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.

The Value of Checklists in Compliance Processes

Checklists. We mostly use them to compile our grocery needs and make sure that we don’t arrive back at home having forgotten the milk or eggs. But checklists, as simple as they are, are some of the most powerful tools available to us, in business and in life.
Here we give the history, psychology, and practical reasons for using checklists in organisations.

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.

Imported Food Scares Raise the Need for Better Auditing and Compliance

The recent food scares with imported berries and tuna have raised more than public fear and government scrutiny. They’ve once again raised the importance of – and apparent lack of – proper auditing procedures with many organisations around the globe.
In this article, we look at food safety and discuss the need for replacing current auditing and compliance systems, in order to safeguard public health.

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.