Governance & Compliance

Our governance & compliance services help organizations to efficiently fulfill legal requirements and internal policies, minimize liability risks, and establish a corporate governance with integrity. Through transparent, controllable, and manageable measures, we not only ensure legal compliance but also strengthen stakeholder trust. This enables a sustainable compliance strategy that enhances efficiency, prevents reputational damage, and secures long-term value creation.

• Regulatory requirements: Compliance is essential to fulfill national and international legal and regulatory obligations. Organizations face increasing requirements in areas such as due diligence obligations, reporting requirements, and corporate ethics.
• Strategic integration: Organizations must systematically incorporate compliance and governance aspects into their business strategy and decision-making processes to mitigate risks and enhance efficiency.
• Transparency and compliance: A legally compliant compliance management strengthens corporate integrity, fosters stakeholder trust, and simplifies the fulfillment of reporting obligations.
• Risk management: An effective Compliance Management System (CMS) helps identify and mitigate regulatory, financial, and reputational risks at an early stage.
• Competitive advantage: Compliance is not just a legal obligation but also a strategic success factor that increases resilience and enables long-term value creation.

Corporate governance and supervisory bodies must ensure that legal requirements, contracts, and internal policies are adhered to in a secure, efficient, and robust manner. Measures should be transparent, controllable, and manageable. Particularly in mid-sized companies, the aim is to complement trust-based collaboration with a well-balanced compliance management enhancing efficiency, reducing risks, and fostering sustainable value creation.

At BRL, we help organizations not only fulfill growing compliance and governance requirements but also use them as a foundation for sustainable and risk-averse corporate governance. With our expertise, we develop customized solutions specifically tailored to your business structure and regulatory obligations. Our approach involves the holistic integration of Compliance Management Systems (CMS), Internal Control Systems (ICS), Internal Audit Systems (IAS), and Risk Management Systems (RMS) to ensure transparency, compliance, and corporate integrity. Whether it is about fulfilling legal requirements, optimizing internal control mechanisms, or embedding compliance strategically into your business processes, we support you in making your company not only legally compliant but also future-proof and competitive.

Components of a CMS according to IDW PS 980 and the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO): Enterprise Risk Management – Integrated Framework.

1. Risk analysis and scoping: Identification of key compliance risks and prioritization of relevant compliance areas.
2. Assessment and quick check of key compliance areas and structures: Conducting a comprehensive review of existing compliance areas and structures to identify weaknesses and potential for improvement. This analysis ensures that all relevant compliance areas are covered and that compliance structures fulfill the legal and regulatory requirements.
3. Implementation and enhancement of a CMS: Design, development, and implementation of Compliance Management Systems (CMS) based on recognized frameworks such as COSO, ISO 37301 and IDW PS 980. This ensures compliance with national and international legal requirements while integrating best practices. Identifying and addressing weaknesses allows for continuous improvement of the CMS.
4. Support in preparing and conducting CMS audits: Evaluation of design and operative effectiveness of the CMS based on recognized standards such as IDW PS 980, for example with a focus on anti-money laundering in accordance with IDW Practice Note 1/2022, which outlines the design and audit of a CMS for anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing in the non-financial sector.
5. Training and coaching: Training for employees and executives to convey the requirements of the CMS. Through workshops and practical training, we ensure that CMS guidelines are well understood and effectively integrated into daily business operations.
6. Development and optimization of CMS process documentation: Creation, revision, and continuous improvement of CMS descriptions, process documentation, work instructions, and policies to ensure full compliance and effectiveness of the CMS.

Learn more about our services in the area of ‘Governance & Compliance’ and feel free to reach out to our Experts for a non-binding consultation.