CRI® Celebrates 28 Years with a Trip to Thailand

2018 has been a big year for CRI® Group, a global leader in Risk, Compliance and Anti-Corruption Management Systems. First, the firm was granted accreditation by the Emirates International Accreditation Centre (EIAC) as an ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification and Conformity Assessment Body (the first accreditation of its kind awarded to a certification body specialising in global anti-bribery and anti-corruption, risk and compliance standards).

Then, CRI® Group proudly announced that it will host its Anti-Bribery Summit 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – following the success of last year’s inaugural event. The two-day summit offers expert training and the sharing of best practices for fighting bribery and corruption.

Following both of these major announcements, more than 20 CRI® Group employees gathered in Bangkok, Thailand to celebrate the company’s 28th anniversary. CRI® Group organised the trip to help employees connect, share in their achievements together, and enjoy all of the sights, sounds and great cuisine of Thailand in the ultimate team building trip.

CRI® Group: A Brief History

CRI® Group was originally founded as the “Metropolitan Detective Agency” by Mr. Muhammad Anwar Naveed, the father of CRI® Group CEO Mr. Zafar I. Anjum. It was a one-man private investigation firm that dealt with insurance claim investigations. In 1990, Mr. Zafar Anjum (a former member of the Pakistan Rangers who had earned a Graduate Diploma from Pakistan Detective Training Institute PDTI) formally launched the business as a full flagged district level detection agency with a full range of services including insurance claim fraud investigations, background checks and due diligence.

While working one insurance fraud case in particular, Mr. Zafar Anjum realised that a certain aspect of the affair struck him: Whereas most types of crime are dealt with by the justice system, fraud is peculiar in that it often mandates investigation by an external agency or organisation which specialises in fraud detection.

“I noticed that such organisations were sorely lacking in Pakistan at the time – and that there was a distinct lack of counter fraud education in the general population, which aided those committing fraud greatly”, Mr. Zafar Anjum said. “Furthermore, even where individuals were aware that they were being defrauded, they lacked the knowledge of how to effectively resolve disputes between themselves and the defrauder. Therefore we started a very first corporate investigation company in Pakistan specialising in Fraud Risk Investigations, Risk Consulting and Compliance solutions”.

Mr. Zafar Anjum raised the firm to a new level in 2001 when he incorporated and registered it in Pakistan as a Private Limited Company with a new name: Corporate Research and Investigations (Private) Limited, offering full-scale investigative research services. Corporate Research and Investigations Limited was incorporated in 2006 in the UK, and Corporate Research and Investigations LLC DIFC was incorporated in 2008 in UAE. Today, the company stands as a leader in employee background screening services, investigative due diligence, third-party risk management services and Anti-bribery Management Systems. CRI® Group safeguards some of the world’s leading businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking for affiliation.

Currently based in London, UK, CRI® Group is a global firm with experts and resources located in key regional marketplaces across the Asia Pacific, South Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and North America. The company’s success and growth continues, as it recently expanded into North and South America and Asia while opening three new branches: Toronto (Canada), São Paulo (Brazil) and Shanghai (China).

ABAC® Center of Excellence

While reflecting on CRI® Group’s history, Mr. Zafar Anjum said the recent EIAC accreditation is a major milestone and a result of the commitment and hard work of the entire team. CR®I Group administers ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification through its Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption ABAC® Center of Excellence, which it launched in October of 2016.

“It is a special honour to be the very first accredited conformity assessment body in Middle East, Asia and the UK”, Mr. Zafar Anjum said. “This accreditation is a testament to the expertise of our global network of audit specialists and the result of 28 years providing high-level risk management and compliance solutions to organisations worldwide seeking to combat the detrimental effects of bribery and corruption”.

CRI® Group’s ABAC®  Center of Excellence was created to educate, equip and support the world’s leading business organisations with the latest in best-practice due diligence processes and procedures, providing world-class anti-bribery and anti-corruption solutions to organisations seeking to validate or expand their existing compliance frameworks to maintain a competitive edge in the world marketplace.

“We are striving to ensure compliance and ethics being best practices for companies and their third-party relationships, and we believe this is a very best defence against all corporate malpractices”, said Mr. Zafar Anjum.

A Time to Celebrate

The idea for the meeting in Thailand grew from CRI® Group’s achievements, and also the company’s focus on human connection as the key to career success, recognising the positive attitudes and encouraging efforts of all employees that help lead the company to new heights year after year. The trip to Thailand was an enthusiastic “thank you” for their hard work.

