Among the myriad issues on which companies large and small must focus, regulatory and compliance matters continue to hover close to the top. Chief among their concerns is the continuing escalation in enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. In my experience, having worked in the communications operations of both agencies, I’ve seen firsthand the reputational and financial damage that can result from FCPA actions. To avoid criminal penalties, large fines and enormous headline risk, companies must shore up their communications strategies and position themselves to mitigate the impact of an FCPA probe.
Effective communications—before, during and after receiving word of an FCPA probe—can often make all the difference in how a company will respond and, potentially, recover.
