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:
- 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.
- 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:
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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.
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.
An Open End-of-Year Appreciation Letter
An Open End-of-Year Appreciation Letter
As the end of the year draws near, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for a fantastic year. The success of the CRI™ Group is based on the relationships we have built over the years, and we really wouldn’t be where we are without you. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with and for you.
Our passion for safeguarding the corporate world by detecting and exposing those elements that can cause irreparable harm to a business and help markets stand up against the outside forces that, through corruption, collusion, coercion and fraud, can cause financial, organisational, reputational and legal harm to our global clients remains strong. Over this past year, we have added staff, contractors and new clients to help us on our mission.
At CRI®, we are committed to spreading knowledge about the negative impact of fraud on global businesses and promoting transparent business relations across the world. For the past year, we worked extensively to deliver whitepapers, manuals and other insights to help organisations overcome bribery and corruption challenges and manage risks more effectively. 2021 was a year that brought many industry collaborations – including events hosted with several experts from leading organisations – and educated over 600 people with:
- Live webinar on “Third-party Due Diligence & Oversight” with Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI) to celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day.
- Live Webinar on “Compliance & Adequate Due Diligence for Third-Party Risk Management – An Essential Part of a Corporate Compliance Program” hosted by us and Dubai Quality Group (DQG) with Samia El Kadiri, a Governance & Compliance Consultant for Hawkamah Institute for Corporate Governance (DIFC) and renowned author as guest speaker
- Live debate/discussion on “Reporting bribery and misconduct in the workplace. Know-how you can be the whistleblower!– building a better whistleblowing mechanism by adopting ISO 37002:2021″ with Tuan Haji Mohd Nur Lokman Samingan, MACC Senior Assistant Commissioner & Head Private Sector Branch Community Education Division and Dr KM Loi, President – Association of ABMS Practitioners Malaysia.
- Live webinar on “Bribery Pitfalls Most Organisations Often Commit. The Importance of Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS)” with Dato” Sri Akhbar Haji Satar, CFE, AIBM, Founder, President Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (Malaysia).
- Live debate on “Bribery discovered: What to do in the next 48 hours? with Robert Youill, Executive Director from Key Risk Consulting Asia as a guest speaker; and
- Live webinar on “Protecting your company from the global corruption pandemic“, where we explored case studies, discussed and compared local, regional and global corporate compliance standards and legislations.
2021 has been filled with a multitude of victories, and 2022 is set to be even better, as Zafar I. Anjum, our Group Chief Executive Officer, comments on here:
“2021 saw an expansion in our service capabilities with our 3PRM™- Certified solution, Anti-Money Laundering Advisory services and BS 7858:2019 Screening investigations solutions (CRI® is the only BS 7858 certified background screening services provider in the UAE and across the Middle East); in addition to announcing the opening of our new offices in Turkey (Corporate Research and Investigations Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi).”
“Our sales and marketing teams have been busy attending exhibitions. We’ve also seen a dramatic increase in our online marketing presence and subsequent engagement with our customers. Next year we hope to build on the success of 2021, and to that end, further expansion plans are already on the drawing board.”
“It just leaves me to thank all our customers for their business and loyalty, but perhaps most importantly all of the hard-working and dedicated employees in the UK, UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Pakistan and USA, without whom none of what you read in the subsequent pages would be possible. Thank you, and here’s to a successful 2022.”
On behalf of CRI Group™, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season! Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to working with you in the years to come.
Happy holidays!
As we move into 2022 and seek new opportunities, know that CRI™ is here, as your partner, to help you by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers, employees and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. We are working closely with our internal teams to ensure your 2022 business goals are met, and we are continuing to support you in the manner you are accustomed to and fully deserve.
2021 has been filled with a multitude of victories. As 2021 draws to a close, I want to take the opportunity to look back on a year that turned out much differently than anyone could have imagined. Over this past year, we have added staff, new clients and new services, 2021 saw an expansion in our service capabilities with our 3PRM™- Certified solution, Anti-Money Laundering Advisory services and BS 7858:2019 Screening investigations solutions (CRI™ is the only BS 7858 certified background screening services provider in the UAE and across the Middle East); in addition to announcing the opening of our new offices in Turkey (Corporate Research and Investigations Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi). For more, we have released our end of year open letter talking about our projects and accomplishments across all regions.
While it was challenging in many ways, it also showed how strong we are as a company – even in the most challenging times. And the success of the CRI™ is based on the relationships we have built over the years, and we really wouldn’t be where we are without you. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with and for you, and this past year has been a pleasure.