The group was made up of 22 CRI® Group employees from various worldwide locations. They were joined by Mrs. Kanwal Zafar, wife of Mr. Zafar Anjum, as they gathered in Bangkok for four days. They also visited Pattaya, took a trip to the Coral Island, took a cruise in the river and enjoyed Thai food, culture and each other’s company. As one of the most important aspects of the trip, they engaged in several team building activities to strengthen rapport and communication.

Dubai-based CRI® Group employee Ayesha said: “We had an amazing time in Thailand to celebrate our achievement of accreditation by EIAC. I wish for CRI® Group to have more success ahead so that lots of such trips come our way!”

Austeja, who is based in the UK, said: “The best thing is that we met each other. We do communicate internally a lot, but never met each other in person. I believe from now on, our communication will be even more effective and the bonds we built will help the company to reach even higher goals”.

Muhammad, from Pakistan office, mentioned: “It was my first trip abroad and it was a very peaceful and enjoying journey to Thailand with CRI® Family. Very effectively and thoroughly planned by HR and Admin department. Must say a very well-done job.  Thanks to Sir Zafar and Mam Kanwal for such a memorable trip.”

HR manager Ayesha concludes: “On this auspicious event, I would like to congratulate Mr. Zafar Anjum who have set the foundations of this company 28 years back and worked hard day in and day out to reach heights of success. And this 28th anniversary is very special for all of us as we have achieved EIAC accreditation in this year and we are an Accredited CB for the scope of ISO 37001:2016 ABMS. It is rightly said, and I quote: “Celebrate what you have accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher, each time you succeed”.”

Congratulations to Mr. Zafar Anjum and all CRI® Group employees for an anniversary to remember!

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CRI® celebrates Fraud Week 2021

2021 International Fraud Awareness Week (also called “Fraud Week”) kicked off on Sunday and is in full swing. CRI® Group is a proud supporter of this critical initiative every year, and we encourage business leaders to take this time to consider all of their fraud prevention measures, including anti-fraud training for employees.

Does your organization have a training program addressing fraud, bribery and corruption? And, if so, how robust is your training? How often is it administered? And how do you know it’s working?

These are important questions, especially because we know most fraud is discovered internally through employee tips. A recent case study is a perfect illustration of that.

Case study: Conflicts of interest

A major pharmaceutical company’s security department received a conflict of interest complaints that reportedly involved a range of employees, from sales personnel to the chief financial officer (CFO). The company engaged CRI® Group to conduct an integrity due diligence and conflict of interest investigation to uncover senior employees’ unethical practices, including bribery and corruption.

CRI® Group’s investigators quickly launched a risk assessment of the company’s third-party relationships, including interviews with identified vendors and suppliers to help ascertain the engagement process and associated risks.

Investigators found one of the vendors used letterhead that lacked a physical address, and the only contact information listed was a single cell phone number. Site visits, background checks and interviews helped determine that the suspicious vendor was not a company at all – but a single person, and he was none other than the brother-in-law of the client company’s CFO. Worse still was that this obvious fraud was being conducted right under the noses of the company’s procurement and finance professionals.

CRI® Group investigators discovered that the individual’s residence was being utilized as a warehouse to help facilitate the fraud. Comprehensive litigation records check with local and regional courts found that the subject was previously convicted in federal court and spent three years in prison for the charges of selling counterfeit products, physician samples and expired medicines; further regulatory checks found that his pharmacist license had been cancelled.

The fraud had continued for five years. However, the one thing that saved the company from further financial harm was that employees had stepped forward to report unethical behavior. If not for their action, the fraud could have continued indefinitely.

Fraud Week reminds us that awareness is any organization’s first line of defense against fraud and corruption, as properly trained employees will have a better opportunity to recognize the red flags of fraud and better understand their organization’s zero-tolerance policy toward such behavior.

Some key things to remember:

• Anti-fraud training should be mandatory:  this includes managers and executives, who should also receive special training regarding their position of responsibility.
• Anti-fraud training should be an element of new employee orientation: after that, it should be provided to all employees annually, if not more frequently.
• Training might be presented live (in-class), on video or online in an interactive format: the live class is preferred, as it allows questions and personal engagement. However, some employees work remotely in today’s business world, and an online format may be more feasible.

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 fraud and unethical behavior risks. An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.

Anti-Bribery and Anti-corruption Training

Our sister brand ABAC® Center of Excellence, provides employee training. Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence is 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.

Learn more about how CRI® Group and the ABAC Center of Excellence can help you have a well-trained workforce serving as your front line of defence against fraud, bribery and corruption.

