Screenshot of new Learning Management dashboard

VinciWorks recently hosted a webinar taking attendees through the new learning management system, including which features will be added when we update from LMS 5 to LMS 6. You can watch the full webinar, as well as access the slides and helpful resources, below.

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Some of the features that will be included in LMS 6

HR Integration

Joiners automatically enrol in onboarding courses, leavers are automatically deactivated and any personal details remain in sync.

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Since May 2014, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), as part of their Looking to the Future program, have carried out a number of public consultation papers regarding reforms to allow greater flexibility for solicitors and law firms, with the aim to make legal services more accessible to the public.

In August 2018, the SRA applied to the Legal Services Board (LSB) to approve their new regulatory arrangements which they are hoping to release during 2019. The answer from the LSB was expected within 28 days. However, the LSB has just extended their decision period to 90 days, meaning a ruling on the new SRA’s regulatory arrangements is now expected by November 5, 2018.

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Currys PC World is the latest in a long line of corporations to suffer a large-scale data breach, but the positive news to take from the story is the swiftness and clarity of their response. One of our colleagues, as a Currys PC World customer, received an email explaining the loss of data, what was involved, and what he should do to protect himself from fraud.

The message was comprehensive and apologetic – and suggests that British businesses are finally learning how to respond to these kinds of cyber crimes.

The recent news from Currys PC World came in two waves; at first, they believed that 1.2 million customers were affected, although no payment card information was involved. Several weeks later the electronics giant had to report that the scale of the problem was far larger. After an internal investigation they put the number of customers affected at 10 million.

Currys PC World reports that none of their customers has been directly defrauded in the immediate aftermath of the data breach. But we know from previous hacks that customer data is rarely used in isolation; instead, this kind of information is used as bait in phishing attacks. With customer data in their hands, fraudsters can dupe people into handing over more information which then gives them access to bank accounts, payment cards and online stores.

So, the true impact of this kind of data breach is unlikely to be immediately obvious – and people who are defrauded six or nine months from now may never know that their loss originated with lax security at Currys PC World.

Alex Neill of Which? commented on the incident: “Dixons Carphone customers will be alarmed to hear about this massive data breach and will be asking why it has taken so long for the company to uncover the extent of its security failure. It is now critical that the company moves quickly to ensure those affected get clear information about what has happened and what steps they should take to protect themselves.”

The letter from Currys PC World is commendably clear and direct: “Our investigation, which is now nearing completion, has identified that approximately 10 million records containing personal data may have been accessed in 2017. This unauthorised access to data may include personal information such as name, address, phone number, date of birth and email address.”

Currys PC World also laid out clear guidance for their customers on how to minimise the risk of fraud:

  • If you receive an unsolicited email, letter, text or phone call asking for personal information, never reveal any full passwords, login details or account numbers until you are certain of the identity of the person making the request. Please do not click on any links you do not recognise.
  • If you think you have been a victim of fraud you should report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and internet crime reporting centre, on 0300 123 2040*.
  • We also recommend that people are vigilant against any suspicious activity on their bank accounts and contact their financial provider if they have concerns.

Although the value of Currys PC World shares fell after news of the initial data breach was revealed, markets reacted less extremely to the second wave of news, with shares actually rising slightly. This may reflect a degree of breach fatigue – or a belief that the high street’s last electronics retailer has already paid the price for its security failure.

Are data breaches an inevitable part of a society that lives and trades online? Or will businesses eventually find systems and processes to outfox the data bandits?

Worried about data breaches? Find out more about Data Protection eLearning from VinciWorks.

Screenshots of VinciWorks' sexual harassment course
MyStory: Harassment and Bullying at Work is built around three main sections: Experience, Explore and Share

VinciWorks’ new #MeToo-inspired sexual harassment training solution, MyStory: Harassment and Bullying at Work, has been shortlisted for “Best use of mobile learning” at the prestigious Learning Technologies Awards 2018.

MyStory directly applies the powerful lessons of the recent global outcry against sexual harassment in the workplace through innovative storytelling and a mobile-first design. Soon to be available to download on app stores for free, the course changes the paradigm of previously ineffective, legalistic harassment training by bringing real stories of harassment to life. The course connects users to a global movement and provides everyone with a safe platform to raise their voice against bullying and harassment at work.

MyStory: Harassment and Bullying at Work – Free demo

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Computer with post-it note on it saying "hey sexy"

VinciWorks continuously receives questions on the topic of sexual harassment. We
have separated our answers to the questions into three categories: general
questions about sexual harassment, questions about behavior at work and
questions frequently asked by supervisors. The full list of questions and answers is
included in VinciWorks’ sexual harassment training, MyStory: Harassment and Bullying at
Work. Here are just some of the questions we have answered on the topic. You can access all the FAQs from the sexual harassment prevention resource page.

Should I avoid giving compliments?

