When hindsight is 20/20: Five key questions to ask at the start of an internal investigation

Abstract

Increasingly, allegations of significant corporate wrongdoing and inquiries from governmental agencies result in companies initiating internal investigations as a practical tool to find out whether there was wrong doing, what happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. This article discusses five essential questions that a company must address when it is faced with a decision on whether to conduct an internal investigation. Do I have to investigate? Who should lead the investigation? How soon can the investigation be completed? What do I need to do to keep the information confidential? And finally, do I have to disclose this to the public.

Citation

Codon, D., Laitinen, S.K.M., Vaccaro, K.L. and Todd Jones, B. (2004), "When hindsight is 20/20: Five key questions to ask at the start of an internal investigation", Journal of Investment Compliance, Vol. 5 No. 2, pp. 148-154. https://doi.org/10.1108/15285810410636082