As the end of the year approaches, we know there will be many challenges ahead. But we are so excited we all that 2022 has in store for us – enthusiasm and anticipation are building around new opportunities in all our locations worldwide. Stay tuned for more details in the new year.
Both on behalf of our entire CRI Group™, as well as personally, I hope that when you’re celebrating the holidays with friends and family, you look back on the year with the same sense of accomplishment that we all should feel and thank you for your continued trust in us.
Best,
Zafar I. Anjum
MSc, MS, LLM, CFE, CII, CIS, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime), MICA, MIPI, MAB
Group Chief Executive Officer
(Certified Fraud Examiner)
(Certified International Investigator)
(MSc Counter Fraud and Counter Corruption Studies, University of Portsmouth UK)
(Master of Fraud and Financial Crime – CSU Australia)
LL.M Legal Practice (Intellectual Property)
t: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com | LinkedIn
Financial Crime Policies and Procedures: examples of Good and Poor Practice
The principal catalyst of economic crime (also known as financial crime) is monetary gain. However, economic crime has a devasting effect on individuals and communities. When associated with organised crime and terrorist financing, it threatens laws, democratic processes, and fundamental human freedoms, impoverishing states and distorting free trade and competition.
Not a victimless crime
Because of the well-publicised financial scandals that marked the aftermath of the tech bubble in 2002 and the housing bubble in 2008, most recently, the 2018 Patisserie Valerie scandal, which was once considered a merely poor business practice (i.e. widespread reckless investment) is now considered criminal. We saw how the vast losses associated with these high-level financial fraud scandals undermined social-security systems and destabilised economic systems. Today there is a growing consensus on the need to improve the global framework for fighting financial crime and regain the public’s trust. And financial crime prevention policies and procedures are critical.
Walk the walk with a robust code of conduct
The failure of self-regulation by most companies involved in the scandals only highlighted how important organisations have prevention policies and procedures in place. These policies fall under the “Ethical Code of Conduct” A code of conduct sets the standards for how an organisation ought to behave and guides its workforce in the decision-making. A robust Code of Conduct and other internal rules and guidelines serve as the foundation for a successful free of fraud organisation. Read more on “Ethical code of conduct and what should be covered?”
By having a robust code of conduct, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to complying with all applicable laws and regulations. With a well-established set of global policies, the organisation can achieve robust and consistent compliance standards. Rather than assume that ethical rules “go without saying,” every organisation should spell out what they expect of their employees when it comes to ethical behaviour. At CRI Group™, we counsel business leaders that every organisation should have a written, carefully considered ethical code of conduct as part of their fraud prevention strategy. CRI Group’s Certification program through the ABAC™ Center of Excellence includes developing an ethical code of conduct as part of clients’ training and development phase.
CONTACT CRI™ FOR MORE INFORMATION
Successful Organisations Adopt a Risk-Based Approach when Doing Business
A company must have up-to-date policies and procedures appropriate to its business. These policies should provide a uniform set of risk management principles and mandatory standards. These should be readily accessible, effective and understood by all relevant workforce.
Self-assessment questions:
- How often are your organisation’s policies and procedures reviewed, and at what level of seniority?
- How does it mitigate the financial crime risks it identifies?
- What steps does the organisation take to ensure that relevant policies and procedures reflect new risks or external events? How quickly are any necessary changes made?
- What steps does the organisation take to ensure that staff understand its policies and procedures?
- How do you ensure that policies and procedures are disseminated and applied throughout the business?
Examples of good practice
- There is clear documentation of the company’s approach to complying with its legal and regulatory requirements concerning financial crime;
- Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated; and
- Internal audit or another independent party monitors the effectiveness of policies, procedures, systems and controls.
Examples of poor practice
- No written policies and procedures;
- Does not tailor externally produced policies and procedures to suit its business;
- Takes inadequate steps to communicate policies and procedures to relevant staff;
- Fails to review policies and procedures in light of events;
- Fails to check whether policies and practices are applied consistently and effectively; and
- Has not considered whether its policies and practices are consistent with its obligations under legislation that forbids discrimination.
