Hans-Joachim Fritz Spoke at Anti-Corruption & Compliance Summit 2010 in Frankfurt

Hans-Joachim Fritz, Partner in the Frankfurt Office, spoke on the capacity of and limits to external ombudsman services at the Anti-Corruption & Compliance Summit 2010 on April 23, 2010, in Frankfurt. Given the large attendance of corporate representatives, Dr. Fritz concentrated on practice-related questions to give the audience not just an overview, but tangible information as to how an external ombudsman service can improve the compliance in a company, e.g. in addition to a whistleblower hotline, a compliance officer, the works council and similar internal instruments. Not just the advantage of an statutory obligation of secrecy (e.g. lawyers, tax advisers), but the impartiality that may convey potential whistleblowers to trust in the ombudsman are just two considerations one has to keep in mind in deciding whether a company installs an external ombudsman service. In addition, Dr. Fritz gave a portfolio of the ombudsman service's preparation and implementation in general, as well as in the case of an emergency.