Tone Versus Orders From The Top: The Board's Role in Compliance Culture
Description
In this episode, we unpack the crucial difference between two very different leadership approaches to corporate integrity: “Tone from the Top” vs. “Orders from the Top.” Inspired by a recent article from Wael Al Halabi, we explore why a genuine, values-driven tone set by the board isn’t just good governance — it’s an organisation’s strongest defence against compliance failures and financial crime.
We break down how “Orders from the Top” reduces compliance to a box-ticking exercise, while “Tone from the Top” embeds ethics, accountability, and risk awareness into the very fabric of a company. You’ll hear why effective boards don’t just mandate behaviour; they model it, champion it, and continually invest in understanding their organisation’s risks.
This episode is a call to action for leaders: to step beyond directives and become active architects of a culture where integrity isn’t enforced — it’s lived.
United States
