Media monitoring is the key to seeing the clearest picture of how your company is functioning. Yet, it can feel like a monumental task to manage all the available information, while also making sure your data is current, comprehensive, and correct. The more you can discover about which data is most integral for your company to thrive, the more you can refine your needs, filter out unimportant data, and create a long-term...
All modern-day businesses interface with metadata, whether they know it or not. Any time a company engages with digital information, they have engaged with metadata. But, what exactly is metadata? And, wouldn’t it be more useful if you could readily identify it, understand its specific strengths and then use it to its greatest extent in your media monitoring? From internal documents to public social media content...
In the quest to achieve unrivaled business growth, organizations show increasing interest in Decision Intelligence (DI) . Whether you use DI to augment, recommend, or automate decisions, the effectiveness of your DI endeavors heavily depends on the quality of data that powers it. As financial services and global businesses alike expand the use of DI, weeding out poor quality—within both internal and alternative...
In today’s fast-paced world. the ability to make highly informed decisions in a timely manner can be the difference between the success or failure of your business. Particularly during times of uncertainty or market volatility, doubt can hold organizations back. And data overload can contribute to this doubt. So how do businesses ensure they do not fall behind the competition or consumer values? Increasingly,...
With today’s 24/7, digital connectedness, keeping up with your company’s media exposure is an ever-evolving challenge. It can be impossible to track every traditional news mention as sources proliferate—not to mention keeping up with public sentiment on social media. Then, when you need show results from your efforts, it’s difficult to know where to start. Zeroing in on the right data, not just...
It’s a fact of doing business that your organization will face communications crises--no matter the size, type, or mission of your organization. From natural disasters to public opinion on social media, there are factors that you simply cannot control or even fully anticipate. And, while we’d all like to think we react appropriately and quickly when fielding these moments, the only way to ensure it is to...
No institution wants to be embroiled in a scandal—especially when it could have been prevented. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Tufts University when it was revealed that when one of their long-standing donors, the Sackler family, was tied to the opioid crisis. Over a period of nearly 40 years, the university received around $15 million from the Sacklers, who own the pharmaceutical company Purdue...
Companies operating in today’s global business environment must navigate ever-strengthening anti-bribery and corruption regulations. Some of the most significant recent enforcement actions against companies arose from alleged due diligence failures, leading to fines, legal action, strategic risks and reputational damage. Meanwhile, there are growing expectations around companies’ understanding of their Environmental...
Organizations like nonprofits and academic institutions that rely on donations need to be hyper aware of the importance of due diligence. Screening current and potential donors for political and financial vetting is a crucial step in any donor-funded company, but even the most extensive checks can sometimes have pitfalls. If a team accepts money from an organization or individual that ultimately backfires and garners...
The finance industry is up against massive challenges as 2023 shapes up to be a tumultuous year for the market. The closure of Silicon Valley Bank signaled another big fall in trust, and businesses are scrambling to make sure that they’re providing security and safety alongside their normal client services. Now more than ever, it’s critical that companies have trustworthy ways of performing their practices...
We are already more than halfway through 2023, so if your business isn’t up to date on all the newest trends and shortcuts in the realm of risk mitigation and compliance, suffice it to say you’re falling behind. This year, there is an even greater push on ESG compliance, protection from rising technology like AI and Crypto, and the general need for due diligence to avoid working with sanctioned third parties...
It goes without saying that for nonprofit organizations, fundraising is a massive component of labor. And while anyone can imagine that the organization of galas, coordination of annual drives, and communication with regular donors are all key parts of the job, there are still many aspects that go overlooked—like donor due diligence. In this blog post, we will explore what it means to go beyond recruitment and...
Podcasts, blogs and social media sites make it easy for anyone to share their thoughts—who among us hasn’t sent a hastily-typed missive into the ether for our friends and followers to enjoy? But sharing misinformation on the web, intentionally or not, can have real legal consequences. In the last blog in this series , we discussed how Serial’s Koenig and True Crime Diary’s McNamara are excellent...
Sanctions are often hot topics of international news reports, especially as they relate to foreign governments and international relations. But, you may not realize that sanctions can be levied to any entity that violates regulations. Sanctions are also important to businesses, and working with those who have been sanctioned can have serious consequences. As such, monitoring and understanding sanction lists is a key...
Alleged compliance breaches have led to combined fines and settlements worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Q2 of 2023. Regulators have taken enforcement action against companies over their activities in jurisdictions spanning four continents. In this blog, we look at some of the most significant regulatory interventions in recent months and suggest how companies should retool their compliance approach to mitigate...
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the world in a multitude of ways. It’s no secret that we are no longer living in the same society that existed in 2019. Because of the events of the last few years, we are now dealing with things like growing inflation, industry-agnostic mass layoffs , and a massive increases in remote offices. That last point is unique in that it’s something people are often rooting for, as employees...
These days, nearly every company must have a social media presence to survive and thrive in this market. The prioritization of digital footprints comes at a high cost, though, as there are plenty of potential errors related to posting content, engaging with consumers, and even simply managing public relations (PR). Fortunately, most of the potential pitfalls for PR and social media crises fall into similar categories...
Change management is a crucial, yet daunting, part of a company’s life cycle. Whether it’s in response to exciting growth or disappointing pitfalls, adaptation is often necessary when it comes to moving forward, and the need to adapt is only increasing as the marketplace becomes more unpredictable. Change management is especially important when it comes to research. Research teams are often shifting their...
While the ability to multitask can seem like a positive skill, there is a lot of research into the actual downsides of having too much on one’s plate at once. The act of “ task switching ,” or moving in between two separate tasks, often results in lost time and focus, making it an impediment to productivity. This is particularly the case in research, when employees shift between searching and archiving...
The youngest generation in the workforce, Gen Z (cordially called “Zoomers” at times) has a unique set of values that distinguishes them even from millennials . A cohort defined by their love of trends and social media, Gen Z can be an enigma for investors who are attempting to reach younger audiences. Staying on top of this generation’s ethos and internet habits is crucial for financial services providers;...
In the three years since the corporate world shifted to a remote-forward work culture, employees have been able to see into the lives of their coworkers. With video conferencing, people can view someone’s living room, their family walking around in the background and, most importantly, the way their browser looks when they share a screen. So, it’s safe to say that everyone knows by now that there’s always...
When you think of fundraising, you probably think of fancy galas, charity 5Ks, or cocktail parties with the board. But in the past ten years, crowdfunding has changed the fundraising game. It’s extremely popular with Gen Z and Millennial donors , who are quickly becoming a majority of the donorbase, by offering transparency and immediate solutions. But nonprofits who’ve traditionally raised money with events...
The workforce has changed a lot over the last few years. Many factors have forced companies to change their old practices: hybrid and long-term remote work options, ongoing recession fears, and inflation are just a few motivators toward large overall shifts. That means optimizing workflow — a process which removes hurdles and streamlines daily work to ultimately lower the cost of operations—is more important...
The Federal Corruptions Policy Act was established to address and end corruption and bribery in US business dealings with foreign officials. The FCPA seeks to keep legitimate businesses from losing contracts to companies engaged in corruption and bribery. The act does not solely speak to first tier businesses—it further requires all businesses have a process of due diligence to assure corruption and bribery is not...
ESG screening, or environmental, social and governance screening, is becoming an increasingly important part of due diligence for companies around the world. Legislation mandating ESG due diligence is being introduced in many countries, and even where it is not yet required, consumers, investors, and employees are demanding ethical practices from companies. Improving ESG due diligence processes is essential for companies...