Brexit To Save CIty £12 Billion A Year In Slashig EU Red Tape

By ECM Plus Staff

Britain’s financial services sector will gain an extra £12 billion a year in revenues as a result of the nation taking back control of regulation when it leaves the EU, according to a new report.

Research confirms that Facebook, Twitter and Google are spying on users

big brother (Photo credit: Vince_Lamb)

Social networks: can robots violate user privacy?

ECM Plus +++ Recent news in the international media has revealed numerous Internet privacy concerns that definitely deserve attention and further investigation, which is why Geneva-based High-Tech Bridge  decided to conduct a simple technical experiment to verify how the 50 largest social networks, web services and free emails systems respect – or indeed abuse – the privacy of their users.

According to High-Tech Bridge, the experiment and its results can be reproduced by anyone, as we tried to be as neutral and objective as possible.

Half of firms suffering from cloudphobia – survey

Snoopers (sic) Paradise (Photo credit: the justified sinner)

Fear of governments snooping deters companies from using the cloud

ECM Plus +++ Almost half of IT experts are deterred from keeping sensitive data in the cloud because of fear of government intervention and possible legal action, according to a new survey from Lieberman Software which was released today.

FEATURE: The Wisdom Of Integral Management Vs. Corporate Narcissism

Meetings: Corporate Narcissism? (Photo credit: lhl)

by Mats Eriksson

You have probably already heard this ancient wisdom tale: There was once a king who wanted to marry off his daughter. Naturally he wanted to find a smart and wise son-in-law. So he arranged a test for all her suitors. They had to go into a dark room and determine what was in it.

Euro crisis to last a decade – Farage

Nigel Farage with Members of the University of York Freedom Association Society (Photo credit: The Freedom Association)

Currency crisis to bring ‘creeping European dictatorship’

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Businesses trying to plan investment for the future and commerce with increasing mountains of bureaucratic ‘jobsworth’ red tape, compliance, regulations and directives from across the sea had a wake up call this week.

Responding to the ‘State of the Union’ speech by Eurocrat Manuel Barroso, UKIP leader Nigel Farage said Barroso had “totally underestimated the complete fanaticism, Mr Barroso of you, your college of commissioners and the European central bank.”

Big bank insider exposes $20bn UBS tax evasion, awarded $104m

National Whistleblowers Center – www.whistleblowers.org

Whistleblower bags massive $104 million reward for foiling bankster scam

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /Washington, D.C./ +++ Former UBS banker Bradley Birkenfeld has won a massive whistleblower reward of $104 million for his contributions in providing the U.S. Government with insider information on UBS’ illegal offshore banking scheme.

According to the National Whistleblowers Center, this is believed to be the largest reward ever given to an individual whistleblower in the United States and the first major reward issued under the IRS tax whistleblower law.

Foundation sues over email and phone hacking allegations

Electronic Frontier Foundation

EFF says government ‘withholding information’ about ‘unconstitutional spying’

Washington, D.C. – The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) sued the Department of Justice (DOJ) today, demanding answers about illegal email and telephone call surveillance at the National Security Agency (NSA).

Storage spat heightens as Quantum sues Overland

Image via CrunchBase

Patent infringement battle hots up, response to Overland lawsuit denies patent infringement by Quantum

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus /London/ +++ Data protection and big data management behemoth Quantum Corp. has today filed suit against Overland Storage for patent infringement in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.

Walmart in the doghouse again as CSR slouches

Every little helps

130,000 call out retail behemoth Walmart’s supplier for ‘forced labor’ and ‘brutal conditions’

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVWos-FBLjQ

ECM Plus +++ In yet another corporate social responsibility PR blunder, a worker’s campaign on change.org is calls on retail giant Walmart to cancel a contract with a seafood supplier accusing the retail corporate of ‘forced labor’. 

Assets finding safe haven in Britain – report

Safe as houses: assets bolt for Blighty's bricks

Economic jitters weigh heavy as property market indicators flatter to deceive

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The latest ‘Property Snapshot’ by real estate analysts Colliers International reveals that the lack of robust property fundamentals continues to be more than offset by international economic and political fear.

According to Colliers, safe haven investment is now flowing into British property, in what it calls ‘a defining market feature.’

Key new findings for the economy, Colliers said that despite a positive Q3 of 2011 GDP outturn, uncertainty and concerns about Britain’s economic prospects, what it calls the ‘Eurozone fallout’ and financial issues continue to restrain capital investment and consumer spending substantially.

Corporate counsel group hails in-house value of the law

And Justice For All: Law takes centre stage in corporate value chain

Next phase of the ACC value challenge to focus on In-house counsel successes

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) has just launched ‘ACC Value  Champions’ for the next phase of its ‘Value Challenge’ initiative.

According to the association, the new recognition programme will identify, celebrate and publicize successful law department value initiatives and law firm/client collaborations under the banner of the ACC Value Challenge. ACC Value Champions will showcase individuals in departments and law firms who are making a difference for their organizations through creativity and value-based legal management skills.

Glaring gaps as social injustices widen across nations – study

Justice For All

Wide gaps in social justice, comparison finds Britain only in the middle rankings

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Great Britain still has some catching up to do in terms of social justice, according to new research just published by the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

According to the study, among a total of 31 OECD nations, Britain occupies 15th place, in the middle of the ranking.

South African Wal-Mart mega-merger in ‘fundamentally flawed’ claim

Unions appealing rulings as 'flawed'

Appeal against Wal-Mart and Massmart merger in South Africa

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Court hearing commences today to determine whether the South African merger of Wal-Mart and Massmart can proceed, or whether the matter should be referred back to the Competition Tribunal for consideration.

Three South African Government Ministries, supported by labour federation COSATU, are appealing based on their claim that the earlier Competition Tribunal proceedings were fundamentally flawed and are seeking a full rehearing of the matter.

