In this final episode of series one, host Lucinda Carney reflects on and wraps up the first season of the Compliance Culture Podcast, drawing together the key insights from conversations with regulatory leaders, compliance specialists and culture experts. Lucinda revisits the major themes explored across the series, from Consumer Duty and complaints handling to governance, data protection, appointed representatives and AI, highlighting what they reveal about moving beyond tick-box compliance. She distils the season into three core themes - leadership, culture, and visibility - and shares practical reflections on how organisations can embed meaningful, measurable compliance culture in everyday practice.

1. Compliance culture is fundamentally about people and behaviour, not policies and checklists, and it is shaped every day by leadership actions and decisions.
2. Consumer Duty and regulatory expectations require continuous improvement, moving firms from having data and frameworks to actively using insights to drive better outcomes.
3. Complaints, data protection and oversight are powerful signals of culture, offering direct insights into how fairness, accountability, and trust show up in practice.
4. Effective governance depends on visibility and narrative, with boards needing clear insight and action-focused reporting rather than excessive or superficial data.
5. Compliance is a shared organisational mindset, extending beyond internal teams to leaders, partners, and third parties, and work best when seen as an enabler of trust rather then a constraint.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Lucinda Carney is a Chartered Psychologist, CEO of Actus Software, and host of the award-nominated, chart-topping HR Uprising Podcast. With over 20 years’ experience in organisational development and leadership, Lucinda has worked across a wide range of industries helping HR professionals establish behavioural...

Host Lucinda Carney is joined by John Rood, Founder of Perceptual, for a timely discussion on AI governance and compliance and why it is fast becoming a critical part of organisational compliance culture. They explore emerging regulation such as the EU AI Act, the risks of bias and unfair outcomes in high impact areas like HR and finance, and why AI governance must be a shared responsibility across the business, not owned by one function alone. John also shares practical steps organisations can take now, from clear AI use policies and training to proportionate governance frameworks that balance innovation with ethical and regulatory expectations.

• AI governance must be owned across the organisation, not siloed in HR, IT, or compliance, as unmanaged use creates risks around bias, fairness, and accountability.
• Market and customer expectations are driving AI compliance now, even when regulation is still evolving or inconsistently enforced.
• AI that affects real people carries higher risk, particularly in areas like hiring, finance, and education, making ethical oversight and transparency essential.
• Clear AI use policies and baseline AI literacy are essential foundations, helping employees use AI safely and responsibly in everyday work.
• Strong AI governance is a long-term strategic investment, enabling organisations to balance innovation with trust, ethics and regulatory resilience.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

John Rood is an entrepreneur and AI governance expert, and the Founder of Perceptual, where he supports organisations in implementing effective AI governance and compliance frameworks. He specialises in navigating emerging AI regulation, standards and ethical risk, helping legal, compliance and privacy teams respond to both regulatory requirements and growing customer expectations. With a background in scaling and leading high-growth businesses, including as Co-Founder and CEO of Next Step Test Preparation, a national education company, John is recognised for his practical, commercially grounded approach to responsible and compliant use of AI.

John Rood offers a free 90-minute AI literacy certification for leaders, designed to help executives and board members understand the key risks,...

What does a healthy culture look like in practice? In this episode of the Compliance Culture Podcast, Lucinda Carney is joined by Paul Whitehouse of PIW Consulting, who brings over 30 years of experience in UK financial services. Together, they unpack the link between conduct and culture, covering FCA expectations, practical ways to measure culture, the role of data, accountability under SMCR, and why psychological safety and leadership behaviour are critical to driving lasting change.

• Conduct is culture in action, it reflects organisational values through daily behaviours, decisions, and the tone set by leadership.
• The FCA expects firms to evidence cultural health with measurable indicators, linking values and behaviours to regulatory standards.
• Combining qualitative and quantitative data, such as engagement scores and whistleblowing reports, helps identify conduct risks early and accurately.
• Psychological safety enables employees to raise concerns without fear, making it a key marker of cultural maturity and resilience.
• Accountability under SMCR, consistent leadership behaviour, and transparent decision-making underpin sustainable compliance and trust.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Paul Whitehouse is a Solicitor and Financial Services Regulatory Adviser with over 30 years of experience in UK financial services. As Managing Director of PIW Consulting, he specialises in assessing the suitability and effectiveness of governance, systems, controls, and strategy. Paul is widely recognised for his expertise in business culture and compliance, helping firms translate regulatory expectations into practical, sustainable change. His deep understanding of conduct risk and cultural measurement makes him a trusted voice on how leadership behaviour and accountability shape compliance outcomes.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-whitehouse-91628a83/

Create Solutions: https://www.piwconsulting.com/

Lucinda Carney is a Chartered...