An Investigative Study Into Causal Factors of the Perpetration of Transnational Financial Crimes
As the global impact of transnational financial crime increases to unprecedented levels, attention has turned to the need to fully understand the motivations that lead to the perpetration of such crimes. CRI® Group has recently published an ebook that provides insightful looks into today’s issues at the forefront of fraud and corruption. They range from deep dives into the U.S., U.K. and other anti-fraud and anti-corruption laws worldwide to close examinations of actual fraud cases that hold lessons for all of us. This ebook provides an in-depth study of transnational financial crimes and the national laws and regulations. Laws in the U.S. and the U.K., in particular, are compared and examined in terms of effectiveness in preventing financial crimes. The comparative study focuses on corporate fraud. “The Catalysts for Economic Crime” pursues the question of how weaknesses in national laws can be considered “a core causal factor in the perpetration of transnational financial crimes.” We invite you to download this ebook and increase your knowledge of fraud, corruption, proper compliance, risk assessments, due diligence, etc.
Download your FREE “The Catalysts for Economic Crime” ebook here!
At CRI® Group, we are always ready to assist you to effectively manage your organisation in an efficient and risk-free manner that best suits your needs. Our experience base, skilled workforce, technical resources, networking capabilities, internal flexibility and global offices maximise our solution efficacy. Explore our broad range of risk management solutions for your business.
CRI Group’s investigators and Certified Fraud Examiners understand fraud patterns and are trained to recognise the elements of fraud characteristics and where they might come into play at any organisation. Through this knowledge, we can help you uncover the trail of fraud and help bring about a quick and successful resolution.
Having global coverage, CRI™ works directly with the key personnel to lead and conduct fraud investigations, including, if needed, your internal board of directors, audit committee, ethics and compliance officers, general and in-house counsel, corporate security, human resources, and C-level executives.
VIEW OUR RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS BROCHURE
UAE Rule: ‘Good Conduct & Behavior’
UAE Good Conduct & Behaviour: CRI Group™ urges all UAE organisations to implement thorough background screening under the UAE Good Conduct & Behaviour rule
Those applying for UAE employment visas need to obtain the UAE “Good Conduct & Behaviour Certificate” to create a more secure and peaceful community. The certificate is a mandatory requirement. Expatriates will need to procure a certificate of good conduct and behaviour from their respective home country or a country where they have legally resided in the last five years. The certificate will need to be authenticated by the UAE diplomatic mission or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs overseas. This rule is deemed to apply to all UAE jurisdictions but excludes dependants accompanying primary applicants as well as tourists.
The implementation of this rule on 4 February 2018 came to light of the UAE authorities endeavouring to achieve high levels of security for UAE residents and ensuring that security screening measures are met with authenticated evidence in the form of a legalised good certificate of conduct.
In the short term, business leaders should be wary of a potential uptick in employment fraud, according to experts from Corporate Research and Investigations LLC “CRI Group™,” a leading global provider of background screening and due diligence services.
According to CRI Group™, the high volume of foreign applicants applying for jobs in the UAE could mean a rush to secure the certificates, with the possibility of a few individuals using fraudulent credentials to meet applicable standards. There’s also a risk of applicants presenting fraudulent good conduct certificates to obtain employment visas quickly.
“This is an important new rule that will help the UAE ensure an even more secure workforce,” said Zafar Anjum, CRI Group’s CEO. “However, this is also a critical time for all organisations to conduct thorough pre-employment background checks. CRI Group™ provides this service at an expert level, and we can also verify the validity of Good Conduct Certificates. With our operational capabilities in 80 countries, we have the knowledge and resources to determine if the certificates are genuine and not fake or forged.”
CRI Group™ has a specialised dedicated service called EmploySmart™ as additional verification support to organisations in public and private sectors to authenticate Good Conduct Certificates and verify the validity of attested documents such as diplomas and transcripts, certificates, and education, character references, certificates/letters.
Anjum encourages organisations to move quickly “time is of the essence.” Please get in touch with us at cridxb@crigroup.com for more information.
CRI Group™ Employee Background Checks
Employee background checks, also known as EmploySmart™, is a robust new pre-employment background screening service certified for BS7858 to avoid negligent hiring liabilities. Ensure a safe work environment for all – EmploySmart™ can be tailored into specific screening packages to meet the requirements of each position within your company. We are a leading worldwide provider, specialising in local and international employee background checks, including pre-employment and post-employment background checks.
CRI™ Employee Background Checks are an investigation into a person’s character – inside and outside their professional lives. Some checks you already carry out in-house, such as candidate’s qualifications (documents provided), work history (with a reference check), right to work in the country and even a quick social media presence scan.
However, we provide a full in-depth background screening service for candidates and employees at all levels – from senior executives through to shop-floor employees:
- Address Verification (Physical Verification)
- Identity Verification
- Previous Employment Verification
- Education & Credential Verification
- Local Language Media Check
- Credit Verification & Financial History (where publicly available)
- Compliance & Regulatory Check
- Civil Litigation Record Check
- Bankruptcy Record Check
- International Criminal Record Check
- Integrity Due Diligence
- and more.
