Following corporate scandals and the recent bankruptcy of large financial institutions, the public believes that one of the responsibilities of governments, regulators and corporate executives is to do business in compliance with basic ethical values. It is now acknowledged that there has been a general decline in ethical standards in the business world, perhaps due in part to a celebrity culture that overvalues wealth and shallow notions of 'success'. Ethics used to be discussed only by philosophers and academics, but it is now apparent to business leaders that companies wishing to survive into the future have to develop effective protection against exposure to 'ethical risk'. This Short Guide, written by a professional with diverse international experience in auditing and fraud prevention who has specialised in ethics-related issues, serves as a resource for all who need a more complete view of the subject and practical guidance to inform their daily business decisions. Providing an overview of the theories of ethics that bear on today's business world, from Adam Smith's liberalism to stakeholder theory, the Guide explains the human behaviour that gives rise to fraud and corruption in terms of a "fraud triangle theory" according to which unethical behaviours happen when three risk components - psychological pressure, opportunity and rationalisation - are present. 'Pressure' is linked to the unfortunate superstar culture, while 'opportunity' can be reduced through application of adequate control mechanisms and corporate governance models. 'Rationalisation' has to do with the ability of an honest individual to justify a dishonest action in his own eyes. Ethics bears directly on this component and an ethical approach can prevent such self-justification. The adoption of appropriate company cultures and corporate governance models, the selection and retention of ethically sound staff and implementation of fair incentive systems are all advocated by the author, who describes the roles within an organisation of the Audit Committee and the Compliance Function. Additionally, the Guide offers a range of tools that can be applied by practitioners in the field, such as codes of conduct, compliance programmes, whistle blowing procedures and risk management processes.

This work delivers a range of tools that can help to enhance the ethical levels within a company, such as the implementation of codes of conduct, whistle blowing procedures, stricter selection processes, and other measures that can mitigate ethical risk.

A Short Guide to Fraud Risk is for: * anyone who needs to better understand fraud risks, either company-wide, or in a specific business unit; * directors and managers who would like to add value by building fraud resistance into their organization and to demonstrate to shareholders, regulators or other stakeholders that they are managing fraud risks, rather than just reacting to incidents; * regulators, auditors and compliance professionals who need to assess the effectiveness of an organisation's fraud prevention measures. The book gives a concise but thorough introduction to the risk of fraud based on a six-element strategy. It includes practical steps to assess and treat fraud risks across an organisation, including those relating to executive directors. It also provides practical steps to develop fraud awareness across an organisation and how to implement an effective fraud detection and incident management program. The application of the principles is illustrated with example documents and numerous case studies aimed at assisting the reader to implement either individual elements or a complete fraud risk management strategy.

Increasingly, top executives view supply markets as sources of competitive advantage and as means of achieving strategic objectives. Procurement is the management activity that makes this happen, and this process depends on a superior risk management capability if it is be effective. Yet, despite its importance, Procurement Risk Management is surprisingly under-developed. Recent Global Risk surveys have pinpointed Supply Chain Vulnerability as one of the four key global risks for the next decade. What is less well known is that this is only half of the story ... risk exposures also exist inside the company and can be just as damaging. No company is an island; it needs suppliers as well as customers. Conventional wisdom puts great emphasis on managing certain aspects of business such as customers; operations; strategy and finances. Typically, however, much less regard is paid to external suppliers and the risks present in dealing with them. As a minimum, suppliers are the sources of materials, services and expert attention which enable the company to feed its business model. When done well, a risk-aware procurement process provides the bonus of competitive advantage, with the ability to capitalise, on the occurrence of unexpected events. This short guide explains just how to do it. Each chapter explores the topic in hand, outlines the risks and the remedies available and offers guidance on the principles and risk prevention.

In a competitive and increasingly internationalised business world, many companies rely on the high risk/reward ratio of operating in unstable areas. Those companies willing to engage in emerging or developing countries can often be exposed to a politically volatile environment over which they have little control. Political risk, therefore, is one of the most hazardous challenges that an international business can face. In A Short Guide to Political Risk you will find a business-centric introduction to political risk that will familiarise international managers with the concept and accelerate the learning curve towards proficient and coherent political risk management. Robert McKellar explores: the key political risks that companies have faced in the recent past, and current trends in the evolution of the political risk landscape; the concept of political risk and its constituent elements; models and approaches for assessing political risk; the principal options for managing political risk, and suggestions for organisational structures to ensure a coherent and consistent approach; as well as wider issues that a company needs to consider in developing its own attitude and philosophy on political risk. A Short Guide to Political Risk is an essential introductory guide for risk managers and for all senior managers concerned with their organisation's global performance and reputation.

Does your organization have a good or bad reputation, and who takes responsibility for it? Whether viewed as an intangible asset or potential liability, damage to reputation can be costly. In the private sector loss of investor confidence can dent corporate value; in the public sector loss of public trust can lead to political change. How can anyone protect reputation from damage? These are just some of the questions answered by the guide, designed for business leaders. Also covered is a debate about whether reputation is an operational or strategic risk, whether it should be noted in a risk register, and of course how best to measure reputation value. This guide will show you how to: - Identify the value of your reputation and mitigate risk of damage to this value. - Measure your reputation as an intangible asset and part of intellectual capital. - Manage the drivers of reputation effectively within your organization. - Report reputation risk management to inspire confidence among stakeholders. Reputation risk is relevant to not just Directors of Risk but also Communication, Compliance, and Personnel. Whatever your interest in the subject, A Short Guide to Reputation Risk provides a shorthand route to understanding the context and key features of this subject.

A Short Guide to Risk Appetite offers a three-stage approach to setting risk thresholds that ensures that the outcomes properly reflect organisational risk culture and the individual risk propensities of key stakeholders; and also clarifies the essential role of risk attitude as a control point.