S2E12 | Global Ethics and Compliance With a Local Flavor: Jonathan Drimmer on Tailoring Values-Based Programs for Multinationals

“Go out with people in the field. Watch them do their jobs. Ask questions. The challenge for a lot of compliance folks is we’re often telling people how to do things, as opposed to watching and learning how people are doing things and try to identify ways to integrate into their approaches. … In the end, it’s going to make your advice much more effective, much more efficient, and much more tailored to the specific needs of each functional unit that you are engaging with.”

“One-size-fits-all approaches really don’t work. In fact, I think it’s the opposite; compliance risks are local. The best programs, in my view, for multinational companies are almost a series of individually designed programs for each locale. And the consistency surrounds the infrastructure, the rigor and the continued message about the importance of ethics and compliance.”

On this episode of the Principled podcast, host Ben DiPietro, editor of LRN’s ENC Newsletter, interviews Jonathan Drimmer, a Partner of the law firm, Paul Hastings, LLP. Prior to his current role, Jonathan was the Chief Compliance Officer at Barrack Gold, a large mining company, where he worked to improve the programs across five continents, including workforce engagement, training, monitoring through metrics, driving company culture through behavioral modeling, and using values to positively identify third parties to work with. Jonathan explains how a one-size-fits-all Compliance program doesn’t work for a multinational company, and how programs, training and engagement can all be improved by taking a hyper-local approach to each locale.

What You’ll Learn on This Episode
[0:58] Drimmer recounts his journey from being a lawyer to getting into ethics and compliance, and what he does in his role at Paul Hastings?

[3:25] During his time at Barrack, what were the main ethics and compliance challenges Drimmer faced and how did he handle those? How did the program change or improve during his tenure?

[6:29] How did he deal with the issues in far-flung jurisdictions when integrating the ethics and compliance program with the human rights program.

[8:49] What are some tips to ensure program consistency and yet still be specific to each locale that you are doing business in?

[10:04] How can training better engage stakeholders in the company’s ethics and compliance program?

[12:15] What are two things that companies should do, but often don’t, to better embed ethics and compliance in the organization?

[14:10] Drimmer provides tips for ethics and compliance professionals to build key relationships that bolster buy-in and support in organizations?

[15:32] What does he predict will be happening in ethics and compliance over the next 10 or 25 years?

Find this episode of Principled on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Podyssey or anywhere you listen to podcasts.