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, TPRM, 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 B.S. 102000:2013 and B.S. 7858:2012 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partners 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 (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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Pakistan’s 1st ever Anti-Bribery Summit is a success

Last Thursday, 26 October, the region’s leading anti-fraud professionals gathered in Karachi, Pakistan, for CRI® Group’s Pakistan’s 1st ever Anti-Bribery Summit. CRI® Group took the initiative to organise the first Anti-Bribery Summit in Pakistan with the goal to redefine the anti-bribery culture within organisations in the country.

The Anti-Bribery Summit couldn’t have come at a more critical time, or have been held in a more relevant location – Pakistan is on the front lines of a struggle between those who wilfully engage in bribery and corruption, and those who endeavour to put a stop to it. But the problem of corruption is worldwide, affecting government, military and public sector organisations.

“The international nature of business today means that many companies operating in Pakistan and nearby countries are doing business across foreign borders, and in such cases find themselves subject to laws and regulations that aim to limit corruption and bribery on a global scale,” said Zafar Anjum, Chief Group Executive, CRI® Group. “That is why our Anti-Bribery Summit 2017 included sessions on compliance for the most significant international laws and regulations.”

The Anti-Bribery Summit 2017 included sessions on compliance for the most significant international laws and regulations, including a Q&A session with an expert on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Attendees also learned about compliance pitfalls, and how to engage in proper third party due diligence to keep their organisations safe from unethical partners that could hurt the organisation’s reputation and bottom line.

“It was good to see international speakers from UN and OECD on the practices being used and available standards for comparing our policies and procedures,” said Riaz Nazarali Chunara, Director, State Bank Of Pakistan.

Experts share their message

The Anti-Bribery Summit brought together some of the greatest minds in the fight against corruption, with a lineup of expert speakers that shared their experiences, knowledge and best practices with an attentive audience .

Keynote speakers included Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions and Co-Chair of the Defence Corruption Monitoring Committee in Ukraine and adviser to the Kosovo Anti-Corruption Agency (see an exclusive video interview with Drago Kos about the Summit); Jouhaida Hanano, Criminal Justice Advisor – Sub-Programme II, UNODC Pakistan; Shehzad Yousuf, Chief Internal Auditor at PTCL; Tariq Hussain, Former Director / HOD Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) – Supervision and Enforcement and Company Law Division; Ali Anwer Adil, Head of Internal Audit, Fraud Management and Revenue Assurance at Zong; and Ghulam Farooq, Director at The National Accountability Bureau.

“(It was) a wonderful conference on anti-bribery held by CRI® Group,” said Muhammad Nauman Ahmed, Head of Compliance at PEL. Ahmed said the “most amazing part” was that “OECD Anti-Bribery chairman Mr. Drago Kos and Director NAB, Sindh attended the conference.”

“SECP representatives were also present,” Ahmed said, calling it a “great event” for learning about the most current practices to counter bribery in Pakistan.

Featuring keynote addresses, Q&A sessions, trainings and a panel discussion, the Anti-Bribery Summit addressed topics critical to any organisation leader or executive in the region including anti-bribery compliance issues, strategies, the FCPA and UK Bribery Act, the corporate culture in Pakistan, conducting proper risk management and due diligence.

“It was a really good event, very well organized and an excellent learning experience,” said Yousuf Ali, Executive Manager, Assurance, EY Ford Rhodes. “My team and I at Ernst & Young thoroughly enjoyed it. Especially the presentation from Mr Shehzad Yousuf.”

“We are looking forward to other such events,” Ali said.

CRI® Group thanks all of the attendees, speakers and everyone involved in making the Anti-Bribery 2017 an unmatched success!

ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification is offered under CRI® Group’s ABAC® Centre of Excellence, an independent certification body established for Anti-Bribery Management System training and certification, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and Risk Management System certification. The program will be tailored to your organisation’s needs and requirements. For assistance in developing and implementing a fraud prevention strategy, contact ABAC® today or get a FREE QUOTE now!

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 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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CRI® meets with HR managers at SHRM17

The SHRM17 Annual Conference & Exposition was a huge success, and CRI® Group was proud to be on hand at the event in New Orleans to meet with human resources managers and specialists to talk about their challenges, best practices and how EmploySmart can help make their jobs easier and more effective. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) holds the annual event to gather the top HR professionals from around the world. CRI® Group knows that HR is in a critical role when it comes to helping organizations prevent fraud.

CRI® Group has participated in the SHRM17 Annual Conference & Exposition in New Orleans (June 18-21). SHRM and their world-renowned annual conference is a must-attend event for HR pros. Human resources managers and specialists are in a unique position when it comes to helping their organizations prevent fraud. An HR team that conducts thorough background screening in the employment process, for example, can help keep potential fraudsters out before they have a chance to damage a company from within.

