What We Talk About When We Talk About Compliance

Abstract

The purpose of this concise and brief paper, which is deliberately slim in size and bibliography, is contained. First of all, it aims to show the existence of several forms of compliance characterized by different geneses and purposes and, therefore, to highlight the ambiguity of a term that is not always used in a univocal sense, due also to its links with other issues that are currently highly debated. Moreover, it argues that despite the different forms and meanings that compliance can assume, it is possible to identify a common unifying thread. On the basis of a positive assessment of the development of compliance, especially in relation to the ever-increasing importance of legal and reputational risks associated with economic activity, the paper ends with a brief overview of the legal instruments available to support this trend or, more properly, to ensure that the proclaimed importance of compliance is accompanied by effective implementation suitable to positively affect business management.