Insight

2022

5 compliance triumphs from 2022


After navigating a year of high-volume sanctions, labour shortages, economic turmoil, daunting policy proposals, and remote/in-person work tension, compliance departments deserve an added helping of praise.....More

How to prevent AML failures


Analysing past AML failures can help firms shore up their own money laundering controls, writes Jake Plenderleith

Top 4 e-books our members have enjoyed in 2022


As we wind down for the year, and start looking forward to the festive season, we're pleased to present the top 4 e-books our members have enjoyed in 2022. They're free to download, so do make sure you grab your copy!....More

Managing Sanctions Risk: What are the keys to successful implementation


In early December, we hosted a webinar on the challenges faced by organisations in light of the huge changes in the sanctions landscape in 2022.

Joining the dots between ESG and corruption


Dr Ingrida Kerusauskaite and Rory Donaldson explain why business integrity and anti-corruption are core components of ESG....More

[E-book] The Future of KYC


Know your customer (KYC) controls, including customer due diligence (CDD), remain fundamental steps in identifying a customer’s identity, and assessing their inherent level of risk

Climate reporting: Is transparency the answer to imperfection?


The measurement and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within supply chains (so-called ‘Scope 3’ emissions) is a fundamental component of plans to address climate change....More

[E-book] Whistleblowing in the U.K.


To learn more about the history of U.K. whistleblowing, an overview of what the Bill aims to address, and tips on best practices for whistleblowing programmes, download the NAVEX U.K. Whistleblowing e-book today.

AML Industry Benchmarking Report 2022


Download your FREE copy today....More

Regulatory independence vital in fight against fraud


Ensuring regulatory independence is the surest means of protecting customers from becoming fraud victims.

What is green hushing?


With COP27 underway in Sharm El Sheikh, the topic has returned to the fore again. Climate scientists are piling criticism on entities they feel are ‘green hushing’ their way through environmental responsibility.....More

How to build an effective code of conduct


At the heart of every robust and effective GRC framework is a code of conduct

South Africa edges towards FATF grey list


The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), alongside the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG), assessed South Africa’s AML/CFT regime during an onsite visit in November 2019....More

Diversity and inclusion’s power in compliance


In September, ICA and Broadgate joined forces to host a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion in London

Sharing the keys to effective collaboration in the fight against financial crime


Collaboration is increasingly viewed as an essential tool in the global fight against financial crime....More

Virtual Assets: Managing the Regulatory and Financial Crime Compliance Risks


ICA’s latest report ‘Virtual Assets: Managing the Regulatory and Financial Crime Compliance Risks’ provides a range of expert insight and analysis on virtual assets

How effective beneficial ownership searches leverage technology


Where is the sweet spot on understanding the UBO of the entities your firm does business with?....More

Focus on professional enablers puts lawyers in spotlight


Increasing global regulation is putting the legal sector’s relationship with money laundering under the spotlight

6 reasons why you should invest in a professional qualification


Studying for a professional qualification is a significant commitment – but it’s also a tried and tested way of advancing your career....More

 Merisha Stevenson, Head of Quality, Risk and Audit, ICA

Five minutes with...Merisha Stevenson


We caught up with Merisha Stevenson, Head of Quality, Risk and Audit, ICA, to find out what makes her tick and why becoming an auditor is a more attractive, rewarding career path than you might think.

Russia sanctions – so far


A revealing look at the impact of sanctions imposed upon Russian entities 6 months into the war in Ukraine.....More

FCA warns challenger banks in thematic review


In April 2022, the UK’s FCA published a thematic review, highlighting a range of financial crime issues that required remediation.

Fraud risks grow as cost-of-living soars


The cost of living has rocketed – which means firms must prepare for a rise in fraud....More

People working at desk

Adaptability: An overlooked, and underrated, compliance skill


This Insight article explores the importance of adaptability as a soft skill for compliance professionals, focusing on the different types of adaptability skills, the reasons why adaptability is so important for compliance professionals and the ways in which to improve upon your adaptability.