In this Compliance Culture Podcast episode, Lucinda Carney talks with Irving Peiris, Compliance Consultant from Create Solutions, about the FCA's growing focus on Appointed Representatives (ARs). They discuss why principals must strengthen governance, ensure cultural alignment, and maintain clear accountability under SMCR. Irving shares practical steps for effective oversight, including robust onboarding, structured reporting, and continuous improvement.

• The FCA expects active, documented oversight of Appointed Representatives, requiring principals to maintain clear governance frameworks, perform due diligence checks, and evidence ongoing supervision.
• Strong governance and cultural alignment reduce the risk of non-compliance, as firms must ensure ARs share the same ethical standards, customer commitments, and values as the principal business.
• Data visibility enables early detection of issues and informed decision-making, with digital tools helping firms monitor AR activity, simplify reporting, and flag potential risk before they escalate.
• Senior Management must understand and evidence their oversight responsibilities, as the SMCR reinforces personal accountability and demand clear documentation of decisions and controls.
• Continuous improvement and communication underpin sustainable compliance, requiring regular reviews, training, and feedback loops to keep governance and culture evolving with regulatory expectations.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Irving Peiris is a compliance expert with over 20 years in the industry, including 10 years at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). He has extensive experience working with a wide range of business models, helping firms improve processes and build effective compliance strategies. Irving's expertise covers Consumer Duty, Risk Management, Vulnerable Customer practices, Financial Crimes, and regulatory areas such as Consumer Credit, Motor Finance, and Insurance. He has led major compliance projects, including FCA Section 166 reviews, and is passionate about supporting firms to stay compliant while enabling sustainable growth.

LinkedIn:

This episode of the Compliance Culture Podcast dive into why complaints handling is a powerful lens on a firm's culture and a critical component of Consumer Duty. Host Lucinda Carney speaks with Linda Catterall, Consultant at Create Solutions, about shifting the mindset from viewing complaints as a regulatory burden to embracing them as opportunities for learning, improvement, and trust-building. They share practical approaches on integrating fairness, transparency, and accountability into compliant processes to strengthen both compliance and customer confidence.

• Complaints handling serves as a cultural indicator, revealing whether fairness, transparency, and accountability are genuinely embedded in the organisation.
• Root cause analysis under Consumer Duty identifies systematic issues, prevents reoccurrence, and demonstrates continuous improvement to regulators and customers.
• Capturing the voice of the customer through complaints data and feedback drives better processes, clear communication, and customer-focused product design.
• Empowering frontline teams with training and psychological safety ensures empathic complaints handling and timely escalation of vulnerable customer cases.
• Cross-functional collaboration between HR, Compliance, and Operations aligns behaviours, reinforces cultural standards, and strengthens governance.
• Technology-driven oversight provides dashboards, trend analysis, and evidence for board and FCA reporting, enhancing transparency and strategic decision-making.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Linda Catterall is a seasoned compliance professional with over 25 years in the General Insurance industry. She has held senior roles including Operations Manager and Head of Risk & Compliance for large, multi-entity groups, and now works as a Consultant as Create Solutions. Linda specialises in training and development, compliance frameworks, auditing, and supporting merges and acquisitions, making her a trusted advisor for firms navigating complex regulatory requirements.

LinkedIn:

Host Lucinda Carney welcomes Robert Bell, the Founder of RB Compliance Consultancy and author of 'A Practical Guide to the FCA's Consumer Duty', to the Compliance Culture Podcast. Together, they unpack one of the most debated aspects of Consumer Duty compliance, the annual board report. Robert shares practical advice on measuring, monitoring, and reporting customer outcomes, framing the process as a business improvement tool rather than a regulatory burden. The discussion also touches on evolving FCA expectations, including the Consumer Duty Champion role and possible 'light-touch' adjustments, before closing with how dashboards like Actus Oversight can centralise data, visualise trends, and create an auditable trail of improvements.

