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Focus on ethics can grow Meetings Management programs
Inappropriate meetings and events spending will get your company the wrong kind of headlines, damaging the reputations of the company, the meeting manager, and the suppliers involved.
In China, for example, travel agencies and travel agents have been labeled "criminal conspirators" in a bribery case involving GlaxoSmithKline (http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?news_id=2007287).
The increased focus on compliance and ethics has moved Carlson Wagonlit Travel to offer up the following tips for corporate buyers of travel and meetings services:
Increase your oversight.
Centrally manage as much spend as possible to ensure proper scrutiny and discourage the use of cash. A formal Strategic Meetings Management program not only saves money but also ensures that all spending is accountedf or.
Ask for proof.
Implement formal approval processes, expense reporting, and auditing procedures to help ensure that all spending is accounted for.
For meetings specifically, clearly articulate the purpose for every event and expenditure, and align the money spent with the accomplishment of those goals and the applicable regulatory requirements.
Make sure the providers you work with have their own high standards for ethical conduct and accountability.
Know your suppliers.
The fewer providers involved, the more each can be held accountable.
Understand the rules.
Regulations applying to ethics vary around the world, and sometimes even conflict. include legal and compliance experts to help you understand the requirements of the countries in which your company operates.
CWT itself is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, which addresses anti-corruption and other ethical topics.
By Cheryl Rosen
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