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In this week's special episode of Great Women in Compliance, Hemma interviews Ellen Hunt, a seasoned compliance professional and recent recipient of the Compliance Week Lifetime Achievement in Compliance Award. Ellen shares her journey from law to compliance, emphasizing the importance of organizational justice, psychological safety, and ethical decision-making. Listeners will gain insights into Ellen's approach to fostering a values-driven culture, her experiences and advice on ensuring transparency, the role of conflict in cultivating psychological safety, and her commitment to nurturing the compliance community. Highlights include: Ellen Hunt's Career Journey and Recent Lifetime Achievement Award Organizational Justice and Compliance The Evolution of Ethics and Compliance The Role of Psychological Safety Ellen's Legacy in Elevating a Compliance Community Biography: Ellen is a lawyer, ethics and compliance professional, audit executive, and chief privacy officer. Before joining Spark Compliance Consulting, A Diligent Brand, Ellen was the Vice President of Compliance Program Operations, Chief Privacy Officer for LifePoint Health, and Senior Vice President of Audit, Ethics, and Compliance Officer for AARP. Ellen was named “Mentor of the Year” by Compliance Week in 2021 and the 2019 Not-For-Profit Compliance Officer of the Year by Women In Compliance. She received the Trust Across America Top Thought Leaders Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and was named a Top Mind by Compliance Week in 2016. Most recently, in April 2025, she was awarded a Lifetime Award for Compliance by Compliance Week. Ellen is an adjunct professor with the Fordham University School of Law, Program for Corporate Ethics and Compliance, teaching the Introduction to Compliance, Capstone, and Crisis Management courses. Ellen serves on the Advisory Boards for the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership, Loyola University Chicago School of Law-Compliance Studies, Compliance Week, and the Quorum Initiative. She is the co-founder of The Seven Elements Book Club, a book club devoted to ethics and compliance authors, and winner of the 2022 award for “Best New Idea” by the Great Women in Compliance podcast.
Innovation comes in many areas, and compliance professionals must be ready for and embrace it. Join Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, as he visits with top innovative minds, thinkers, and creators in the award-winning Innovation in Compliance podcast. Today, we begin a 3-part podcast series sponsored by Diligent with Clint Palermo, Kristy Grant-Hart, and Stephanie Font. In Part 3, Tom is joined by Kristy Grant-Hart, Vice President and Head of Compliance Advisory Services at Spark Compliance Consulting, a Diligent brand, about the state of compliance in the wake of recent changes to FCPA enforcement. They discuss the importance of staying consistent with compliance programs, the role of regulatory bodies worldwide, and the practical implications of modern slavery and trade sanctions. Kristy emphasizes the need for a strategic focus on forward-looking risks and the benefits of combining Diligent's software capabilities with expertise in compliance services. They also underscore the importance of maintaining psychological safety and a speak-up culture within organizations. Key highlights: The Importance of Consistency in Compliance The Power of Combining Compliance Services with Technology Strategic Focus for Compliance Officers Resources: Kristy Grant-Hart on LinkedIn Spark Compliance Visit Diligent Website Tom Fox Instagram Facebook YouTube Twitter LinkedIn
By Adam Turteltaub Compliance professionals can face a lot of resistance in the course of their work: leaders who don't have the time, budget limits, managerial indifference, and even outright hostility. But, sometimes the impediments are inside us. In this podcast, Kristy Grant-Hart, CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting and author of the new book Your Year as a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer, points out that sometimes we get in our own way. It's just easier for us to see what the external blocks are than it is to see those we create for ourselves. Overcome them, she argues by trusting your own value. Ask for what you want, and don't trust that others will see the need. And, when you do ask, be sure to make clear what value the compliance program provides. She also cautions against falling into Imposter Syndrome and feeling as if you don't belong in the room. Sitting there quietly doesn't help, in fact it hurts by giving others the impression that you and the compliance team are not adding value. Instead, speak up at every meeting so that you can be perceived as a contributor. On the personal level, set goals for yourself. Pick an area to deepen your expertise and another to grow personally, such as in speaking publicly or improving your productivity. Also, look to growing your network. Plan on attending in-person meetings and then follow up with the people you meet there. Don't just make them another entry in your Outlook contact list. When it comes to those external barriers, she advises not taking push back personally because most often it isn't personal. People have other commitments. In fact, look at why they are pushing back and evaluate if the criticism is fair. If it is, then adjust your efforts. If it isn't, let it go. Not everyone is going to get along with you. Finally, she discusses how to ensure you don't let work take over your life. Reserve time for family, friends and your passions, and keep those commitments. When it comes to after-hours emails and texts, don't answer them if you don't have to, or if you do, send a delayed respond. That way people learn you won't be responding 24/7/365. Be considerate, too. If you think of something in the evening and want to get a note out that isn't urgent, be sure to let the recipient know they don't need to respond right away. Listen in to learn more about how to clear your internal path and become your own best ally in compliance.
