Demonstrating compliance training excellence with award nomination

Keeping our clients safe from compliance pitfalls has always been a top priority at Third Bridge, but we’ve recently gone further to embed compliance across our operations and make it front-of-mind for all our employees from day one.

By Aditi Joshi, Head of Compliance, Third Bridge

This starts with internal training that’s effective, memorable and truly benefits our clients. We’re therefore delighted that we’ve been shortlisted for the International Compliance Association’s 2024 Training Initiative of the Year award.

The international award recognizes companies that have embraced innovation and explored new approaches to education in their compliance training. Our nomination reflects how we’ve transformed what’s often seen as checklist activity into an interactive and compelling experience, setting a new benchmark for the investment research industry. 

What does compliance mean at Third Bridge?

Compliance means different things to different businesses. We’re an expert network connecting our clients with industry leaders from all around the world. We also work with experts to create interview transcripts our clients use as part of their investment research. 

Our clients include hedge funds, mutual funds and blue-chip asset managers that depend on us to work in a way that exceeds the standards of their own compliance frameworks. A key risk for them is exposure to material non-public information, which can be difficult to spot and carries serious consequences. The stakes are high.

Protecting our clients from this type of risk begins with all our teams receiving high-quality and rigorous training. Whether it’s arranging a private consultation via our expert network or conducting an expert interview, our innovative training approach allows employees of all levels and tenures to confidently navigate all aspects of compliance in their daily roles. 

A new way forward: immersive and gamified compliance training

How did we achieve this and what does it mean for our clients? Firstly, we listened carefully to our employees. Through focus groups we found that learning “on the job” is regarded as the most effective way to understand compliance and tackle the risks appropriately. This is because it allows employees to talk about the real-world challenges they’re facing in a safe and proactive environment. 

So we revolutionized our training material on a global scale to allow our employees to share their challenges and experiences, and learn from each other. We infused elements of game design into the training process to make it as engaging and rewarding as possible. This also included introducing a metaverse platform where our teams can connect virtually for our internal compliance events.

Additionally, we made compliance an even bigger focus at the onboarding stage by introducing a variety of new modules. Although our employees have always maintained an ongoing and open dialogue with the Third Bridge compliance team, all new joiners now also engage in a practical learning session to explore how they’d react in various scenarios.  

With these measures, we’ve catalyzed a shift towards shared responsibility and proactive outreach, which positively impacts our clients. We want them to have peace of mind that they’re being supported by teams who truly understand their compliance needs, and who can ultimately safeguard them from the associated risks. This is key to the success of our premium research offering.

Today, we no longer measure success in terms of how many employees have simply completed their compliance training. Instead, we focus on fostering a culture in which employees – and our clients – feel comfortable to ask questions and raise any issues. 

Our journey won’t end here. Our mission is to deliver an unrivaled customer experience, and this starts with an empowered and inspired workforce who truly understand and care about compliance in our industry.