A few months ago, I was asked to spend the morning speaking to several classes at a local high school on the topic of ethics in recognition of National Government Ethics Day. It was a great experience. While I was impressed with the depth and scope of the students' questions, one question stood out for me. The questions was: "do people in different countries have different … [Read more...]
What Multinational Corporations Need to Know About New Anti-Corruption Rules in the UK and China.
Several months ago, I received a call from the general counsel of a multinational corporation concerned about new anti-corruption laws that are now part of the international business law landscape. He was particularly concerned with the recently enacted UK Bribery Act, which he characterized as the FCPA “on steroids.” While the UK’s Bribery Act certainly has quite a bite, I … [Read more...]
Are You Sure Your China Business Operations Do Not ViolateThe Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ? Don't Be an Unwitting FCPA Violator
Its incredible how every business discussion these days centers on China. While the U.S. and Europe struggle to get things moving, China continues to dominate the world's leading economic indicators. GNP. check. GDP. check. FDI. check. As more U.S. companies shift production to China, competitive forces have upped the ante for businesses to deliver the best price … [Read more...]
2009 Corruption Perception Index Released: Can You Guess Where the U.S. Ranked?
They say timing is everything. Following on the heels of my last post about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, comes Transparency International's hot-off-the-presses 2009 Corruption Perception Index The Index focuses on corruption in the public sector and uses surveys to establish how much corruption is perceived to exist within the country. This year's worst included … [Read more...]
SEC Steps Up Enforcement of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Is Your Company Ready?
Last month, I was honored to attend a press conference and speak with Robert F. Kennedy’s daughter, Kerry Kennedy, founder of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. The press conference centered on Mrs. Kennedy’s recent tour of the toxic drilling sites in the Amazon province of Sucumbios in Ecuador in connection with the ongoing Chevron … [Read more...]