By Adam Turteltaub You're all signed up for the Compliance & Ethics Institute or another SCCE or HCCA conference. Now, how do you make the most out of your time there? Kristy Grant-Hart CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting and a former compliance officer, herself, shares in this podcast several excellent tips for making your conference time truly valuable. Her recommendations: Plan out which sessions you want to attend before you arrive. It makes for a much more strategic and less stressful approach than picking sessions hurriedly at the breaks. Pick the sessions based on both the topic and the speakers you want to listen to and meet. Map out time to do work and answer email. It's a lot easier to sit and listen to a session when you have a defined times to work and a defined time to be fully present at the conference. Start your networking before you go. Announce on LinkedIn that you'll be there and try to connect with others who will be attending. Take advantage of vendor receptions and dinners to meet more people. When you connect onsite, also connect on LinkedIn right then and there. If you promise you'll send someone a follow up email, do it that night before you forget. Don't be afraid to approach people you don't know. They're probably there to meet new people, too. Put your follow-ups for once you're back in the office into a list that you can easily find. Listen in to hear more great ideas for getting the most out of your time at the conference.
By Adam Turteltaub So, you've got a global compliance program. But, what do you do when a local team says, “That doesn't really work here” or “We think it would be better if it were changed to something else for us”? Kristy Grant-Hart, CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting recommends keeping your values the same wherever you operate. Values are typically based on universal ideas. They and your code of conduct should remain constant wherever possible. Communications from the CEO and leadership should also be the same everywhere. You don't want the CEO saying one thing in one country and something else in another. Categories used for reporting and investigations should also be the same everywhere, otherwise it will be difficult, if not impossible, to track where the issues are. Similarly, root cause analysis and risk assessment methodology must be the same globally. So where can you localize? She recommends looking at areas such as gifts and hospitalities. What's reasonable in one region may not be in the other. Look also at employment practices. Having a policy of non-discrimination is good, but in some regions there may be requirements to hire certain indigenous groups. To avoid confusion, she advises defaulting to one policy wherever possible, and be sure to have a version control process in place. You don't want one office to still be operating under an old policy. Listen in to learn more about how to make thoughtful localization decisions, how to get honest feedback locally, and what to do about facilitation payments.