You’re vulnerable to risk when you bring a new employee into your business to fill a vital role. CRI™ is trusted by the world’s largest corporations and consultancies – outsource your employee due diligence to an experienced provider, and you will only ever have to look forward, never back. Working with CRI Group™, you get:
- Expertise in domestic and international screening, one of the largest, most experienced and best-trained integrity due to diligence teams globally.
- The ability to manage multiple background checks online
- Quick turnaround times
- High-quality searches, backed by numerous checks and quality controls
- We have a flat structure which means that you will have direct access to senior staff members throughout the due diligence process.
- Our multi-lingual teams have conducted assignments on thousands of subjects in over 80 countries, and we’re committed to maintaining and constantly evolving our global network.
- Our solutions are easily customisable, flexible and we will tailor our scope to address your concerns and risk areas, saving you time and money.
- Our team of more than 50 full-time analysts is spread across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America and fully equipped with the local knowledge to serve your needs globally.
- Our comprehensive solutions include due diligence, employee pre and post background screening, business intelligence and compliance, facilitating any decision-making across your business no matter what area or department.
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 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 international 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.
CRI™ Celebrates 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day
CRI™ celebrates 2021 International Anti-Corruption Day: Organisations are urged to unite on December 9th for International Anti-Corruption Day
Corruption is the single greatest obstacle to economic and social development around the world. According to the World Bank, every year $1 trillion is paid in bribes, while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption – a sum equivalent to more than 5 percent of the global Gross Domestic Product (World Economic Forum).
To help combat this growing problem, Corporate Research and Investigations Limited “CRI Group™” is spreading awareness and encouraging organisations to support the United Nation’s International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December 2021. CRI Group™ is a global leader in corporate investigations and risk management that serves clients in Europe, Asia Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and North America.
Here is more bad news about corruption:
- Worldwide corporate corruption continues to disrupt socioeconomic progress in developing nations.
- Corruption weakens governments, fuels organised crime, stifles economic growth and discourages development.
- The cost of corruption can have a devastating effect on any business and its stakeholders, from the damaged corporate image, devalued stock, negative public perception, costly legal challenges and even incarceration of corporate directors.
- Organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to navigate the complex web of multi-jurisdictional laws and regulations related to anti-bribery and anti-corruption practices.
CRI Group’s CEO, Zafar Anjum, said that CRI Group™ offers solutions for building global compliance frameworks that safeguard the world’s leading organisations. For example, CRI Group’s Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Centre of Excellence provides consulting services to organisations seeking to validate or expand their existing compliance frameworks to maintain a competitive edge in the world marketplace.
Anjum noted that CRI Group™ also offers independent ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification to ensure that organisation is in compliance with this newly established standard, which is recognised and practised in more than 160 countries worldwide.
CRI Group’s DueDiligence360™ involves a review of all relevant information pertaining to virtually any business on the planet to ascertain past business dealings, criminal records, executive stability and suspect associations to ensure your organisation is protected from internal threats and outside risks.
CRI Group’s exclusive 3PRM-Certified™ solution provides Third-Party Risk Management while ensuring compliance with FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption, and other global, regional and local regulations.
Contact CRI Group™ to learn more about preventing and detecting corruption.
Who is CRI Group™?
In 2016, CRI Group™ launched 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.
CRI™ Opens Office in Turkey
CRI Group™ Opens Office in Turkey
Corporate Research and Investigations Limited (CRI Group™), a global leader in Risk Management and Compliance solutions, announced today the opening of its offices in Turkey (Corporate Research and Investigations Danışmanlık Hizmetleri Limited Şirketi). CRI Group™ has been safeguarding businesses from fraud, bribery and corruption since 1990. 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.
Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the 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 providers. 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. Our global team can support your organisation anywhere in the world.
Zafar Anjum, Group CEO at CRI™, said: “The ability to effectively pre-empt fraud and corruption by mitigating internal and external risks to prevent these issues can save corporations from immense potential losses and reputation damage. Our services such as DueDiligence360™, 3PRM™ and EmploySmart™ can significantly help organisations deal with bribery and corruption, third-party risk management, noncompliance with the regional and international regulatory framework and malpractice. CRI Group’s expertise will enhance the diverse pool of business support services available within Turkey.”
