide Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Index in cooperation with Standard & Poor’s with the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). She is a Consultant at DIFC – Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance charged with leading entities consultancy and advisory engagements in identifying the relevant controls, processes and frameworks and recommend areas of improvements. She works closely with clients in assessment and development, advisory and succession planning across multiple industries (Dubai and Federal Government entities, Healthcare, Financial institutions including Banks, and Real Estate) and functional topics (Ethics, Strategic excellence, ESG, Clinical Governance, Regulatory Compliance, Audit & Risk , Policies & Procedures…etc.). Prior to joining Hawkamah she was the Regulatory Compliance Officer and Chief Editor of Compliance newsletter at Wall Street Exchange, a member of Emirates Post Group where she developed systems, policies and procedures for compliance of relevant UAE laws. Prior to that she worked with the American Clinics for Psychiatry and Neurology where she focused on health care compliance of Dubai Healthcare Authority’s mandates. Prior to ACPN she worked at Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai where she focused on government excellence, quality management, and customer happiness. She is Graduated with a BSC in Economics. She is a Certified Train the Trainer – Institute of Leadership and Management (UK), In addition to other accreditations related to Anti-Money Laundry (AML) and Counter Financing Crimes. She is fluent in English, Arabic and French.

Who should attend?

By Job Title:

• Investigation Director/Manager
• Internal Audit Director/Manager
• Internal Control Director/Manager
• Chief Compliance/Legal /Ethics/Financial/Risk Officer
• Compliance & Ethics Director/Manager
• General Counsel/Legal Director
• Legal Manager /Legal Counsel
• BD & Commercial Director/Manager
• Purchasing Director/Manager
• …

From Accounting Firms & Consulting:

• Managing Director
• Executive Director
• Partner
• Associate Attorney & Attorney
• …

Why ISO?

Issued in April 2021, the ISO 37301 framework offers a certifiable global benchmark for compliance systems and explains in detail how to construct a compliance management system to comply with international official standards and regulations. This standard is also acknowledged to indicate compliance with social and ethical principles across the globe. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, non-governmental body that has developed and implemented the ISO 37301. Corporate compliance continues to be one of the utmost risk interests for management – to which the key solution in preserving integrity and confidence within an organization and third-party representatives is to implement a robust compliance program. The ISO 37301 further urges organizations to place emphasis on the methodical implementation of an organization-wide compliance system as a means of efficiency and compliance understanding the workplace. Like other ISO standards for management systems, such as the ISO 37001 standard for anti-bribery management systems, the ISO 37301 pulls on the founded ISO value of “Plan-Do-Check-Act” (PDCA) – a standard which necessitates those certified organizations to operate within an unremitting development progression sequence.

About CRI Group™?

Based in London, United Kingdom, CRI™ is a global company with experts and resources located in key regional marketplaces across the Asia Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, North and South America. We have experts’ speakers who know the industry inside out and have worked in the field for years and are dedicated to our mission of safeguarding the corporate world by detecting and exposing those elements that can cause irreparable harm to an organization while standing up against the outside forces, who through corruption, collusion, coercion, and fraud, can cause financial, organizational, reputational, and legal harm to our global clients. CRI Group™ also holds BS 102000:2018 and BS 7858:2019 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle. Our webinars, resources and other events are always designed with our clients in mind. Expect to be provided detailed insights and expert opinions to all your questions and queries regarding compliance adequate due diligence for third-party risk management, corporate compliance program and what it means for your organization. CRI Group™ has safeguarded businesses from any risks, providing investigations (i.e. insurance fraud), employee background screening, investigative due diligence, business intelligence, third-party risk management, forensic accounting, compliance and other professional investigative research services. 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.

CRI Group™ invites you to schedule a quick appointment with us to discuss in more detail how our risk management solutions can help you and your organization.

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Risk Management & What can Business Intelligence do?

Businesses must manage risks because they can frequently prevent or minimize the financial, political, social, and cultural ramifications associated with them. Risk management is an effective tool to tackle uncertainties in the probability of an event’s occurrence that challenges decision-making. Many factors associated with risk management, including business intelligence, have the potential to be used to reduce such uncertainties. Business Intelligence services supports organizations in the making more accurate estimates and predictions by analyzing historical and current data and mitigating internal and external risks.