Compliance and ethics expert Kristy Grant-Hart joins us as she discusses the importance of the compliance function, how it plays into each aspect of ESG, and how CCOs are the most well-suited to take the first step in corporate ESG efforts. Watch ▶️ Leading Compliance Efforts as CCOs with Kristy Grant-Hart: Key points discussed in the episode: ✔️ Kristy Grant-Hart talks about the current situation at Spark Consulting, a book she co-authored, The Compliance Entrepreneurs Handbook, and its impact. ✔️ Compliance is a driver for reputation enhancement. People not only vote with their dollars but also their employee time. ✔️ Kristy Grant-Hart says the ability to gather people and put programs into a framework is what CCOs must have to lead ESG efforts. The 7 Elements of Effective Compliance Program can guide CCOs in creating an ESG program and its monitoring and implementation. ✔️ California becomes the first state to pass a gender-diversity-centered initiative. The social element of diversity goes deeper into the working conditions in the supply chain, sustainably-sourced products, and low carbon emissions. ✔️ With ESG, companies can be part of the solution. Bigger names shouldn't receive the brunt of the blame as businesses of all sizes should be accountable. ✔️ With the UK Modern Slavery Act, ESG has been placed at the forefront, pressuring companies to disclose the truth in what transpires in their supply chains. ✔️ Having a strong law background, Kristy Grant-Hart and Thomas Fox exchange ideas on the significance of lawyers in ESG endeavors. Learning the new jargon and talking to experts can help ease the hesitation to delve into this playing field. ✔️ CCOs are encouraged to be the frontrunners in compliance as they hold the authority to create a significant impact on a corporate scale. The ability to be relevant is a great opportunity in compliance. Kristy Grant-Hart is a compliance and data privacy thought leader specializing in transforming compliance departments into in-demand business assets. She's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Compliance Week, Compliance and Ethics Professional Magazine, and many others. She was named a Trust Across America 2019 Top Thought Leader in Trust. She is the CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting, a London, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago-based consultancy providing pragmatic, pro-business, proportionate compliance ethics solutions. She is the creator of Compliance Competitor, an facilitated online training game built on business simulation software. She's the author of the best-selling book, "How to Be a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer." LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristygranthart/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do you have a podcast (or do you want to)? Join the only network dedicated to compliance, risk management, and business ethics, the Compliance Podcast Network. For more information, contact Tom Fox at tfox@tfoxlaw.com.
Kristy Grant-Hart, CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting, a London, Los Angeles, and Atlanta-based consultancy providing pragmatic, pro-business, proportionate compliance ethics solutions. She is the creator of Compliance Competitor, an facilitated online training game built on business simulation software.She's the author of the best-selling book, "How to Be a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer." In addition, Ms. Grant-Hart was an Adjunct Professor at Delaware Law School, Widener University, teaching Global Compliance and Ethics. She can be found at www.ComplianceKristy.com. She's a board member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and Health Care Compliance Association, as well as the AIDS Healthcare Foundation UK.Show Notes:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristygranthart/https://www.sparkcompliance.com/
Kristy Grant-Hart, Joe Murphy, and Kirsten Liston are Tom Fox's guests on this week's episode of the Innovation in Compliance Podcast. Kristy is the CEO and founder of Spark Compliance Consulting, as well as an author and keynote speaker. Joe is currently the editor of the Compliance & Ethics Professional magazine, and the Director of Public Policy. Kirsten is a certified Compliance and Ethics Professional, an author, and a keynote speaker. They join Tom to talk about their book ‘The Compliance Entrepreneur's Handbook', and what insights compliance professionals can use from it in their organizations. The Genesis The Compliance Entrepreneur's Handbook is about helping people who want to go into business in the compliance and ethics field. Kristy explains that there was an initial presentation and that the three of them were assigned sections of the book to write. “Each one of us wrote an original draft of those sections, switched them so that each person made comments on them, and then I did the edit where we put it all together. So it had essentially one voice but you can still pretty clearly hear the dynamics and the interesting stories of each individual person, and that's how it came to be,” she tells Tom. What Do You Need The book is structured to answer the questions of ‘What do I do now?' ‘What decisions can I make?' and ‘Who should I partner with?' It shows entrepreneurs how to execute a compliance