Are You Prepared for Increased Enforcement Against Corrupt Practices?
There is no doubt that anti-corruption enforcement continues to increase domestically and internationally. According to recent research nine British companies are being investigated by U.S. authorities for allegedly bribing foreign officials to win business in overseas markets. Regulators and prosecutors have dramatically sharpened their focus on business activities in foreign countries and have intensified international cooperation. Information-sharing among U.S. regulators and their U.K. and European counterparts has led to an increasing number of referrals and investigations that may implicate export controls, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering and tax regulations. This trend was highlighted by the recent SFO and U.S. Department of Justice collaborative efforts to have BAE Systems admit to criminal charges and pay £286m in fines.
The UK Anti-Bribery Bill is expected to come into force this year. Its extra territorial reach will make it easier to prosecute corruption offence committed overseas. Very recently, the U.S. Sentencing Commission has proposed an increased emphasis on the need to make restitution and undertake remedial efforts, even before a finding of criminal misconduct. The proposal also encourages changes to compliance programme reporting structures, promotes increased self-reporting of criminal conduct, and makes explicit the need for strong document retention policies.
In this environment, multinational companies should therefore identify key international trade risks, target training, guidance and periodic risk assessments or other internal reviews to ensure transparency and compliance in relationships with relevant regulators. While it takes time to design and implement effective compliance programmes, the risks of not doing so under the standards contemplated in the Bribery Bill are significant.
C5 has again assembled an exceptional panel of leading international corporate ethics and compliance executives, lawyers, investigators, forensic experts and top government officials from the U.S. and Europe. They will provide the latest practises to help you minimise your company’s risk in an era of heightened scrutiny and enforcement. Take this opportunity to hear from this unparalleled panel of experts in the field and network with peers and colleagues who share similar concerns.
Topics include:
- Changes you need to make to your compliance policy to comply with the requirements of the upcoming Bribery Bill
- Demonstrate to Government investigators that your financial records are adequately and diligently reviewed for potential non-compliant payments
- Implementing and maintaining internal systems and controls that adequately reduce the risk of corruption
- Working with compliance monitors harmoniously and avoiding an adversarial relationship
- Effective third parties risk-based processes that leading companies implement to minimise liability risks
- Conducting cost-effective internal investigations and weighing whether, when and how to disclose potential wrongdoings
- Strategies to manage conflicting requirements of national and foreign regulators in investigations involving more than one investigative agency
- Reviewing the process for assessing the corruption profile of a financial transaction, as well as joint alliances or partnerships
Practical and Interactive Post-conference Master Classes – Wednesday 23 June 2010
A: The Fundamentals of UK Anti-Bribery Compliance
or
B: Best Practice in Anti-Bribery Controls for Financial Services
Be where your industry and peers will be on the 21-22 June 2010
Seats at this unique event are sure to go quickly. Don’t delay, register today by calling +44 (0) 20 7878 6888, by faxing your registration form to +44 (0) 20 7878 6896 or by registering online.
Conference Details
