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Standards and integrity
Rules your compliance team can rely on.
Clear standards that keep every engagement lawful, documented and independent, consistent with the expectations of international investors, companies and funders.
Standards
The rules that govern every engagement.
These standards apply to our analysts, associates and every expert we engage, and they are written into our engagement and expert terms.
- Anti-corruptionOur standards are aligned with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the UK Bribery Act. No payment, gift, hospitality or other benefit is offered to any public official, or to any other person, in connection with an engagement.
- Lawful and ethical researchWe collect information only by lawful means. We do not use pretexting, deception, hacking, or the purchase of confidential records, and we do not ask sources to breach a duty of confidentiality.
- Material non-public informationWe never solicit, receive or pass on material non-public information or information held under a duty of confidentiality. Serving officials are not engaged for paid consultations.
- Conflicts of interestEvery engagement and every expert is screened for conflicts before work begins. Where a conflict cannot be managed, we decline the work.
- SanctionsWe screen clients, counterparties and experts against applicable sanctions lists, and we do not undertake work that would breach UN, US, UK or EU sanctions.
- No lobbying, no influenceWe do not lobby on behalf of clients, claim influence over official decisions, or promise outcomes or timelines that depend on officials.
- IndependenceOur judgements are our own. Clients commission questions, not conclusions, and no client has editorial control over anything we publish.
- Data protectionClient materials are held on access-controlled systems, shared only with the people assigned to the engagement, and deleted or returned at the end of the engagement on request.
In practice
What we do, and what we never do.
- We doResearch, analysis, due diligence and scenario work; expert consultations under written terms; preparation for meetings clients arrange through official channels; written records of what we found and how.
- We neverOffer payments, gifts or benefits to officials; claim influence over official decisions; lobby on a client's behalf; obtain information by deception or unlawful means; provide legal, tax or investment advice.
Documentation
Supplier due diligence, on request.
Our terms of engagement, expert network terms and compliance commitments are provided with every proposal. We will complete your supplier onboarding, anti-corruption and information security questionnaires at the scoping stage.
Bring us the question that matters most.
Book a free 30-minute briefing call with a senior analyst. Within two business days of the call you receive a written note on how we would approach it.
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