Giving someone a genuine compliment about the way they look or dress is not the
same as sexual harassment. It can become sexual harassment however if
accompanied by inappropriate behavior, such as leering, catcalls, sexual innuendo,
or comments given to only one person repeatedly. Comments that infantilize or
sexualize a person are always inappropriate, these could include:
“Hey baby / doll / sexy / beautiful…”
“Why can’t everyone look as beautiful as you?”

What if the harassment is not sexual, but directed at me because of mygender?

Non-sexual conduct is still considered unlawful if it qualifies as being severe,
pervasive and singles you out because of your gender. For example, a supervisor
stating that he doesn’t think a woman should be doing your job and deliberately
insults and ridicules you because of your gender is harassment. Insulting someone
because they do not conform to stereotypes about how someone of a particular
gender should behave is also harassment. For example, degrading a man because
he is a kindergarten teacher or a nurse.

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Webinar invitation banner

Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio have been busy putting the city and state on the right side of #MeToo, the global anti-sexual harassment movement. A flurry of new laws and requirements on New York State and City businesses have been added to the books, with more coming into force over the next few months. During this free webinar, Legal and Research Executive Ruth Cohen clarified the requirements under New York law and provided tools and best practice for compliance.

Watch now

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A lighthouse by the sea

17 October, 8:30am — 12:00pm, London

What if you could enhance your risk identification process, better facilitate risk conversations, reveal awkward risks and black swans, and present those risks to the leadership with clarity and insight? VinciWorks invites you to attend a risk identification masterclass to learn breakthrough techniques and develop your own risk identification toolkit. This class will provide you with the skills and confidence required to identify risks at a whole new level through a safe and constructive process.

Location: A beautiful Law Society venue in central London (113 Chancery Lane, WC2A 1PL)

Cost: The event will cost £149 per delegate and £99 for each additional delegate.

Register now

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Post-it notes on a laptop saying "bias"

When making any decision, from deciding what to have for dinner to buying a house, it’s possible that many biases will come into play. For example, a previous deal for a house that fell through may well result in anxieties that it could happen again. Alternatively, the meal you made last week was so good you’re confident you can make it again without using the recipe. While not realising it, perceptions may be subject to certain types of biases that affect our everyday decision making. For risk and compliance managers, it is important to be aware of these biases, how they can affect risk identification and how to limit their role in clouding judgment.

Which biases affect risk management decisions?

When undertaking risk identification, assessments, or attending risk committee meetings, there is the potential that the biases influencing the outcome of those sessions mean that you are liable to arrive at your conclusions without considering alternatives. This could lead to the failure of identification of key risks. When identifying risks, several biases may come into play:

Confirmation bias

As a species we have evolved to care about what others think about us; this is at the root of unconscious bias. We want other people to approve of our views and opinions, and so we seek out others who will “confirm” our position. In the context of risk identification, we may only seek the views of people in our organisation who will tell us what we want or expect to hear. By doing this we may fail to capture the full range of risks facing the organisation.

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Image of letters spelling "sanctions" in a game of scrabble

VinciWorks recently hosted a webinar on sanctions that gave guidance on the latest regulations, the affect Brexit will have on sanctions and more, the Iran deal and more. During the webinar, Director of Course Development took several questions on the topic and we have continued to answer the questions. Here are all the questions that have been asked on the topic, along with the answer. If you can’t find the answer to your question here, feel free to tweet us your question.

Frequently asked questions on sanctions regulations

To what extent is the humanitarian sector affected by the sanctions?

Sanctions reporting covers everyone, and under the new legislation dealing with someone under sanction can result in criminal penalties. If in doubt, you should contact the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation for dealing with anyone under sanction.

Do you have any advice when dealing with a US Specially Designated National (SDN) when an entity isn’t sanctioned by an individual?

There could be an issue in paying an entity if the SDN is a beneficiary or beneficial owner. You should check the specific regulations of the OFAC sanctions on the individual and consider applying for a license if necessary.

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Figurine cleaning money
Staff should feel comfortable raising any suspicions of money laundering without fear that doing so could affect their role

The Money Laundering Regulations 2017, which transpose the Fourth EU Money Laundering Directive into UK law, came into full force on 26 June. The Fourth Directive includes some fundamental changes to the anti-money laundering procedures, including changes to customer due diligence, a central register for beneficial owners and a focus on risk assessments. For example, there will no longer be automatic exemptions from conducting client due diligence.

Further, the UK parliament has enacted a piece of sanctions and money laundering legislation designed to Brexit-proof the UK’s ability to implement international and European sanctions. The Sanctions & Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 gives the UK new powers regarding sanctions and money laundering. For example, the UK can make, suspend and revoke sanctions regimes which can include broad measures including shipping, trade and even airspace restrictions, in addition to financial sanctions and travel bans.

VinciWorks has created a money laundering whistleblowing policy template that can easily be edited to suit your organisation and include the appropriate contact people.

Download policy template

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