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Advanced Due Diligence
Are you about to embark on a major project in Brazil, but unable to travel there to meet your new partners? Is it your first time doing business in South Africa and you want to know who you’re dealing with? Or perhaps regulatory changes are forcing you to provide documented proof your Eastern European partners are trustworthy?
Whatever the case may be, your organisation’s international ambitions require you to find out all you can about who you’re dealing with. Are they secure, dependable business partners? Can they be trusted? Not having clear answers to these questions can create distrust and unrest for you and your colleagues. In addition, there could be long-term consequences, both financially and for your organisation’s reputation.
Should you trust your gut feeling?
Today, it is not possible for all organisations to travel abroad to meet prospective partners before doing business with them. Sometimes, the choice must be made based on a website or a Zoom call. But when a major commitment of time and money is at stake, a gut feeling simply won’t do. You need to know for sure.
Fraudulent parties, for example, are specialised in hiding behind beautiful websites that exude an air of integrity and trustworthiness. At the same time, the website of an honest, reliable partner may not look that good, simply because they were unable to hire a specialist for that job.
Committing to doing business with parties that prove questionable, unreliable and susceptible to fraud can result in damage in three areas: non-compliance with laws and regulations, reputational damage or substantial loss of money. For many companies, significant reputational harm can simply mean the end. Losing a significant percentage of your revenue or having to pay huge fines will also seriously impact your organisation. In short, these are all situations best avoided.
Advanced Due Diligence
So what can be done? Through our Advanced Due Diligence, we will critically assess your prospective business partners’ integrity, anywhere in the world. We ensure a thorough screening of companies and persons you will be involved with.
These procedures are always carried out in strict accordance with the rules as well as international compliance legislation. Once the background investigation is completed, you will be able to invest in a collaboration with confidence and peace of mind. We’re keen to explain how our Advanced Due Diligence investigation can work for you.
From approach planning to consultation
The Advanced Due Diligence investigative procedure consists of the following three elements.
The first step entails a scan of all the companies involved as well as all other related entities. This scan will provide a clear picture of the situation and the parties in question. The investigation will be tailored to your wishes and those of your organisation. Based on the scan, we will be able to determine the scope and reach of the investigation, together with you.
- Scope
There are three layers within the scope of an investigation. From investigating just the company and persons involved to direct contacts and even executives of related organisations. We’re keen to advise you on the most suitable investigative scope. - Reach
While scope centers on which companies and persons are to be investigated, reach determines what precisely is investigated. Based on six packages, we assess the most appropriate depth of the investigation. For example, we can research negative publicity, scan the dark web or even investigate locally at the sites in question.
After determining the approach, it’s time to carry out the investigation based on the scope and reach you’ve chosen. Our specialists will focus on five categories:
- Company data and history
- Personal data and history
- Sanctions imposed and watchlists
- Judicial investigations
- Reputation and public image
The investigation results in a report, the outcome of which always falls into one of the following categories: low, medium or high risk. You may still want to do business with a particular party, in spite of some potential risk. In those cases, we can advise you on mitigating these risks and protecting your organisation.
Ultimately, the decision to do business with someone is always up to you. Our report and advice will give you a clear view of the possible risks involved. It’s up to you to determine what this means for your organisation and the prospective collaboration.
Ask yourself: ‘Would I advise a valued acquaintance to invest in this?’
Why Proximities?
Realising your organisation’s international ambitions in a principled, secure and reliable way. That’s the goal Proximities is committed to achieving. Our team is made up of a unique combination of specialists with backgrounds in intelligence and security services as well as specialists with years of experience in international business.
Thanks to this unique combination, we’ve built a global network of experts who support us in many ways, from providing local information anywhere in the world to hiring specialists to handle specific investigative issues. Wherever you want to do business, we can help you make the right choices.
Find out what Advanced Due Diligence can mean for you. Contact us today at +31 33 451 1190 or [email protected].