“Today’s business climate dictates an increasing demand of international business organisations for proactive measures designed to reduce bribery and corruption, particularly in the financial, government and multi-national business sectors,” Anjum further said. “CRI Group’s worldwide network of multi-disciplined subject specialists and analysts help organisations prevent and deter bribery and corruption, third-party malfeasance, threats and corruption risks while ensuring our clients conform to the local and international regulatory framework. The establishment of our offices in Turkey gives us the platform to expand further and enhance the level of support we offer to the international business community.”
CRI Group™ also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle, and it is a licensed and incorporated entity of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) and Qatar Financial Center (QFC).
Turkey Office Details:
Emar Residence Blok. No:82E İç Kapı No:219 Üsküdar-İstanbul, 34662 Istanbul/İstanbul, Türkiye
t: +90 544 100 03 69
e: Istanbul@crigroup.com
Global integrity DueDiligence360™ Investigations
CRI™ investigators employ a proven, multi-faceted research approach that involves a global array of databases, courts and public record searches, local contacts, industry and media resources, and in-depth web-based research. Our resources include:
- International business verification
- Individual business interest search
- Personal profile on individual subjects
- Company profile on corporate entities
- Historical ownership analysis
- Identification of subsidiaries & connected parties
- Global/national criminality & regulatory records checks
- Politically Exposed Person database
- International digital media research
- Company background analysis
- Industry reputational assessment
- FCPA, UK Anti-Bribery & corruption risk databases
- Global terrorism checks
- Global financial regulatory authorities check
- Money laundering risk database
- Financial reports
- Asset tracing
- Country-specific databases that include litigation checks, law enforcement agencies & capital market regulators.
VIEW DUEDILIGENCE360™ BROCHURE
Ensure a safe work environment for all with EmploySmart™
EmploySmart™ can be tailored into specific screening packages to meet the requirements of each specific position within your company. We are a leading worldwide provider, specialising in local and international employee background checks, including pre-employment and post-employment background checks.
CRI® Employee Background Checks are an investigation into a person’s character – inside and outside their professional lives. Some checks you already carry out in-house, such as candidate’s qualifications (documents provided), work history (with a reference check), right to work in the country and even a quick social media presence scan. However, we provide a full in-depth background screening service for candidates and employees at all levels – from senior executives through to shop-floor employees including BS7858 vetting.
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Our EmploySmart™ is a robust pre-employment background screening service certified for BS7858.
Third-Party Risk Management solution (TPRM), also known as 3PRM™
The solution includes establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers, customers, and other sources worldwide seeking potential affiliations with your organisation.
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, as well as their own based on government regulations and industry requirements?
Working with us you get…
- With expertise in domestic and international screening, one of the largest, most experienced and best-trained integrity due diligence teams globally.
- The ability to manage multiple background checks online
- Quick turnaround times
- High-quality searches, backed by numerous checks and quality controls
- 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, and we’re committed to maintaining and constantly evolving our global network.
- Our solutions are easily customisable, flexible and we will tailor our scope to address your concerns and risk areas, saving you time and money.
- Our team of more than 50 full-time analysts is spread across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North and South America and fully equipped with the local knowledge to serve your needs globally.
- Our extensive solutions include due diligence, employee pre and post background screening, business intelligence and compliance, facilitating any decision-making across your business no matter what area or department.
Our Mission and Vision
- CRI™ mission is to safeguard the corporate world by detecting and exposing those elements that can cause irreparable harm to a business
- Stand up against the outside forces that, through corruption, collusion, coercion and fraud, can cause financial, organisational, reputational and legal harm to our global clients
- Stand out as the preeminent provider of specialised investigative services that enable our clients to exhibit the highest standards of business integrity, ethics and behaviour
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. We take great care to ensure that our experts are the best at what they do. We pride ourselves on having the most stringent recruitment standards in the industry. Our experience, skilled workforce, technical resources, networking capabilities, internal flexibility and global offices maximise our solution efficacy. Added to that is the fact that our extensive experience gives us the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to make sure that your organisation is protected at all turns, at every corner, and through every deal.
Speak up – Report Any Illegal, Unethical, or Improper Behaviour
If you find yourself in an ethical dilemma or suspect inappropriate or illegal conduct, and you feel uncomfortable reporting through regular communication channels or wish to raise the issue anonymously, use CRI Group’s Compliance Hotline. The Compliance Hotline is a secure and confidential reporting channel managed by an independent provider. When reporting a concern in good faith, you will be protected by CRI Group’s Non-Retaliation Policy.