What is Business Intelligence? How are Investigative operations are compared to Intelligence operations? Business Intelligence (BI) is a phrase coined for the analytical procedures an organization commences.

Business Intelligence is a successful method of conducting market research as it merges data derivative from the peripheral environment (i.e., market and industry) in which an organization operates with data from the core environment of the organization as fiscal and controls data. When combined, this data can deliver a complete image of any business decisions a firm can make as a means of benefit to themselves; this ranges from operational decisions such as product positioning to strategic decisions such as pricing.

What Are The Five Basic Tasks Of Business Intelligence?

• Intelligence is used for business decisions….
• Following are the five steps siness Intelligence:
• The data is sourced from…
• The results of the analysis are…
• Being aware of your surroundings:…
• The risk assessment is that…
• Support in making decisions…

What is Counted as Business Intelligence Services?

Business Intelligence (BI) services can take on numerous forms and structures in today’s complex corporate environment. Business Intelligence services investigates everything from assets to the exterior disputes facing an organization. It can also appraise an organization’s employees to ensure that its integrity, reputation, and bottom-line profits are safeguarded from any malice and illicit activities.

CRI Group™ takes two approaches to business intelligence services:

• Intelligence operations (via market research and analysis): we focus on researching your business’s future and potential growth – i.e. determine the commercial viability and potential for success in the market, analyze consumer behavior and business trends in that market, etc.
• Investigative operations (via commercial investigations): we focus on the status of your business – i.e. location of assets, financial information, identification of unmet needs of any market, gauge brand awareness and identity in the market, etc.)

What are Intelligence Operations?

Investigation and Evaluation facilities are constructed to aid clients during the business intelligence procedure. Intelligence operations are highly acclaimed by organizations of all industries. The service aids the preliminary phases of detecting the necessary components for a suitable corporate policy to the closing execution phases. At CRI Group™, we know that data is your greatest advantage when performing enterprise on several degrees.

Our market research will collect the mandatory statistics to make significant corporate decisions; everything from registering into other markets or industries to associating or partnering with other organizations (i.e., Mergers and Acquisitions) is covered in our BI Solutions. CRI Group™ is proficient in understanding and transmitting this data to allow you to implement it into your corporate development; our experts are trained to the highest degree and understand how to get the proper data promptly.

CRI Group’s methodology is to assist the organization in tracing corporate movements and market changes which, in turn, will aid in steering them through the practice of successfully conveying their brand in the larger market to then be able to market their goods and services accordingly. With representatives in nations across the globe, CRI Group™ is distinctively situated to assist you in traversing cultural and regulatory environments to maximize your market potential in the regions you seek to trade.

Gaining insight into how your brand reputation affects potential buyers and understanding what motivates the market to purchase will enable you to establish effective marketing programs that impact your audiences and build brand loyalty among buyers. Why not check out our BI solutions brochure to learn more about our approach.

What are Investigative Operations?

It is no secret that every industry has its issues. However, some matters, such as Employee Theft, Company Fraud, rivalry, continuous malingering, or Industrial Espionage, can start on a moderately trivial scale. Still, as time advances, the culprit becomes brasher in their endeavors (typically due to an absence of discovery) instigating the situation to develop out of control and become detrimental to your commerce.

As an organization, you have every right to be involved with the internal activities of your firm; hence, carrying out commercial investigations on your employees as a means of curtailing threats is not out of the question. Our team of experts can support you to do this in a manner equally as ethical as it is providing as it delivers you the data you so greatly pursue.

Commercial investigations can be achieved for any form of an enterprise, including commercial, industrial, legal, and public sector corporations. Our team hails from diverse backgrounds, including military and fraud investigators, which is why CRI Group™ is so adaptable in its approach to help you with intelligence and investigative operations. Why not check out our BI solutions brochure to learn more about our approach.

A little bit overwhelmed and wanting to learn more? Get in touch and let us know how we can help!

GET IN TOUCH

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What is Fraud Investigation?

Fraud is one of the biggest and most damaging risks businesses face. The headlines are full of organisations both in the private and public sectors affected by fraud, irregularity or other wrongdoing – either as a victim or accused. Statistics show that the threat of Corporate Fraud increases markedly in a down economy. And when such fraud occurs, it takes an average of 18 months to detect. In that timeframe, the damage to your business can be both widespread and irreversible. The hidden costs related to corporate fraud drains an estimated five per cent of revenue from corporations worldwide.

