Post By: Adam Turteltaub

The Agencie Francaise Anticorruption, popularly known as the AFA, recently recorded a podcast with us to give insights into its work.

Maria Lancri, a partner at the Paris law firm of Squair joins us in this podcast to provide further light on the activities of the AFA.

As she explains the recently released guidelines reflect both the AFA’s learning and a great deal of input from the private sector. They represent a substantial evolution from the first guidelines, moving from a more theoretical document to one significantly more practical in its approach. The elements of a compliance program have been organized into three pillars:

* Commitment of senior management

* Using risk mapping

* Management of the identified risks

Based on her reading of the guidelines and AFA actions there are several key takeaways that she shares. First is the importance of commitment by senior management. There must be involvement in the program, the board must be overseeing it, and the budget must be meaningful.

Second, the AFA is willing to recognize that a program can be deemed sufficient and worthy of recognition, even if it does not follow the guidelines precisely.

Third, multiple levels of controls are essentials. The AFA even provides a list of potential controls for an organization to consider.

Listen in to learn more of her insights into the expectations and actions of the AFA.