Charges for state inspections will hit small firms hardest

Concerns over 'revenue generating' inspections. Image: Eleventh Earl of Mar

Proposals for ‘elf’n’safety’ jobsworths to charge for inspections

ECM Plus +++ Draconian new state proposals to charge small enterprises for ‘material’ faults found during inspections by the Health and Safety Executive could damage relationships and may be seen as a way to ‘raise revenue’ rather than improving compliance, says the Federation of Small Businesses in response to a consultation which closed Friday.

In a classic case of ‘mission creep’, the HSE quango is proposing to ‘extend’ its current systems of ‘cost recovery’ to include a ‘fee’ for ‘intervention’ where an inspector will charge for the inspection and any subsequent actions when a ‘material’ fault has been found.

Quango tinkering ignores true diversity on company boards

FR

Still no room for disabled in diversity

Financial Reporting Council ignores disabled talent in favour of just women in touting ‘benefits of diversity on corporate board appointments

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The FRC has proclaimed changes to their ‘UK Corporate Governance Code’ and is urging companies to respond ‘rapidly’.

FRC has decide to amend Britain’s Corporate Governance Code was meant to strengthen the “principle” on boardroom diversity.

Sixth amendment sees new governance platform for DocAve

DocAve 6 now proffers governance features. Image: Jens Gyldenkærne Clausen

AvePoint intros DocAve 6 enterprise-class management platform for SharePoint governance

By ECM Plus

ECM Plus +++ AvePoint has just released a public beta of its new DocAve 6, which it claims is now an enterprise-class management platform for SharePoint governance.

According to the company, this sixth version of DocAve enables security and compliance for enterprise content.

Banks failing to meet SME needs – report

Banks failing businesses - report

Banks around world failing to meet government commitments – VRL Financial News

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ In a new damning report ‘The Best Practices In SME Banking’ released today, top financial and professional services information provider VRL has found that despite demands over commitment by banks to lend more to small-to-medium sized enterprises, in real terms, lending is in fact ‘growing at a snails’ pace’ the report states.

Governance overhaul proposals as FRC moots corporate reform

Reality check for corporatism. Image – Niklas Barsk

Audit committee overhaul and specificity dominate reform plans

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ The Financial Reporting Council has just launched a brace of new documents, enttled ‘Boards and Risk – A Summary of Discussions with Companies, Investors and Advisers’, and, ‘Boards and Risk – A Summary of Discussions with Companies, Investors and Advisers’ discussing effective corporate stewardship, a move to address more corporate transparency.

WEEKEND PLUS: Jobsworths ponder putsch on small biz red tape

Minister Edward Davey: "...freedom to innovate and grow..." Image - bisgovuk.

Government and FRC consider cutting financial reporting burden for small businesses

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Proposals to simplify the financial and corporate reporting requirements for the smallest businesses are the subject of a new ‘Discussion Paper’ published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (formerly DTI) and the Financial Reporting Council.

Dubbed ‘Simpler Reporting for Smaller Businesses’, the discussion paper sets out ideas to reduce the amount of reporting micro-entities would be required to undertake.

FRC said this could benefit around 5 million businesses and result in considerable cost savings in relation to the preparation of their accounts.

BRITISH RIOTS: Insurers extend terms for businesses and claimants

Riot Act protection extended to the max

Building and content insurance scheme extended to take into account businesses and communities

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ According to reports, the Riot Act police compensation schemes will operate as normal and the insurance industry said it had promised to use its expertise to help the government and police implement the scheme.

ABI said they will be supporting the extension to the maximum of 42 days the amount of time claims can be made under the scheme.

ABI said it was revising its estimated figure of claims likely to be paid out by the insurance industry to be over £200 million.

TRAINING: Jobsworths’ jollies just wasting taxpayers’ money

Call for independent overhaul of jobsworth training

£275 million a year ‘wasted’ on ineffectual training, is “the tip of the iceberg”

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ A new report has exposed that £275 million is being wasted on ineffectual training courses by the British Civil Service which has been described as ‘the tip of the iceberg of Britain’s culture of poorly-targeted staff development’.

Credit crunch driving SMEs to ‘raid the family silver’

SME sector - the engine of economies

47 percent of Britain’s small business owners inject personal cash into their companies to stay afloat

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Rising business costs are adversely affecting the private lives and personal finances of many SME owners, according to a new study by Make It Cheaper and the Centre for Economic and Business Research.

WEEKEND PLUS: Scapegoating scheme not helping – ICM

Francis Maude

ICM says Maude’ ‘name and shame’ plans ‘unworkable’

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Government plans to ‘name and shame’ late payers is impractical, unworkable and yet another missed opportunity, according to the Institute of Credit Management.

ICM said that such a ruse appeared to be to ‘chase a headline’ rather than address the fundamental issue that should be focused around up-skilling businesses and giving them the tools to better understand the value and importance of best credit management practice, it said in a statement.

NNDB gets corporate board content all mapped out

NNDB Mapper helps put connections under scrutiny

New update for content at NNDB corporate board mapping

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Look out LinkedIn. NNDB has updated its free \NNDB Mapper search engine, the visual tool that explores the connections and linkages between people.

According to NNDB, the NNDB Mapper now navigates biographical data collected in NNDB now topping more than 32,000 individuals, with coverage linking the worlds of business, politics, science and culture.

MEGA-Approva deal melds controls into enterprise GRC powerplay

Control meets governance in new alliance

Firms collaborate for automate GRC processes

By ECM Plus staff

ECM Plus +++ Enterprise governance, risk and compliance specialist MEGA has just teamed up with continuous controls monitoring and audit bellwether Approva to market a new optimised GRC offering.