New Study Reveals Risk Concerns of Global Companies for 2009

Boston, Mass., Jan. 5, 2009 – A new study revealing the Top 12 Corporate Compliance Concerns expressed by global companies finds an international shift from inward-facing compliance concerns, such as financial integrity, to outward-focused concerns, such as anti-bribery requirements, the leading concern on this year’s list. Greater focus on outward-facing compliance concerns is occurring as companies address how their actions impact the world in addition to focusing on preventing harm to themselves. This changing focus resulted in conflicts of interests and gifts and product safety and liability jumping towards the top of this year’s list.

The study was conducted by Integrity Interactive Corp., which analyzed the course-completion records of more than 3 million employees at more than 300 companies worldwide who have taken Integrity’s online compliance training since January, 2000.

Recent headline-grabbing bribery cases involving politicians in Massachusetts and Alaska, major industrial conglomerates in Europe and the spectacular bribery charges against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, illustrate that the concerns of global organizations reflected in the 2009 Top 12 list are accurately placed. It also demonstrates that global businesses are ahead of the curve and are taking action.

The Full 2009 Top 12 Corporate Ethics and Compliance Concerns

1.  Anti-Bribery Requirements

2.  Conflicts of Interest and Gifts

3.  Antitrust Contact with Competitors

4.  Mutual Respect

5.  Records Management

6.  Product Safety and Liability

7.  Privacy

8.  Proper Use of Computers

9.  Export Controls

10. Careful Communication

11. Information Security

12. Financial Integrity

A complete version of Integrity’s 2009 Corporate Ethics & Compliance Study is available for no charge by emailing mwallwork@i2c.com. This full-text version of the report includes: a complete listing of the Top 12 compliance-training courses for 2009 for all companies surveyed; Top 12 lists for very large, large, and mid-sized companies; Top 5 Concerns by Industry; and insight into emerging compliance risk-management trends and developments.

Integrity Interactive® Corp. is a technology-powered, data-driven company that helps global corporations measure, manage and mitigate the risk of compliance failures and attention-grabbing scandals.  For more information about Integrity, please visit www.i2c.com.