The results of the 2009 version of its annual study on the Top 12 corporate compliance concerns expressed by global companies revealed an international shift from inward-facing compliance concerns such as financial integrity to outward-focused concerns such as anti-bribery requirements, the leading concern on this year’s list for the second year running. Greater focus on outward-facing compliance concerns is occurring as companies address how their actions impact the world in addition to focusing on preventing harm to themselves, says the company’s report. This changing focus resulted in conflicts of interests & gifts and product safety & liability jumping towards the top of this year’s list.

Integrity Interactive noted an interesting geographical trend revealed in the 2009 study. The company observed a different global emphasis on two of the most important concerns, conflicts of interest & gifts and product safety & liability. North America showed greater emphasis on conflicts of interest & gifts (number four), while Europe was more concerned with product safety & liability. Both regions ranked anti-bribery requirements as the top concern for 2009.

Recent headline-grabbing bribery cases involving politicians in Massachusetts and Alaska, major industrial conglomerates in Europe , and now the spectacular bribery charges against Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, illustrate that the concerns of global organizations reflected in the 2009 Top 12 list are accurately placed. It also demonstrates that global businesses are ahead of the curve and taking action, says the company.

Increased demand for supply chain integrity also shaped this year’s Top 12 and drove business awareness of the potential ethics, compliance, and corporate social responsibility risks faced from misconduct in a supply chain. Concern over new supply chain regulations, negative media exposure from potential supply chain scandals and conduct of business partners played a role in pushing anti-bribery requirements (number one), conflicts of interest & gifts (number two) and product safety & liability (number six) to the top half of this year’s list.

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