Towards a Fraud-free future: CRI™ Celebrates 2021 Fraud Week
Towards a Fraud-free Future
CRI Group™ is proud to be celebrating International Fraud awareness week 2021. Alternatively known as Fraud Week for short, this day proves to be a critical effort to put a spotlight on fraud, help educate people about its perils and build a fraud-free future. CRI Group™ regularly partakes in this week and are happy to once again be a proud Official Supporter of this global movement. Fraud Week was created to reduce the impact of fraud and corruption by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education.
CRI Group™ founder and CEO Zafar Anjum says “Fraud Week reminds us that awareness is any organisation’s first line of defence against fraud and corruption, as properly trained employees will have a better opportunity to recognise the red flags of fraud and a better understanding of their organisation’s zero-tolerance policy toward such behaviour. Fraud is everybody’s problem, and it cannot be prevented and detected if employees aren’t provided with the information, they need to combat it. Providing a robust anti-fraud training program increases your company’s protection from risks of fraud and unethical behaviour. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.”
The solution to mitigating fraud is not always as visible as one would hope which is why CRI Group™ is proud to announce that we, alongside our sister brand, Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence Group, will be hosting a free webinar with Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI) on 9 December 2021 as an effort to raise awareness for Fraud. Our intention is to be able to provide resources on corporate compliance to organisations around the globe that will aid them in expansion and an ethical working environment. We want to open up an in-depth discussion on the third-party due diligence frameworks and explore its best practices as a means to help provide insights and ideas for your organisations’ compliance programme. Take advantage of this free webinar. Join us and save your seat now!
Our Mission and Vision
- CRI™ mission is to safeguard the corporate world by detecting and exposing those elements that can cause irreparable harm to a business
- Stand up against the outside forces that, through corruption, collusion, coercion and fraud, can cause financial, organisational, reputational and legal harm to our global clients
- Stand out as the preeminent provider of specialised investigative services that enable our clients to exhibit the highest standards of business integrity, ethics and behaviour
For CRI Group™, though, helping organisations prevent and detect fraud is a year-round commitment. That’s why Fraud Week is a great time to reflect on CRI Group’s recent efforts in the fight against fraud and to also look ahead to activities on the near horizon. As the world slowly recovers from the devastating impact of the pandemic, CRI Group™ is looking forward to conversing with our clientele face to face once again. So far, our confirmed events include but are not limited to:
- The U.S. Commercial Service’s Trade Winds Middle East and Africa Trade Mission and Business Forum | Dubai, UAE | March 6-8, 2022
Organised by the U.S. Commercial Service, Trade Winds will feature meetings with U.S. commercial diplomats from over 20 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, exciting conference programming and plenty of networking. Trade Winds is a multifaceted program designed to help organisations achieve growth and exposure in specific markets or regions around the world.
- 2022 PBSA Mid-Term Conference | Virginia, USA | April 10-12, 2022
The PBSA Mid-Year Legislative & Regulatory Conference in April between 10-12th is convened each year in the spring with a large emphasis on law, legislature, training, and compliance associated topics in correlation to the background screening industry. This specific conference offers insight and support for everyone across a range of industries at all levels in the operative hierarchy.
Given that borders across the globe will slowly start reopening themselves to conferences and forums, you can expect to see a lot more confirmations on our end in the near future. In the meantime, it is an honour for us to be a part of such activities that extend to and facilitate so many organisations across the globe; more information on the event will be released soon so keep your eye out for our updates! We hope to see you there.
CRI Group™ is here to help and create a fraud-free future. Contact us today to learn more about our ABAC™ Training and Certification opportunities, our EmploySmart background checking process, our investigative services and other offerings.
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 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.
Do You Know What are the Measures to Implement to Prevent Fraud?
Measures to Fight Fraud: The Implementation
Measures to fight fraud. What are measures every organization must implement to prevent fraud? Reporting fraud is crucial for any organization to do as it aids in not only safeguarding your organization from the outside but also in protecting the economy. When the event of fraud happens on a large scale, it can set back a nation’s economy substantially. Consumers which consist of the public as well as any trade suppliers will not purchase goods or services if there is any possibility of them developing into victims – an issue that has plagued third-world countries in recent years but is not exclusive to just them.
Reporting fraud protects your organizations internal and external team, and organizational leaders must come to realize that they have a responsibility to look out for their personnel whilst also promoting a workplace that encourages the employees to look out for one another. It is therefore vital that all suspicious activity must be brought to light. When offenders are allowed to operate without restraint, the rate of fraudulent conduct tends to spread with many victims clueless to the notion that somebody is taking from them.
