Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)

I predict that we are perhaps entering an era of greater personal responsibility. Look at Judge Rakoff’s comments in the B of A/Merrill case; the recent ACL Regulation FD enforcement case or how Goldman Sachs “blinked” on bonuses. Whether you agree with it or not, President Obama’s excoriation of the Wall Street “fat cats” will resonate – not only with the public at large but with companies and their boards attempting to present a particular public persona.

Part 4

Responsible conduct must become embedded into every aspect of our market-driven economy. The benefits of such an approach are ‘driven home’ by a comparison of our system of highway safety to the autobahns of Germany, where the top speeds on large stretches of the road are left to the driver’s judgment. It is, however, an informed judgment because Germans have created an entire system built around safe driving at high speeds – the condition of the roads, the quality of the cars, the age of licensing, the requirements for driver education, all of which are more rigorous in Germany than here.

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Part 3

How can we design and implement a system that addresses the pressures of fast-paced change, increased complexity, advanced technology, and globalization that I addressed in my earlier post … knowing that the public mood demands action?

It can certainly be done, and perhaps in a timeframe shorter than expected if we devote our energy and resources to addressing fundamental issues. Here are three ideas that would go a long ways towards rebuilding our system: change our approach to government regulation; reframe corporate incentive structures; and develop effective methods of educating and selecting responsible business leadership.

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