Dear TIPS Member,
Last month, TIPS hosted two successful online events with engagement from TIPS members across more than six different sectors. Brook Horowitz provided insights into capacity building in South-East Asia and how young professionals can support the anti-corruption agenda in emerging and developing markets. And an engaged group of TIPS members participated in our first Zoom networking discussion – complete with breakout rooms. We discussed financial crime risks in corporate philanthropy and reviewing the effectiveness of corporate whistleblowing programmes.
This month, the TIPS team encourages you to join a networking discussion on how TIPS can continue to add value in a remote WFH setting. In addition, the TIPS team is now welcoming applications to the TIPS committee for 2020/21. Please refer to the separate role specification form. If you would like to learn more about the experience of existing committee members, do feel free to reach out to the TIPS team via the TIPS website.
Please see below the TIPS Newsletter for June 2020. We look forward to seeing you soon.
- the TIPS team
1. Upcoming Events (register on our Events page)
Top tips for trading responsibly in COVID 19 crisis | 7 July 2020 | 11am-12.30pm BST
Opportunistic or Organized Insurance Fraud – How can insurers keep ahead of COVID-19 threats? | 7 July 2020 | 1.30-2.15pm BST
Why you should care about Big Data, and approaches to using it under the new DOJ guidelines | 16 July 2020 | 7-8pm BST
How to navigate FCA compliance during the COVID pandemic | 21 July 2020 | 9.30-10.30am BST
2. Recent Events
How will the corruption landscape look in emerging and developing markets after the pandemic?
On 18 June 2020, more than 20 TIPS members joined an interactive discussion with Brook Horowitz, CEO of IBLF Global and Business Integrity Advisor to the UN Development Programme in South-East Asia, and co-moderated by Sofia Tirini, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD.
Among other things, Brook reflected on capacity building in South-East Asia, described his optimism for companies to rebuild positively under a new “social contract”, and emphasised the importance of technology in managing corruption risks. He also discussed how young professionals can contribute to raising business standards in emerging and developing markets.
TIPS Networking Discussion | Summary
On 29 June 2020, 13 TIPS members joined the first virtual TIPS networking discussion to be held on Zoom. Pete Chapman (TIPS committee member, Baker McKenzie) discussed financial crime risks in the contact of corporate philanthropy. Then Matt Laing (TIPS member, Ernst & Young) discussed his reflections of reviewing corporate whistleblowing programmes.
In a new format, attendees were able to participate small discussion groups through various “break out rooms” and so everyone was able to actively engage with both fellow TIPS members and the subject matter of the presentations.
It was an engaging discussion with perspectives from academia, forensic accounting, law and international organisations being brought to the table.
3. TIPS Advocacy: One Minute Reads
A number of new One Minute Reads have been uploaded to the TIPS website. Please do click the link to read more – perfect for your morning/evening WFH coffee break!
As ever, if you want to draft/share any One Minute Reads on the TIPS website or have any questions about this initiative, please contact Alex Sidossis, TIPS Advocacy Lead, at asidossis@4-5.co.uk.
4. Items of Interest
New TI-UK publication. Letter to the Chancellor: request to publish names of all companies receiving government-backed loans during the COVID-19 to prevent fraud. See here.
TI-UK blogs.
- Whistleblowers deserve better – join Protect in campaigning for legal reform, written by TIPS member Laura Fatah. See here.
- Governments may use COID-19 to reduce transparency. That’s why monitoring promises to combat corruption is more important than ever. See here.
- A weapons epidemic. See here.
Other blogs.
- The NCA’s Kazakh UWO – a costly decision? Written by TIPS committee member Joseph Sinclair. See here.
- Alstom’s China agent wins arbitration award in UK despite “serious indicia of bribery”. See here.
- Work from home options trigger new internal compliance concerns. See here.
- Does the Jenrick Affair demonstrate there is one law for the government’s friends and another for everyone else? Written by TIPS committee member Joseph Sinclair. See here.
Podcasts / radio programmes.
- DPAs: pragmatic, but unprincipled? Duncan Hames, TI UK’s Policy Director spoke to Law in Action on BBC Radio 4. Listen here.
- Robert Manzanares on leading the Obian investigation. Listen here.
News items.
- EY “failed to request Wirecard bank statements for three years”. See here.
- Zimbabwe health minister in court on corruption charges. See here.