#TimesUp Archives - Compliance Culture

Corporate cultural change: Concrete and values-based policies

This is the third in a series of five posts suggesting best practices for implementing corporate cultural change. For an overview of all the tips on this subject, check out this preview post. The first post in the series discussed tone and conduct at the top. Last week’s post was about the importance of consistent, visible enforcement. Today’s post will discuss strategies for creating and implementing effective policies. The fourth post in the series, on March 19, will focus on putting in place procedures that are complementary to those policies. Finally, on March 27, the fifth and final post will discuss tips for going beyond training in order to create effective and engaging employee education initiatives to boost awareness and compliance culture.

As discussed in the last two posts in this series, concrete changes to organizational culture cannot be accomplished through mere rhetoric, even when it is underlaid by sincere desire for progress. Compliance program best practices must be observed and supported by senior management and top leadership in order for effective controls and cultural values to take root throughout the organization.

Corporate cultural change: Tone and conduct at the top

This is the first in a series of five posts suggesting best practices for implementing corporate cultural change. For an overview of all the tips on this subject, check out this preview post. Today’s post will discuss tone and conduct at the top. Next Monday’s post, on March 5, will be about enforcement. The third post in the series, on March 12, will discuss effective policies. The fourth post, on March 19, will focus on procedures to complement those policies. Finally, on March 27, the fifth and final post will provide insights about innovative approaches to take employee and organizational education beyond the basics of routine training.

Building on the momentum created in 2017 by the brave and bold disclosures of the Silence Breakers, the #MeToo movement, and the #TimesUp initiative, in 2018 it is more timely and important than ever to throw major weight behind the need for disclosure, self-analysis, and change within organizations in all industries. The focus on individuals – both in protecting those who have spoken up, enabling others to speak out, and keeping people safe in the future, and in properly punishing those who abused and harmed others as well as deterring further misconduct – must continue.