Amidst the rapidly evolving business landscape, companies face myriad challenges, from navigating complex regulatory environments to maintaining their reputation under increasing scrutiny. However, there's a common misconception among organizations without a corporate compliance culture: That they don't need one.

Some leaders believe their businesses are immune to ethical lapses or compliance issues because they "always do the right thing," rely on a set of unwritten values, or trust their team implicitly. Family-owned, small, and midsized enterprises frequently share this belief, mistakenly assuming that ethics and compliance (E&C) programs are designed solely for large global corporations. However, this belief is not only misguided but can also lead to significant negative outcomes, such as financial losses, legal issues, reputational damage and reduced competitiveness.