Background checks
Strong risk and security management requires insight into suppliers, partners, and the circumstances and people relevant to investments in other companies. Performing background checks of companies and key personnel to uncover potential integrity issues, or other types of issues that could increase the risk to you or your business, is fundamental to good risk management. Without this information, companies may enter into important contracts before discovering circumstances that they should have been aware of beforehand, such as:
- Unclear ownership structures and/or integrity risk pertaining to major shareholders or key personnel
- Direct or indirect risk resulting from sanctions
- Legal disputes with customers, suppliers, or employees
- Issues related to reputation, negative media coverage, affiliation with criminal milieus or high-risk states, etc. either through the company itself or through its management
- Records of non-payment, negative auditor-remarks, history of bankruptcy, or other issues related to the company or its management which could result in an increased risk for you as a client
Tools and approach
Background checks are particularly valuable when they are conducted within the framework of a strong contextual understanding, and when they are appropriately scaled. We can perform both surface-level and in-depth background checks, ranging from initial discovery checks to more comprehensive investigations, including on-site audits and interviews. We have access to necessary sources and we employ a variety of methods, including Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques, in order to produce an exhaustive final report. We have access to a global network for obtaining information from local sources and/or conducting local surveys when necessary. Human Intelligence (HUMINT) may, occasionally, also be necessary. Our observations are usually summarised in a written report which pedagogically presents all relevant findings. Our background checks are always conducted in accordance with applicable Norwegian laws and regulations (GDPR).
Examples
Below are typical situations in which we can assist clients by performing background checks:
- Entering into partnerships, joint ventures, etc.
- Investments, including investments in new fields/technology
- Takeovers, mergers, equity raising
- Purchasing processes
- Recruitment of management or other key positions
- Entering into contracts or agreements with important suppliers, clients, or buyers
- Recruitment of key personnel for employment or hire
- Technology sales, for example “dual-use-goods” to foreign buyers
When buying or investing in a venture, we can perform portfolio and/or transaction analyses to identify potential compliance risks. That way, we can ensure that any historical circumstances related to regulatory responsibility are discovered.
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