Cost-Effective Online Anti-Corruption Compliance Training
Making anti-corruption training widely accessible and scalable in this day and age often means taking it online. Most multinational companies have done exactly that to extend the reach of their training to employees and subsidiaries globally. Yet, few training resources exist for local companies in these countries who aspire to join global value chains. To help fill that gap, CIPE launched an interactive, online anti-corruption training course based on its Anti-Corruption Compliance guide for mid-sized companies in emerging markets. The training course is designed to teach executives and anti-corruption compliance and ethics officers how to identify, assess, and mitigate corruption risks in their companies. The course involves approximately 40 minutes of instruction and contains four interactive modules that test knowledge and understanding. While the course itself is free, upon conclusion users have the option to purchase a certificate of completion for a small fee.
This online course is designed especially with newly appointed compliance officers in mind. However, it is also applicable to a wider audience that includes all members of staff as well as board and committee members. Chief Ethics and Compliance Officers (CECOs) can utilize these training modules to reintroduce and reinforce the importance and key features of a robust anti-corruption program. Documenting both the giving and receipt of this or any compliance training is the foundation of an adequate compliance program. Evidence of training is often the first thing potential business partners or regulators look for during compliance due diligence.
For board members of medium-sized companies in emerging markets, it is crucial to understand the types of pressures and risks different staff members may face, and establish a clear ‘tone at the top’ regarding company values, ethics, and policies. According to the OECD, a comprehensive tone at the top includes a “strong, explicit and visible support and commitment from senior management to the company’s internal controls, ethics and compliance programmes or measures for preventing and detecting foreign bribery.” Although day-to-day compliance operations are run by staff, board members are increasingly viewed as responsible for the establishment and efficacy of the company’s compliance program. This typically includes hiring a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a commitment to business ethics, establishing a clear reporting line to the board of directors for the CECO, and implementing a whistleblower policy.
The risk to management of sanctions or losing business does not just depend on the sufficiency of the compliance program itself, but individual staff behavior as well. A strong relationship between the board and a CECO can go a long way to mitigate risk for the company, its employees and directors. The CECO should also assist board members with understanding personal liability risks associated with their role in relation to local and international anti-corruption laws.
Anti-corruption compliance is a strategic investment for mid-sized firms in emerging markets – and it does not have to be prohibitively costly. The business case for anti-corruption compliance, especially for firms currently in or seeking to join global supply chains, is overwhelming. CIPE’s anti-corruption training modules are an economical, online resource that all staff from the audit committee chairwoman to accounts payable officer, can utilize for identifying and mitigating corruption risks within the company. See for yourself and try out the course now!
In order to take this course, you must register through this link. Registration is free. However, participants who wish to receive a certificate of completion will be directed to pay a small fee of USD20 upon successful completion of the course. If you have any comments or questions about the course, please feel free to reach out to compliance-tc@cipe.org.
Louisa Tomar is a Program Officer for Global Programs at CIPE.