startup, as well as critical marketing, sales, and exit strategies. An exit strategy is especially important, and something entrepreneurs don't think about in the beginning. “If your plan doesn't include an exit, then it's the wrong plan. You don't have to exit in five years but you should be thinking about making your business ready to sell,” Kristy stresses. An Entrepreneur's Advice Tom asks Kristy, Kirsten, and Joe to share their top pieces of advice to individuals who wish to start the entrepreneurship journey. Kirsten emphasizes nailing down the money, setting up your account, and knowing how to read a balance sheet. “You need to make sure you're selling something for a profit, and that that profit is reaching you soon enough to pay for the work to deliver it,” she remarks. Kristy stresses on planning to have a business. Most people get caught up in the idea of having a business but do not plan for it, nor do they take into account all the legal documents that are needed or putting their website together. Joe shares some insight for entrepreneurs who are introverts. “Don't think just because you're an introvert you can't do this. You just need to team with people who have complementary skills. One [other] piece of advice I have for anybody going into business is read the Wall Street Journal every day,” he says. The Best and Worst Parts of Being an Entrepreneur The best part of being an entrepreneur to Kirsten is owning the business. All the profit and all the successes are yours, and all the decisions are your own to make. On the other side, one of the worst parts of being an entrepreneur is that you own the business. Meaning that any losses or failures are yours to bear, and that your employees look to you to fix the problems that may occur. An advantage of being an entrepreneur to Kristy is the freedom to develop strategy, and the freedom to make choices without anyone telling you no. Alternatively, a disadvantage to her is managing the emotional aspect of it all. For Joe, the best and worst parts of being an entrepreneur is the freedom and control over what you do professionally but being treated like you don't belong [in the compliance realm] because you're a vendor. Resources Kristy Grant-Hart | LinkedIn | Twitter Compliance Kristy Spark Compliance Consulting Joe Murphy | LinkedIn | Twitter Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Kirsten Liston | LinkedIn Rethink Compliance The Compliance Entrepreneur's Handbook Texas Tax rate at 80% of 8.25%
Third parties are still perceived as the most prominent high risk for companies. Other than bribery and corruption -- modern slavery/human trafficking, data privacy, information and cybersecurity, anti-money laundering, and other areas are requiring third-party integrated risk assessment and planning. Compliance and data privacy law thought leader Kristy Grant-Hart, CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting, offers an innovative approach and inspiring perspective in this conversation. Major takeaways discussed in the episode: Bribery and Corruption: This remains the most significant problem since the general business population's perception that what a third party does on your behalf isn't your problem. Because some countries have laws like that, this built the sensibility that "if I didn't do it, then it doesn't matter." Due Diligence Integration: Every company is different; however, it is crucial to apply a comprehensive and consistent approach to conducting due diligence in all categories in appointing and maintaining relationships with third parties. Scoping: By defining the degree of risk to be reviewed and identifying the highest probable risk scenario, this will be based on the quantitative things that we know, like the CPI score, like the Trafficking in-person report. That's where you try to start so that you're looking at the right risk with the right tools. Digital Assets: Many parts of the business are not working together to have that third-party onboarding. The problem is that they don't want to work together necessarily. Using various technology-enabled solutions for your clients will enable you to clearly and effectively see across the entire risk spectrum. About Thomas Fox: Thomas Fox, the Compliance Evangelist®, is one of the leading writers, thinkers, and commentators on anti-bribery and anti-corruption compliance. In this latest edition of The Compliance Handbook, he continues to arm seasoned compliance professionals and those new to the realm with the practical, actionable guidance and tools needed to design, create, implement and continually enhance a best practices compliance program. The "Nuts and Bolts" for Creating a Comprehensive Compliance Plan This chapter of this unique work lays out a succinct yet thorough one-month approach to operationalizing a company's compliance regimen. Beginning with a section on what 2020 brought to the compliance landscape, each chapter methodically outlines best practices for everything from establishing policies, procedures, and internal controls, to assessing risk, training, handling investigations, and more. Each day ends with three key takeaways you can implement at little or no cost. Understanding Compliance Responsibility Across the Organization The Compliance Handbook also takes a close look at all professionals' roles with compliance responsibility, from Compliance Officers and Boards of Directors to Human Resources, to Internal Audit and Internal Controls and Communications and Training professionals. In-Depth Treatment of Hot Topics and Trends The Handbook provides an in-depth look at the latest thinking and trends for the full range of critical compliance topics, including: • Compliance and business ventures • Third-party risk management • The Board's Role in Compliance • Continuous improvement • Compliance innovation • And much more Order your copy OR copies of The Compliance Handbook: A Guide to Operationalizing Your Compliance Program. Save 25% off. http://www.lexisnexis.com/fox25
