Not too long ago, the ethics and compliance profession did not exist.
Then, when the first E&C professionals were appointed in corporations, they often worked alone or in very small groups.
Today, it is common for big corporations to have large networks of E&C professionals. Many business schools and law school offer compliance degrees. There are professional associations offering certifications.
So now we have young people graduating with compliance certificates, becoming members of ECI, joining the E&C department of a multinational, and, after a few years, looking for advancement.
What most of them find is that companies have not yet created career paths for E&C professionals. They see their friends in finance, HR, and legal participate in rotation programs that lead to promotions – while they stay in place. Eventually, their path to growth leads them to join another organization.
Our profession is still young but the time has come for organizations to create internal career paths.
The Ethical Leader 