Risk, Compliance and Cultural Change Series


This series on culture change will demonstrate how studying human behaviour can help alleviate some of the challenges of our profession, helping you, your colleagues and your firm.....More

How compliance can help prevent human trafficking


30th July is the United Nations World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, this article will look at what compliance professionals can do to help prevent this awful activity from happening

Managing Risk More Effectively Through Intelligent Automation


Download this e-book to learn the way forward of bridging the current knowledge gap and how to equip compliance teams with the automation tools they need to be fully prepared.....More

Men arguing at work

The smartest guys in the room – how to deal with cultural arrogance


Arrogance is an unpleasant trait to deal with in our career. It is, however, everywhere. Learning how and when to face it will be a long-term useful skill.

Mind your language


Words matter, as risk and compliance professionals it is vital that this is understood and acted upon. A misunderstanding can lead to a costly mistake so by understanding the nuances of language you can be better placed to communicate well with colleagues and stakeholders.....More

Financial crime within the metaverse


Criminals are always early adopters of new technology; it is up to compliance to ensure they do not gain a foothold in the metaverse.

Transaction monitoring: its importance and how you can do better


Ahead of the imminent launch of a new virtual classroom workshop, we are taking a look at transaction monitoring: what it is, what risks to look out for and how we can learn from examples of poor monitoring activity.....More

Thumbs down: Fraud and social media


This Insight article focuses on the impact social media has had on the way fraudsters target their victims.

The importance of maintenance and record-keeping


This insight article looks at the importance of maintenance and record-keeping as part of an effective GRC programme.....More

Factors to consider when implementing risk assessment technology


This Insight article focuses on the factors that compliance professionals must consider when implementing risk assessment technology.

FedEx Series Part 1: Desire for transparency launches FedEx on ESG journey


Behind its white trucks and the orange and purple of its iconic logo, FedEx Corp. has built its enterprise on an absolute commitment to ethics, integrity, and reliability. This principle is the bedrock of its long-term success in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.....More

Why beneficial ownership is crucial in supporting current sanctions


Understanding who the owners of a company are is a key tool in fighting financial crime and potential sanctions evasion.

The dangers of money laundering within the art market


The value of the global art market has reached $67.4 billion so it is unsurprising that criminals have targeted it. Through understanding it’s vulnerabilities and what legislation is in place, compliance officers can help to prevent potential money laundering from happening.....More

Managing Correspondent Banking Relationships


Correspondent banking serves a vital function within the global economy. However, if correspondent banking relationships are not managed properly, they can present considerable risks from an anti-financial crime perspective. This article will review a recent ICA Webinar that discussed some of these challenges and how to make these relationships a success.

Your questions, answered: Russia sanctions FAQs.


As governments continue to issue sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many firms are looking to limit their sanctions exposure. Our Russia sanctions FAQs consider the ways in which this can be achieved, as well as addressing some of the more complex demands placed on firms with Russian exposure.....More

5 considerations for a Transaction Monitoring system


Transaction Monitoring is an area that is constantly in the spotlight. The challenge for a financial institution is to get the balance right of monitoring the accounts of those individuals who are up to no good, but without impacting on the transaction flow of those who are innocent.

NFTs: the future, a craze or a risky business?


This Insight article focuses on the recent surge in popularity of NFTs, specifically detailing what NFTs are, the risks associated with them and what the future holds for the technology.....More

Greenwashing under the spotlight


With growing concerns over greenwashing, regulators are placing greater scrutiny on organisations’ claims about their green credentials.

Where are we heading with ESG?


ESG is climbing up the corporate agenda and in this piece, Rhodri Kettle takes a look at some of the reasons why this is the case and then poses some indicators to look out for to assess the acceptance of ESG within your own firms.....More

Learning points from the HSBC fine – practical steps businesses can take


HSBC received a hefty fine by the FCA and their decision notice highlighted three areas with deficiencies related to systems and controls. This article will explore the decision notice and look at what lessons other firms can glean to help their own risk-based approaches.

