• The Affiliated Monitors Expert Podcast

  • By: Thomas Fox
  • Podcast

The Affiliated Monitors Expert Podcast

By: Thomas Fox
  • Summary

  • Affiliated Monitors provides professional independent integrity monitoring and ethics and compliance assessments nationally and internationally and across almost all industries.  With its knowledge of effective ethics and compliance programs and cultures, Affiliated Monitors is respected for its work as the corporate monitor on matters ranging from multi-national corporations to small and mid-size companies, and even individuals. This podcast series will highlight all aspects of monitorships, working with monitors and how monitors can be used as independent integrity specialists.
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Episodes
  • Cultural Differences in Monitorships
    Mar 2 2021
    In this podcast, I am joined by Mikhail Reider-Gordon, Managing Director of Global Affairs at Affiliated Monitors. In this episode, we consider the cultural differences between international and US domestic monitorships. Gordon noted that when structuring a monitorship of an entity or an individual, it can be an unknown. Some of the issues include how to approach and interact with all the stakeholders and how that is organized, as monitorships are heavily impacted by cultural considerations. Gordon stated, “I’ve lived in, worked in numerous countries and I can tell you that those legal processes, there are absolutely important cultural differences that have to be built in. For instance, I’ll take an example here in the US there really is not the same expectation that a corporation will take care of its employees beyond what is required under labor and employment law and safety laws. Yet in many other countries, employers may develop deep personal relationships with employees, really on a level that you and I might associate with familial relationships.” Obviously, this has impacts for monitorships with an international component. Additionally, there may be separate monitorships from different sets of prosecutors. For instance, the Odebrecht corruption case mandated a US and Brazilian monitor. Gordon said that in such a situation, “as a monitor, we are appointed to help the organization remediate and approve. We need that buy-in, all the stakeholders.” Equally importantly, when a US based monitor is in other countries, considerations of cultural sensitivities, norms, values, are part and parcel of the design of the monitoring program. There can be “cultural values such as maintaining harmony within the organization, change how we approach interviews, dialogue with employees and managers, building consensus and so on. This can extend to seemingly basic monitoring elements such as asking and receiving questions. It can also be around how poor decisions can even be challenged within the company as in many cultures, they do not embrace challenging management even when employees know that what the managers are doing are violating the law.” All of these factors must be taken into consideration. For more information on AMI, check out their website. For more information on Mikhail Reider-Gordon, check out her LinkedIn profile.
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    10 mins
  • The Continuing Evolution of Monitorships
    Feb 23 2021
    In this podcast, I have been joined by Mikhail Reider-Gordon, Managing Director of Global Affairs at Affiliated Monitors, Inc. We have discussed various aspects of monitorships, including why independence matters, the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Guidelines on Monitors, Gordon’s professorial career at the International Anti-Corruption Academy, cultural differences between international and US domestic monitorships and the continuing evolution in monitorships. In this episode, we consider the continuing evolution in monitorships. Just as compliance programs and the role of the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) have evolved, the situations involving a monitor have evolved. We began with a consideration of some of Gordon’s thoughts about how the intersection of law and technology, including privacy, data management and data bias are really driving the conversation with clients around oversight and monitorships. Gordon began with the trend and growth in monitoring entities that have violated data privacy laws. Interestingly, this can come not from any overt or even poor decision on a company’s part or action. It could be from a data breach or it could be they misuse data. Gordon pointed to misuse such as Facebook, under evolving privacy laws. Here Gordon related that “Companies are a little on the back foot.” The evolution of monitorships has also occurred around timing. Originally, monitors were brought in at the conclusion of an enforcement action. Now monitors are often brought in during and even before an enforcement action begins on a pro-active basis, to get out ahead of the problem. This can be to see if an issue exists or to remediate the issue before the conclusion of an enforcement action. If it is the former situation, it can help to prevent an enforcement action from even getting off the ground. If the enforcement action has already begun, the pro-active approach can help a company garner a declination or if one cannot be obtained prevent a multi-year, post-settlement monitorship from being mandated. For more information on AMI, check out their website. For more information on Mikhail Reider-Gordon, check out her LinkedIn profile.
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    12 mins
  • Teaching at the International Anti-Corruption Academy
    Feb 16 2021
    In this episode, I am joined by Mikhail Reider-Gordon, Managing Director of Global Affairs at Affiliated Monitors. In this episode, we consider how Gordon’s teaching compliance and investigations at the International Anti-Corruption Academy inform her view of wide-ranging cultural differences in monitorships. Gordon is a frequent Guest Lecturer at the IACA, having been on the faculty for about five years, teaching investigations and compliance. She also supervises graduate students in writing their thesis. The IACA is an international organization formed by 70 member States, about eight and a half years ago. It is dedicated to enhancing knowledge and education in the field of anti-corruption. It runs graduate level programs and degree programs dedicated to training professionals in combating corruption in all its married forms. It is headquartered in Laxenburg, Austria, and hosts students from over 70 countries, including US, Europe and a heavy presence of African students. Many of the student are prosecutors and investigators from developing countries who are looking to expand their capabilities and technical skills in combating corruption back in their home countries. Gordon said that from her work at the IACA she has garnered a wider appreciation of the cultural differences that every compliance practitioner and monitor need to be attuned to in monitorship work. She said, “that is one of the more enjoyable elements of it. We touch on a lot of cultural differences and we will raise scenarios or questions in the class. We’ll have folks from the Middle East, from Africa, from China, from Indonesia, India, Western European countries, from Brazil, from the US, from Canada, basically from across the globe. This leads to a wide range of opinions.” For more information on AMI, check out their website. For more information on Mikhail Reider-Gordon, check out her LinkedIn profile. For more information on the IACA, click here.
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    10 mins

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