Ethics vs the law – same same or different?

In this episode of the podcast Ethics vs the Law – same same or different, Bo Berndtsson from BoB Advokater and Ezekiel Ward from North Star Compliance explore one of the most fundamental drivers of compliance risk: the business model itself.How a company chooses to go to market, whether through direct sales, agents or distributors, has a direct impact on both risk exposure and control. But in practice, these models are rarely clear-cut, and what companies call a “distributor” or “agent” does not always reflect what is actually happening.In this conversation, Bo and Zeke discuss why mapping your intermediaries is often the missing starting point, how legacy setups can create hidden risks, and why companies sometimes take on significant risk for relatively limited business upside.They also look at the role of compliance as a true business partner, not just a control function, and why understanding how the business really operates is key to making better decisions from the start.Expect practical insights on:the three main routes to market and how they differ in risk and controlwhy labels and contracts are less important than actual behaviourhow to map and assess intermediaries across marketsbalancing commercial opportunity with compliance riskhow compliance can support better business decisionsA practical discussion for anyone working with compliance, legal or business strategy who wants to understand where risk really begins, and how to manage it.

In this bonus episode of Ethics vs the Law – same same or different, Bo Berndtsson reflects on the discussion around risk assessments and highlights an important aspect that is often overlooked: how to manage risks as they arise in the day-to-day business. While structured risk assessments form the foundation of a compliance program, they are not enough on their own. Businesses constantly face new situations – entering new markets, engaging new customers, or operating in high-risk environments – where risks need to be assessed in real time.In this short episode, Bo shares practical insights on why companies need clear and robust processes for handling these situations, including when to involve compliance, who should make decisions, and what information is required to properly assess risk.The key takeaway: a strong compliance program is not only about periodic assessments, but about making the right decisions at the right time, based on a clear understanding of risk and accountability.

In this episode of Ethics vs the Law – same same or different, Bo Berndtsson from BoB Advokater and Ezekiel Ward from North Star Compliance explore the role of risk assessments and ask a fundamental question: are they truly necessary, or is the ERM process enough?Many organisations rely on ERM to identify and manage risks at a high level. But does that really capture the risks that matter in day-to-day business operations?In this episode, we discuss why risk assessments are still critical, what value they bring beyond compliance requirements, and how they help organisations understand how business decisions actually drive risk.We dive into how risk assessments can uncover blind spots, create alignment between compliance and the business, and serve as a foundation for structured planning and stronger compliance programs – whether you are building from scratch or working within a mature setup.Finally, we challenge the idea that ERM alone is sufficient, and explore why compliance risks often require a different lens altogether.Bo Berndtsson is advokat and founder of BoB Advokater, a Swedish law firm focused on business ethics, compliance and business law. With senior experience as a partner at Setterwalls Advokatbyrå, Chief Compliance Officer from the Volvo Group and as in-house counsel in multinational companies and having a practical touch, BoB Advokater supports companies, management and boards in navigating complex legal and ethical issues. Read more on ⁠bobadvokater.se ⁠⁠LinkedIn profile⁠Ezekiel (Zeke) Ward has been Chief Compliance Officer at Volvo Group and Yara International. He is a lawyer by education and a Fellow Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), with a forensic background at PwC and KPMG. Zeke founded North Star Compliance Ltd. in 2019 to offer leading companies pragmatic compliance advice. Our work is focused on ethics & compliance for multinationals, with deep expertise on integrity due diligence, third party risk management and investigations.⁠LinkedIn profile⁠ ⁠Home | North Star Compliance

In this bonus episode, I continue the conversation with Zeke and take a closer look at one of the most important yet often underestimated aspects of compliance work, stakeholder management.We explore who the key stakeholders really are in a multinational organisation, from legal and leadership to audit, finance and procurement, and why their influence shapes how compliance actually works in practice. We also touch on the growing importance of external stakeholders such as customers, governments and investors, and how their expectations can directly impact business decisions.Beyond mapping stakeholders, we discuss something just as critical, who your allies are. From HR and legal to an often overlooked partner, the branding and communications team, we unpack how collaboration across functions can strengthen both impact and credibility.A short but insightful conversation about relationships, influence and the human side of compliance.

In this episode of the podcast Ethics vs the Law – same same or different, Bo Berndtsson from BoB Advokater and Ezekiel Ward from North Star Compliance tackles the question of compliance systems and software and tries to figure out if they are a saviour or a false prophet.A lot of companies have or are considering acquiring compliance systems to support in managing important tasks within the compliance programs such as third parties and whistleblowing parts. In the episode we discuss what the systems are supposed to be doing and what they are not doing, the prerequisites for making it work as well as the value of the systems in order to answer if the compliance systems are a saviour for the compliance team or if it is something you put your trust in that will not deliver, i.e. a false prophet. Bo Berndtsson is advokat and founder of BoB Advokater, a Swedish law firm focused on business ethics, compliance and business law. With senior experience as a partner at Setterwalls Advokatbyrå, Chief Compliance Officer from the Volvo Group and as in-house counsel in multinational companies and having a practical touch, BoB Advokater supports companies, management and boards in navigating complex legal and ethical issues. Read more on bobadvokater.se LinkedIn profileEzekiel (Zeke) Ward has been Chief Compliance Officer at Volvo Group and Yara International. He is a lawyer by education and a Fellow Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), with a forensic background at PwC and KPMG. Zeke founded North Star Compliance Ltd. in 2019 to offer leading companies pragmatic compliance advice. Our work is focused on ethics & compliance for multinationals, with deep expertise on integrity due diligence, third party risk management and investigations.LinkedIn profile Home | North Star Compliance