Russia sanctions surgery - what are the implications for your business?


As the terrible conflict in Ukraine intensifies, sanctions are making global headlines. This public and media interest has brought with it fresh challenges for those trying to keep pace with the complex measures imposed by governments on entities linked to the Russian state. In response, an ICA webinar on 9 March sought to bring some clarity to the new sanctions landscape.....More

The big crypto conversation - MENA conference


The regulation of virtual assets will be high on the agenda at ICA Live: MENA, with a current and a former regulator driving the conversation.

Red flags for illegal wildlife trafficking


Identifying red flags in any form of transaction monitoring of customer activity is a key part of spotting and stopping criminal activity. This is crucial in trying to prevent the illegal trade of wildlife and this piece will highlight some of these red flags and discuss the important of good quality reporting when they are identified.....More

5 tips for handling SoF/SoW


Holly Thomas-Wrightson helps us to understand the complexities of source of funds and source of wealth.

How to help prevent the illegal wildlife trade


Illegal wildlife trafficking has been described as a low-risk, high-reward crime that is thought to be worth a huge £17 billion a year. It’s widely accepted that this is an awful, illegal industry but there is still some debate and struggle with how to prevent it. By identifying key touch points across the supply chain and targeting those that seek to profit from it there is the potential to save millions of animals across the world. This approach, combined with increased legislation and support from regulators could be the difference between this illegal industry thriving or ceasing to exist.....More

ESG perspectives: implications for compliance professionals


Environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a broad topic formed of diverse and often fascinating issues. We are therefore pleased to present this unmissable collection of perspectives on ESG from compliance professionals all over the world

Raising awareness of the illegal wildlife trade


Illegal wildlife trafficking has grown in its severity and occurrence in recent years. This article looks at how this has happened and the importance of building a solid criminal case against those that carry it out. Changing the behaviour of the consumer is a significant factor in the overall effort against the illegal wildlife trade and this article plays a large part in helping readings to understand the importance of this.....More

Happy Valentine’s Day – or is it?


Romance fraud is a crime that often avoids the headlines when compared to tax or credit card fraud, but it is on the rise and can leave victims with not just a loss of money but can also be a big hit to their self-esteem, if not very emotionally damaging. This piece will look at how it happens, how people can protect themselves and also what to do if you or someone you know has been a victim.

Zeroing in: Making the transition to net zero


Achieving ‘net zero’ emissions has become a huge priority for everyone as the urgency of the climate crises grows year on year. Tackling this is a serious challenge and at the recent COP26 summit, plans were announced to make the UK ‘the world’s first net-zero aligned financial centre’. This piece will look at how banks can plot their way along this journey and increase their confidence at hitting these important targets.....More

CPI 2021: Looking beyond a high score


The release of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is always a significant event in the financial crime compliance calendar, compiling as it does a ranking of perceived corruption across countries around the globe. This year's index will make interesting, if dispiriting, reading for compliance professionals, and this piece argues of the need to look beyond the CPI to inform their own judgements based on curiosity and looking beyond the obvious.

UN International Day of Education – the changing face of learning


Since 2001, ICA has been committed to increasing the knowledge and skills of regulatory and financial crime compliance professionals around the world. On this special day, we are marking the UN International Day of Education with a look at how we have successfully tailored our deliverables to harness developments in technology and continue to give our students an outstanding learner experience.....More

A 2022 Compliance Wish List


This article recaps some of the developments we would like to see in the compliance world in the upcoming year

What it takes to work in sanctions compliance – Part 2


This article is the second in our series on sanctions: What it takes to work in sanctions compliance....More

Pandora Papers - How to identify ultimate beneficial owners


The Pandora Papers were another massive story in 2021 as a group of journalists released a paper that highlighted the issue of UBOs. This have us a chance to reflect on the European regulatory landscape and best practice examples for financial institutions to enhance their systems and controls for preventing financial crime.

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