Problem
A manufacturing company received allegations that an employee was accepting bribes and kickbacks from a supplier. An internal investigation determined that the employee’s brother was the beneficial owner of the current supplier as well as two former suppliers. Industry enquiries revealed they also had close ties to a competitor. The client decided to unilaterally terminate the employee, who was the head of a major division.
How we helped
Control Risks began with a thorough download of the situation, including who was involved and what was their position (and influence) in the business, and local community. We then conducted external enquiries (including a look into past criminal behaviours) of suspected perpetrators to inform our understanding of these individuals’ potential capabilities to disrupt the business, or act upon threats to employees.
Control Risks then recommended a “recovery-led” approach focusing on business continuity, taking into account the unique challenges of the client's operations and the community at large. Control Risks considered all scenarios that could impact the Client’s business, people and reputation, and anticipated different damages the suspected perpetrators or their allies could potentially set off. Control Risks' strategy combined improving internal controls, stronger policies enforcement, unannounced inspections, together with engagement programs and compliance trainings, job rotations and skills development. It was a long-term solution focused on changing the culture enabling this behaviour, by making it more difficult to steal, on the one hand, while increasing employee morale and integrity on the other hand.
Key outcomes
The client adopted a procedure that produces better lines of sight in fortifying operational resilience against disturbances, with the inclusion of aligning organisational goals and policy interventions to scale up positive incentives and reform harmful incentives for workplace