In times of significant disruption, the risk profiles of organisations increase. This is due to a combination of an increase in inherent risks, such as internal and external fraud, bribery and corruption, and employee misconduct, as well as the possibility of internal disruption impacting the efficacy of key control functions.
The natural organisational response to disruption is to focus on revenue generation and customer-serving activity. While this supports business continuity, it means there may be less focus on whistle-blowing or “speak-up” processes and business integrity. Further individuals may be less inclined to speak up given the uncertainty in the current business environment.
This paper examines the whistle-blowing function as a key control and highlights issues to consider in the coming weeks to ensure the control remains effective and responsive in the current business environment.
Look out for more EY Financial Services Covid-19 implication papers relating to these Financial Crime and Forensics topics:
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