CRI® Group’s agents discussed how thorough background screening for new and existing staff can help detect red flags, potentially saving companies millions in future losses from fraud and corruption. Using EmploySmart, CRI® Group analyses a job candidate’s claims and credentials, and can complement HR efforts with a “boots on the ground” approach to extensive background checking. With EmploySmart, CRI® Group examines all of the details provided by a potential employee including their identity, criminal background, education credentials, job history, employment references, and financial and credit checks (as permitted by law); among many other details.

If you missed getting a chance to meet with CRI® Group’s experts at the conference, or if you are an HR professional who would like to know more about how EmploySmart can help you, please contact us today! We are always eager to chat about how we can help complement your efforts and make you a hero in fraud prevention at your organization. With EmploySmart, you can make sure your prospective (and current) employees are who they say they are, and that you only hire the best.

Are you ready to EmploySmart?

Let’s Talk!

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

Get a FREE QUOTE

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, TPRM, 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 B.S. 102000:2013 and B.S. 7858:2012 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partners 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 organizations 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 organizations mitigate the internal and external risks associated with operating in multi-jurisdiction and multi-cultural environments while assisting in developing frameworks for strategic compliance programs. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

MEET THE CEO

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

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

CONTACT INFORMATION

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

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

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

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Happening now: CRI® at SHRM17 in New Orleans

The 2017 SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition kicked off yesterday in New Orleans, and CRI® Group is proud to be participating as an exhibitor and telling top human resource managers about EmploySmart.

SHRM is the Society for Human Resource Management, and their world-renowned annual conference is a must-attend event for HR managers and specialists. Those professionals, by the way, are in a unique position when it comes to helping their organisations prevent fraud.

By conducting thorough background screening for new hires, for example, HR can help keep fraudsters out of a company before they can do damage from within.

At SHRM17, CRI® Group’s agents are meeting with attendees to tell them all about EmploySmart, our pre-employment background screening process.

EmploySmart analyses a job candidate’s claims and credentials, and can complement HR efforts with a “boots on the ground” approach to extensive background checking. With EmploySmart, CRI® Group examines all of the details provided by a potential employee including their identity, criminal background, education credentials, job history, employment references, and financial and credit checks (as permitted by law); among many other details.

If you are attending SHRM17 (which runs through Wednesday, June 21), please come by and visit with us in the exposition. CRI® Group would love to talk about your goals and challenges in helping your company stay better protected from fraud and corruption.

Every successful business owner knows that your greatest resources are your employees. Make sure they are who they say they are, and that you only hire the best.

Are you ready to EmploySmart?

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, TPRM, 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 B.S. 102000:2013 and B.S. 7858:2012 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partners 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 (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.

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!

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Ethics and Compliance Hotline: your frequently asked questions answered…

Ethics hotlines are growing in popularity. In 2017 the South Africa Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba announced over 3,000 officials were found guilty of misconduct related to cases reported via the National Anti-Corruption Hotline (NACH). “The closure rate underscores a commitment by government departments to investigate allegations of corruption as reported through the NACH.” Ethics and compliance hotlines work! Organizations must have an ethics and compliance hotline to help promote the organization’s code of conduct and nurture a culture of honesty and accountability. 

Don’t opt out of an ethics hotline

The 2019 Global Business Ethics Survey found that more reports of misconduct were made to direct supervisors (a median of 51 per cent) compared to hotlines (6 per cent). However, it is still crucial to have an Ethics and Compliance Hotline. Why? Having an ethics and compliance hotline shows employees that the business leaders genuinely want to hear from them, making it a great employee relations tool.

The ethics and compliance hotline is an anonymous reporting mechanism. So when the normal channels of communication fail, a hotline can facilitate any flagging. They provide an accessible way for employees to report potential wrongdoing, possibly illegal, unethical, or improper. A company can better protect itself from fraud, learn of employee misconduct and proactively mitigate any corruption-related risk. Despite industry or size, any organisation should be 110% committed to having an open dialogue on ethical dilemmas regardless. 

CRI® Group encourages everyone to report any wrongdoing. We believe that everyone should have a voice and protect themselves, colleagues and the organizations that they work for. Everyone must seek to maintain transparency to comply with the code of conduct and compliance regulations. If your organization considers an ethics and compliance hotline, here are some must-knows.

Who can report? And what can you report?