The question of mandating the reporting of fraud has always been of prevalence and the ACFE released a report in which it was found that “the main reasons given in support of mandatory fraud reporting included: the prevalence and damaging nature of fraud; the opportunity to gain a better overall understanding of fraud; the need to escalate tackling fraud as an item on the government’s agenda; the value in creating more and better intelligence for policing; and encouraging organisations to take more responsibility for managing fraud.”
Regardless of where you stand on the mandating of reporting fraud, it is important to know what you can do as an organisation to safeguard yourself from the ramifications. We leave you with food for thought on what preventive measures you should implement to avert fraud.
The Fraud Triangle Theory
Renowned criminologist Donald R Cressey developed a theory that implicated three aspects that trigger fraud, these include:
- Opportunity
- Rationalization
- Pressure
Trusted persons become trust violators when they conceive of themselves as having a financial problem that is non-shareable, are aware this problem can be secretly resolved by violation of the position of financial trust, and are able to apply to their own conduct in that situation verbalizations which enable them to adjust their conceptions of themselves as trusted persons with their conceptions of themselves as users of the entrusted funds or property (Donald R. Cressey, Other People’s Money (Montclair: Patterson Smith, 1973) p. 30
When offenders are allowed to commit fraud, they will do so promptly. An absence of core regulations or reporting structure/oversight increases the chances of fraud as the offenders are aware that they are unlikely to face any repercussions.
The offender then goes on to rationalize the repeated dishonesty, which, feasibly over a few years, rises slowly and becomes a prerogative as they feel entitled to the easily obtained profits they received from the deceptive act.
They may feel that the gains are easier to obtain rather than confronting the vast pressure, be it corporate reasons such as meeting organization targets or personal pressures, such as addiction or financial crises which is what prompts them to carry out their fraudulent conducts over a prolonged time. Consequently, it is incredibly important to implement preventative measures to safeguard your organization from fraud.
What preventative measures should I implement to fight fraud?
At CRI Group™, we offer a wide array of services catered to several industries to help implement anti-fraud procedures. Fraud can be found in many aspects of an organizational core and peripheral structure, so it is, therefore, important to tailor it to each element.
To detect employee fraud, for example, it is advised that you pursue the proficiency of a skilled employee fraud accountant as early as possible. Employee fraud accountant aids in inspecting an employee’s professional conduct. This can be done by obtaining and by reviewing your organization’s bank statements and financial documents and advising you whether an employee is committing fraud and to what extent; the report will also give you the evidence you need to take the necessary action against your employee and act as a preventive to others. However, this is vastly different from conducting a pre-employment screening check.
What are the makes of an ideal candidate? The experience, qualifications, and academic accreditation, right? But how do you verify everything that they have presented to you? Employee background checks and necessary screenings are crucial to avoid a bad hire that can impact HR, your business, or even your brand –the financing of sufficient screening can save you time, money, and despair.
Know Your Workforce
Employee Background Checks investigate a potential candidate’s character in and out of their professional lives. These checks as inclusive of a candidate’s qualifications (documents provided), work history (with a reference check), right to work in the country and even a quick social media presence scan. Conducting employee background checks can diminish the probability of hiring a candidate who could cause irreversible damage to your organization. Organizations can spend years and a substantial amount of money to brand their products and services; one bad hire is all it takes to cause a loss of capital and reputation to the extent that may cause an organization to break.
EmploySmart™ is CRI Group’s exclusive employee background checks service providing a comprehensive check of all the necessary data required for pre-employment. EmploySmart™ is a robust pre-employment background screening service certified for BS7858 and is used in a bid to avert inattentive hiring charges. CRI™ helps organizations create a safe work environment for all and our EmploySmart™ system can be customized into special screening packages to meet the requirements of each specific position within your organization. Why not check out our brochure?
Why not contact one of our specialists for a free 30-minute consultation? Our experts range from different fields and industries hence allowing us to provide your organisation with a truly bespoke service. Prevent fraud in your workplace today – it all starts with you.
Implement a Third-Party Risk Management Process
Apart from the internal aspects of fraud, it is equally as important to remember that fraud can happen with any external connections your organization may have including suppliers, consumers, investors and so on. It is vital to ensure that you are conducting third-party risk management to avoid such an instance. CRI Group’s private but professionally developed 3PRM™ facilities aid organizations in proactively abating risks from third-party associations, safeguarding your organization from legal responsibility, brand damage, and any other impairment to the organization. Regardless of where your organization is in terms of the stages of development, our 3PRM™ solution is the perfect solution for eradicating exterior risks associated with your progress. The 3PRM™ restructures the third-party risk management process through scalability and efficiencies – from third-party risk identification to assessment.