Fraud Risk Assessment and Fraud Risk Management: A Proactive Approach to Prevention and Detection

Historically, most major corporate fraud cases have been perpetrated by senior management who can circumvent internal controls and often work in collusion with other employees. By establishing a strong workplace environment that promotes ethical behaviour, deters wrongdoing and encourages all employees to communicate any known or suspected activity to the proper authority, you would be taking a proactive approach to prevention and detection.

What is the Fraud Investigation Process?

When fraud is suspected within the organisation, CRI Group’s experienced fraud analysts use proven techniques to aggressively investigate the case, collect evidence and determine the facts. Once the type of fraud is determined, a process of gathering all evidence possible to bulk out the investigation case starts. Evidence can be collected through a variety of means and methods.

These methods include conducting detailed asset checks, background verifications, surveillance checks and stylised forms of investigation and analysis; including employee investigations and investigations of an entire business. Subsequently, the victims and potential fraudsters will be interviewed.  Our analysts work with your management, internal security and legal teams to uncover the truth and bring proper closure to the case.

Are You Auditing Your Fraud Prevention Program Regularly?

• Review and assessment of your current fraud risk management program, including policies, procedures, controls, reporting functions, responsibilities assignment and investigative requirements to identify the organisation’s susceptibility to fraud and vulnerability by the department.
• Developing fraud prevention measures and implementing Anti-fraud controls.
• Defining detection methods that encompass internal audits, suspicious transaction reporting, whistle-blower strategies, and program enforcement.
• Re-engineering targeted job functions or internal controls to mesh with fraud risk management program refinements.

Take Extra Precaution with Fraud and White-Collar Crime Investigations

Fraud and white-collar crime investigations and risk consulting services have helped financial institutions, corporations, partnerships, and individuals worldwide minimise fraud and thereby satisfy capital markets, reduce legal costs, and maintain their reputation and brand equity. CRI Group’s global team of Certified Fraud Examiners are trained in virtually every aspect of corporate fraud, including:

• Money Laundering
• Intellectual Property Crimes
• Embezzlement
• Check & Credit Card Fraud
• Online Cybercrime
• Accounting Fraud
• Cash Theft
• Asset Misappropriation
• Bribery
• Corruption
• Contract & Procurement Fraud
• Payroll Fraud

CRI Group™ develops preventative measures that have helped organisations worldwide identify a material weakness in internal controls to mitigate collusive activity and reduce the liabilities associated with corporate fraud. Our trained investigators leverage our collective investigative experience, leading technology tools, global reach and credibility with regulators to bring you insights with precision and speed.

Our international team of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) work with companies to analyse and assess fraud prevention measures, develop solid risk management programs, provide training for executives, board, management and staff, establish effective communications strategies for reporting suspicious behaviour, and implement investigation and corrective action policies that meet regulatory and compliance requirements.

CRI Group™ professionals work with your organisation on an unbiased level, strengthening your fraud risk management program by:

• Adhering to the organisation’s written code of conduct
• Reviewing existing fraud risk management programs
• Training employees to properly identify fraud
• Developing internal and external reporting channels
• Identifying senior management, board and employee responsibilities
• Conducting and monitoring the progress of investigations
• Providing thorough reporting of investigative results
• Testifying as expert witnesses, if required

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.

CRI Group™ invites you to schedule a quick appointment with us to discuss in more detail how our risk management solutions can help you and your organisation. 

BOOK A MEETING NOW!

Why CRI Group™?

• CRI™ has one of the largest, most experienced & best-trained integrity due diligence teams in the world.
• We have a flat structure which means that you will have direct access to senior members of staff throughout the due diligence process.
• Our multi-lingual teams have conducted assignments on thousands of subjects in over 80 countries, & we’re committed to maintaining & constantly evolving our global network.
• Our solutions are easily customisable, flexible & we will tailor our scope to address your concerns & risk areas; saving you time & money.
• Our team of more than 50 full-time analysts is spread across Europe, Middle East, Asia, North and South America & is fully equiped with the local knowledge to serve your needs globally.
• Our extensive solutions include due diligence, employee pre & post background screening, business intelligence & compliance, facilitating any decision-making across your business no matter what area or department.

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 (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.

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