GRC Report Staff

Navigating the global consulting industry requires deft handling of cultural intricacies and high-stakes negotiations, but even the most seasoned firms aren't immune to the pitfalls of corruption. The challenges of balancing ethical standards with the pressure to close deals can lead to serious missteps, showing that corruption can infiltrate even the most established and respected companies. The recent Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) case involving Boston Consulting Group (BCG) serves as a compelling case study for compliance professionals across all sectors, offering both warnings and guidance on how to navigate treacherous waters.

A new report sheds light on the crucial role that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings and data products are playing in shaping financial markets. The study, which analyzes the impact and regulation of ESG ratings, reveals how these tools are becoming instrumental in driving business efficiency, informing decision-makers, and allocating capital towards sustainable initiatives.

The European Commission's Climate Resilience Dialogue has released a comprehensive report that sheds light on the urgent need to narrow the climate protection gap and enhance resilience against the escalating impacts of climate change in Europe. The report, which synthesizes key insights from extensive stakeholder discussions, comes at a critical time as Europe grapples with unprecedented climate challenges.

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published its second risk monitoring report of 2024, sounding a clear alarm about the current state of EU financial markets. This comprehensive assessment underscores the critical need for heightened vigilance across all sectors of the financial industry.

According to a recent Reuters report, citing three people familiar with the matter, major US banks have been found to be in the early stages of assessing and managing climate change risks to their businesses. This information comes from a review conducted by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which included 22 large banks.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has awarded more than $4 million to an insider whistleblower. The award recognizes the whistleblower’s crucial contributions to an investigation that exposed ongoing violations of CFTC rules, ultimately leading to enforcement action against the perpetrators.

Merrill Lynch and its parent company, Bank of America, have agreed to pay a $3 million fine and accept a censure from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for failing to properly monitor potentially manipulative trading activities by their customers. The settlement, announced on August 28, addresses violations that occurred from 2015 to present at Merrill Lynch and from 2019 to present at Bank of America Securities, the bank's institutional broker-dealer.