Fraud can be an incredibly formidable task and with more legislation looking to be implemented regarding reporting fraud, you must keep yourself aware of it. Overall, the process of preventing fraud can be an extensive one, but one whose benefits outweigh the onerous course. Protect your organization from liability, business interruption and brand damage by partnering with the CRI Group. Our 3PRM solution address various specific areas, including:
- Third-Party Integrity Due Diligence & Screening: ensures global compliance, provides adequate monitoring & protection against potential litigation;
- 3PRM Enhanced Background Checks: uncovers derogatory information within the public & private record resources through risk-based background checks, including investigative research into suppliers & individuals, ultimate-beneficial owners;
- ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System: CRI Group’s independent and accredited Certification Body can examine your Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption procedures & issue an accredited Certification; and
- ISO 37301 Compliance Management System: CRI Group’s independent certification body helps companies worldwide to increase & measure their efforts against regulatory compliance risks.
If you still have any questions surrounding fraud prevention, why not contact CRI™? Our experts have years of experience and have been trained to provide your business with bespoke advice that fits your organizations’ needs.
Don’t hesitate to prevent fraud in your workplace today.
About us…
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.
2021 Fraud Week: Prevention is Key
The 2021 Fraud Week: Prevention is Key!
Every year, for one week in November, organisations around the world embrace a movement aimed to minimise and prevent fraud and corruption. International Fraud Awareness Week (“Fraud Week,” for short) is November 14-20, 2021, and CRI® Group has been an enthusiastic Official Supporter since the very beginning of this important campaign.
According to the ACFE, the world’s largest anti-fraud association and founder of Fraud Week, organisations worldwide lose an estimated 5 per cent of their annual revenues to fraud. To make things worse: “A single instance of fraud can be devastating: the median loss per fraud case was $145,000, and more than a fifth of the cases involved losses of at least $1 million.”
But there is good news. For Fraud Week, the ACFE offers some basic steps any organisation can take immediately to lessen their vulnerability to fraud:
- Be Proactive. Adopt a code of ethics for management and employees. Evaluate your internal controls for effectiveness and identify areas of the business that are vulnerable to fraud. Find out more about what an Ethical code of conduct is and what should it cover?
- Establish Hiring Procedures. When hiring staff, conduct thorough background investigations. Check educational, credit and employment history (as permitted by law), as well as references. Check out the consequences of neglecting background screening
- Train Employees in Fraud Prevention. Do workers know the warning signs of fraud? Ensure that staff members know basic fraud prevention techniques, here are some Tips on Identifying and Preventing Employee Fraud
- Implement a Fraud Hotline. Fraud is still most likely to be detected by a tip. Providing an anonymous reporting system for your employees, contractors and clients will help uncover more fraud. Find out more on how to set up an Ethics & Compliance Hotline.
- Increase the Perception of Detection. Communicate regularly to staff about anti-fraud policies, ways to report suspicions of misconduct, and the potential consequences (including termination and prosecution) of fraudulent behaviour.
At CRI Group™, our experts are trained to help organisations implement the above measures. Our integrity due diligence and risk management services focus on preventing fraud before it happens, not after the fact, when it is often too late to recover stolen funds and assets.
In one case study, a multinational company engaged in the provision of equipment and supplies used by the medical industry contacted CRI Group™. The client wished to contract with a company and wanted to ensure that there were no regulatory or reputational problems associated with the potential partner, and thus wanted to know their track record, integrity and reputation.
During the course of this integrity due diligence, CRI Group™ local operatives focused on whether the company in question was a legitimate business, and sought to identify the key players running operations both in Egypt and Iraq for the company in question. However, questions arose: Research showed no physical locations; the office address was found to be a residential site with no indication of business operations. No commercial relationships in Iraq were evident.
Local operatives further investigated the company’s distribution capabilities in the country, especially to the north and south, as claimed in a questionnaire provided to the client. Yet no information was found from any source to corroborate the company’s claims. Additionally, discreet interviews with local individuals found that no one was aware of the company.
Scepticism was confirmed, CRI Group™ discovered that the company’s principal was previously charged with “criminal breach of trust” and there was still a trial proceeding with regional trial courts. Three other civil damages claims against the principal were discovered, with USD $1.2 million claimed in liabilities.
CRI Group™ helped the client avoid becoming entangled with a fraudulent business and an alleged criminal – protecting the client from making a bad business deal that could have resulted in severe economic loss and a potentially damaged reputation.
Our due diligence services can help put any organisation on the right track to being better protected and positioned to prevent and detect fraud – not just during Fraud Awareness Week, but year-round. 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 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 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.
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