On today’s show, Tom chats with Kristy Grant-Hart, CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting. She and her team have developed a Spark Score Report, a tool to help you discover how your compliance program looks to the outside world. Kristy and Tom discuss the Spark Score report, what it means for your business and the industry, and how you can find out if your presence shows how truly committed your company is to compliance. What is the Spark Score Report? Is there a gap between how good your program is internally, and how it’s perceived externally? The Spark Score is a free report that gives you insights into just that. It’s a benchmarking tool that tells you what customers and outsiders see. Many underestimate just how important this information is. The public is looking at what you put out there. They’re searching for your presence — and this innovation solves this business need. This report that can be taken back to your company (e.g. your C-suite or managers) to help evaluate how your company is doing vis-à-vis others in the industry. Are you showing your commitment to compliance in a way that is quantifiable and benchmarkable? The report does that research for you. How is it measured? There are six different factors: Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance, Whistle-Blower Provisions, Anti-Bribery Commitments, Data Privacy, and Modern Slavery / Sustainability. These are weighted based on importance and how the factors work, so you can see where you fall out. Kristy shares examples of things the report evaluates, and underscores the point: if you want to show people what is good about your program, there are ways to do it. Gathering a Database As Spark Consulting generates reports, they are also gathering a database of best practices. Which industries have the best approaches? And how can this affect — and help — other industries? The aim of the report is not solely to provide companies with information, it’s about raising everybody’s game to be better. Resources for KristyLinkedInWebsiteSpark Score ReportSpark Compliance Consulting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An accomplished compliance professional and true expert in her field, Kristy Grant-Hart joins Kimberley Cole to provide a powerful guide on how to be a wildly strategic and wildly effective compliance officer! She is CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting, author, speaker, professor and a former CCO, with an innovative approach and inspiring perspective of the compliance field.
Catherine Short talks with Kristy Grant-Hart, Founder and CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting about her brand-new book, “How to have a Wildly Successful Career in Compliance.” We will discuss the how her book is great for those who are curious about becoming part of the compliance profession, but don’t know what the options are, or The post How to have a Wildly Successful Career in Compliance appeared first on First Healthcare Compliance.
Catherine Short talks with Kristy Grant-Hart, Founder and CEO of Spark Compliance Consulting about her brand-new book, “How to have a Wildly Successful Career in Compliance.” We will discuss the how her book is great for those who are curious about becoming part of the compliance profession, but don’t know what the options are, or... The post How to have a Wildly Successful Career in Compliance appeared first on First Healthcare Compliance.
On this episode of Compliance Hero, Kathlyn (Lyn) L. Farrell speaks with Kristy Grant Hart, Founder and CEO, Spark Compliance Consulting, about “Five Ways to be a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer.”
In this episode, I visit with Kristy Grant-Hart, founder of Spark Compliance Consulting and author of now three books in the compliance arena. We discuss her most recent book “How to Have a Wildly Successful Career in Compliance", which will be released on Amazon.com on June 19. For those of you who have seen Kristy speak you know she is high energy and very passionate about compliance and the compliance profession. She channels that energy and passion into her latest book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode I am joined by Ruth Steinholtz of AretéWork, Jonathan Armstrong of Cordery Compliance and Kristy Grant-Hart of Spark Compliance Consulting and author of How To Be a Wildly Effective Compliance Officer for a roundtable discussion of the recently concluded SCCE European Compliance and Ethics Institute. We discuss some of the highlights, the changes this group of compliance practitioners has seen and where compliance may be headed in 2017 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices