Saying Goodbye to SSL and TSL

Winston Churchill once said “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often”. Some might argue that we’ve taken that idea to the extreme and decided to be a society under constant change, in which case we should listen to Mr. Churchill’s further thought, that “There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”.
In the case of security and compliance, that constant progress is definitely a good thing. The more secure customer and company data can be kept, the better. Keeping products safe and in good shape along supply lines is also good.

Increasing Risk Liability and Pressure Mounting on Franchisors

The movement in the US for a higher minimum wage has taken a new angle in attacking large franchisors, and it could threaten to rip apart the franchising industry as we know it. There are now consolidated cases going before the National Labour Relation Board which claim that a franchisor – such as McDonald’s, one of the companies being attacked – is actually a joint owner with its franchisees.
If the board rules against McDonald’s, it would mean that the corporation could be liable for wage underpayments or other violations, even things that aren’t related to the franchise agreement. The franchise owners would also basically lose their “business owner” status and be more subject to corporate policies. They would become, essentially, corporately-controlled outlets instead of franchises.

Earning China’s Trust through Auditing and Compliance

If you were to try and imagine a new business opportunity that could literally double or triple your revenues quickly (or more), most business owners would get fairly excited. Opportunities like that don’t come along very often, but a great deal of Australian business owners are now looking head-on at one later this year.
The free trade agreement with China that will come into effect by the end of 2015 will undoubtedly affect many different industries over time, but the fresh food industry is first in line to reap big rewards.

Programmed Compliance and Cyber Security

A well maintained audit and compliance routine is paramount in any business when it comes to online/cyber security.  Just because you’ve followed the protocols set in place, it doesn’t mean that you can fight the fight against a major cyber security attack.  The compliance process needs to be a living and breathing entity, constantly curated and improved.
In this article we discuss the advantages of using programmed compliance in an agile process to guard against cyber attacks.

Good Sports Governance Requires Established Standards and Standard Audits

There seems to be no common international understanding of what comprises “sport governance”, and that’s a big problem.
An issue can’t be dealt with unless it’s defined and understood. This is painfully obvious in the current discussion about governance in sport, highlighted by the ASADA investigation into the Essendon Football Club debacle concerning sport doping. But the problem certainly isn’t confined to football, and it may be more complex than just blaming players for wanting to “juice up” their performance, as we will see.

Self Regulation and Compliance Aren’t Always Compatible

Self-regulation, in most instances of business or government, is far from effective or consistent, let alone honest. Self-preservation is a powerful thing, and human nature dictates that we’re all going to make a mistake, at some point.
When that unfortunate incident happens, the best thing that can happen is to immediately address it and handle it. The longer it goes unaddressed, the more harm it will cause when it finally sees the light of day. Self-regulation, combined with a natural tendency towards self-preservation, is simply an invitation to corrupt practices or processes.

How Technology is Helping Organisations Manage Compliance

Technology is changing the way businesses, and the world, operates at an almost blinding speed, and for many companies the struggle to keep up with the constant changes demanded by new developments can be extremely burdensome.
A simple example in the case of customer-facing assets is the emergence of social media as a platform for sales, marketing and customer service. This requires a new skill set, as well as a reimagining of business policies and processes.

When Non-Compliance Becomes a Public Safety Matter

A lack of proper compliance standards and systems is always a problem for any business. That’s no great secret. Non-compliant players in a supply chain can cause lowered quality in products, confusion and/or mistrust from the consumer base, delays in inventory deliveries, and more.
While all of these are important and major issues that can – and do – negatively affect business results, none of them elicit the same level of concern and need for immediate action that another three-word issue can: food safety concerns.
This article warns about the business and health dangers than can arise from poor supply chain compliance standards.