From sanctions and anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement to reputational risk, you need to know who you're really doing business with. This means being able to understand corporate structures and beneficial ownership as part of your organization’s due diligence processes. And it doesn’t stop there.
Our latest whitepaper “Transparent trade” explores:
- what beneficial ownership is and how it’s defined by different regulators
- how companies can face fines, be sanctioned or sanctioned by extension through their third-party relationships
- why having the right data is important not only for understanding ownership but also knowing who could exercise control over an entity or organization
Understanding control
Identifying who controls your third-parties isn't always easy. “Control” is not just about ownership; it can be about shareholder power and alliances that form behind the scenes.
In our webinar “Exploring shareholder power and control”, we asked 1,300 professionals in the audience to answer questions about their due diligence processes and "control". Of the respondents, 30% said they had processes to address the differences between controlling entities and majority shareholders, and only 21% were considering making it a part of their due diligence programs.
Our white paper identifies high-profile cases of regulatory enforcement and distinguishes ownership from control. It also highlights the tools and data that can help organizations avoid the pitfalls of not knowing the full extent of their third-party relationships, including who’s in control.
“It’s all about alliances and what could be going on behind the scenes,” says Bill Hauserman, senior director of compliance solutions for Bureau van Dijk. “Even businesses not required to have an AML program should use KYC [know your customer] and other due diligence tools to mitigate hidden risks to their reputation and avoid fines.”
Download the white paper to learn more about the importance of beneficial ownership and control, and how they’re different.