All individuals – employees, clients, contractors, vendors and others in a business relationship with you or your organization – have a duty and responsibility to report any known or suspected noncompliant behavior or violations of any regulatory mandates and/or local policies, including but not limited to:

• Ethical standards violations;
• Violation of laws and company policy and internal control;
• Risk and safety;
• Theft, embezzlement or misappropriate of assets and fraud;
• Bribery and corruption;
• Employee rights, employee relations, work environment;
• Privacy laws or security of personal information;
• Discrimination;
• A dispute related to a supervisor, HR and other departments;
• Physical and verbal harassment in the workplace;
• Issues related to job responsibilities;
• The report related to a suspicious activity being a witness; and/or
• Unfair dismissals.

How to report?

You can report your concern using the Ethics and Compliance hotlines at any time, 24/7. And an effective Ethics & Compliance Hotline should allow reporting via phone, email, web-based compliant forms and even walk-ins.

How does it work?

This will depend on your organization structure; however, if you allow reporting directly by telephone, the caller should speak with the Compliance Department directly. The caller can remain anonymous or may want follow-up, in which case(s) he will give contact details. If the individual submits a report online, the system should guide the individual through the reporting process, and a PIN number will be generated automatically once they complete the report. The compliance department specialist who receives the tip is then in charge of validating it. This compliance officer typically receives special training on gathering enough information to ensure the complaint is credible. The tip is then routed to the right department within the organisation, such as audit, legal, or human resources. 

What is the process of the investigation?

The Compliance Department or Committee should then review the report and conduct an investigation. The investigation may include an interview with relevant witnesses review of records, computers, telephones and other equipment per relevant personal data regulations. The reported individual will be able to follow the status of the case and communicate with the Compliance by giving their case number. However, no party can contact the individual directly if you have chosen to remain anonymous. The investigation conclusions and recommendations are reported to Management.

Can we generate anonymous reporting?

Yes, if the individual wishes to remain anonymous when reporting their concern, they can. However, you should encourage the individual to identify themselves where/when possible, enabling your organization to investigate the report more effectively. If they provide their names, your compliance department should protect their confidentiality to the greatest extent possible during the investigation. The organization should have a Non-Retaliation and Whistleblower Policy to help ease the process.

What is a Non-Retaliation Policy?

While on the surface, hotlines may seem a convenient option to receive employee complaints, tips or concerns, often, it’s the process that surrounds the hotline which can determine whether it ultimately succeeds or fails. Areas such as employee relations are particularly challenging for anonymous tips. An organisation needs to have a whistleblower process in place – this is a critical component of any compliance monitoring system. It enables companies to identify and mitigate potential risks early before they impact operations, reputation and ultimately, financial performance. 

How can we make sure they deliver a credible report?

When reporting an issue, encourage individuals to ensure that they provide as much relevant information as possible, for example, the names of persons involved in the alleged conduct, potential witnesses, appropriate documentation or data, visual evidence etc. Provide them with forms that allow them to understand what they need to submit a credible report, with the appropriate questions and empty spaces for further feedback, including the ability to upload any initial profs. This will allow your Compliance to effectively follow up on the case.

What makes a successful implementation?

1. A strong and clear message is delivered to employees and stakeholders by a senior individual who champions the overall programme.
2. A clear understanding of how best to engage with your employees at all levels and in all countries. Remember to take into account country and cultural differences.
3. A robust internal process to deal with reported issues as laid out in your code of conduct policy or ethics programme.

Are you addressing corporate Compliance?

Prove that your business is ethical. Find out if your organisation’s compliance program aligns with worldwide Compliance, Business Ethics, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Frameworks. Complete our FREE Highest Ethical Business Assessment (HEBA) and evaluate your current Corporate Compliance Program. Let our experts prepare a complimentary gap analysis of your compliance program to evaluate if it meets “adequate procedures” requirements under the UK Bribery Act, DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs Guidance and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Find out what’s a Gap Analysis and why do you need it?

Report with CRI® Group!

If you find yourself in an ethical dilemma or suspect inappropriate or illegal conduct, feel uncomfortable reporting through normal channels of communication, or wish to raise the issue anonymously, use the reporting process in this Code of Conduct, including the 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 the CRI® Group Non-Retaliation Policy. 

REPORT NOW!  

CRI® will not accept any retaliation or discrimination against any employee or external stakeholder who uses our Compliance Hotline in good faith or participates in an investigation. Any employee who breaches the policy will be subject to disciplinary actions. If you wish to learn more just have a look at our article on Ethical code of conduct: What should be covered?

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 and is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

Meet the 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 business 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 safeguard businesses by establishing the legal Compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI® Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

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

CONTACT INFORMATION

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

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

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

Filed under: All Industries, All Regions, All Solutions, Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, CRI News, Global, ISO 37001, Leadership Insights, Resources by admin
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