• Consumer Duty board reports should focus on customer outcomes, not just compliance activity.
• Data must tell a story, quality and insight matter more than quantity.
• Good outcomes differ across customer segments and should be clearly defined and measured.
• Culture and incentive structures are key to sustainable compliance.
• Effective oversight relies on collaboration between compliance, HR, marketing, and leadership.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Robert Bell is a seasoned financial services compliance expert with years of experience in the industry. As the Founder of RB Compliance Consultancy, he supports forms with FCA authorisation, regulatory training, Consumer Duty implementation, and board report design. Robert has held senior roles including Head of Compliance and Director of Legal and Compliance. He has also authored industry guidance for organisations such as the Money Trust and CII. Robert is the author of 'A Practical Guide to the FCA's Consumer Duty', making him a trusted voice on evolving regulatory expectations and practical compliance solutions.

RB Compliance Consultancy: www.rbcompliance.co.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-bell-56366916/

In this episode of the Compliance Culture Podcast, host Lucinda Carney, Chartered Psychologist and CEO of Actus Software, speaks with data protection expert Sarah Hodgkin-Bates to explore the critical intersection between HR and compliance. Particularly in the handling of employee personal data. Together, they unpack how a culture of transparency and collaboration can be promoted through responsible data management, and why this is essential for building trust across an organisation. The conversation covers key legal frameworks such as GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, and dives into practical challenges including managing access to sensitive employee records, navigating Subject Access Requests (SARs), and ensuring appropriate data retention. This episode highlights how compliance and HR must work hand-in-hand to uphold ethical standards and protect employee rights.

• HR and compliance are deeply interconnected, both play a vital role in building trust, protecting individuals, and shaping ethical workplace culture.
• Transparency and clear communication are essential foundations for effective data protection. When organisations openly communicate how personal data is handled, it reinforces trust and demonstrates respect for employees and applicants alike.
• Robust access controls, secure password practices, and well-defined data retention policies are critical safeguards that help prevent breaches and ensure sensitive information is only available to authorised personnel.
• Subject Access Requests (SARs) should be approached with clarity and confidence, not fear.
• Embedding compliance into the fabric of company culture, through clear policies, regular reviews, and proactive leadership, not only protects employees and sensitive data but also strengthens organisational reputation and resilience.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Sarah Hodgkin Bates specialises in both data protection and HR, offering integrated solutions that meet the needs of both disciplines. With a background in strategic risk and compliance, she is known for her ability to simplify complex issues and deliver practical, people-focused...

In this episode of the Compliance Culture Podcast, host Lucinda Carney, Chartered Psychologist and CEO of Actus Software, is joined by Karen Shenton, a specialist in Consumer Duty and Conduct Risk. Together, they reflect on the two years since the FCA’s Consumer Duty came into force, exploring how the regulatory landscape has evolved and what challenges still remain. Karen shares insights into how firms can move beyond tick-box compliance to implement meaningful cultural change, focusing on continuous improvement, accountability, and ethical conduct. The conversation highlights the importance of leadership, communication, and behavioural alignment in sustaining a culture that truly delivers good outcomes for consumers.

• Consumer Duty calls for more than written policies, firms must show how culture and conduct align with delivering good outcomes.
• Boards and senior leaders need clear, timely data to monitor risks and track progress. Dashboards, such as Actus Oversight, offer vital insight and support proactive oversight.
• Accountability should be part of everyday operations. Building learning into daily routines helps teams respond quickly and improve continuously.
• Sustainable compliance means going beyond surface fixes. Understanding root causes allows firms to adapt policies and training for lasting impact.
• A strong compliance culture protects reputation and builds trust, benefiting both firms and consumers through ethical, transparent practices.

Why Actus Oversight?

Stay ahead of FCA Consumer Duty with Actus Oversight. The smart solution for regulated firms. Our platform delivers real-time dashboards, key compliance tracking metrics, and automatic ownership, giving you complete visibility and control with ease.

✅ Simplify Consumer Duty compliance

✅ Ensure accountability with automated ownership

✅ Gain actionable analytics through real-time data

🔍 Learn more about Actus Oversight here: Discover Actus Oversight

Find the perfect solution tailored to for your organisation. Why not take a look at our purpose-built compliance tools specially designed for financial services and get the answers you've been searching for: Click here to Browse

About Actus Software

Actus helps HR and business leaders drive performance and engagement through flexible HR software and expert resources.

🌐 Discover Actus Software: https://actus.co.uk/

Follow Lucinda Carney on LinkedIn for more compliance and leadership insights.

Karen Shenton is a Director at Create Solutions and a seasoned compliance professional with over 30 years of experience in the general insurance sector. Her career spans underwriting, claims, customer service, management, and training, all grounded in deep expertise in FCA compliance. Karen supports firms in meeting regulatory obligations through practical, people-focused solutions tailored to business needs. She is known for her creative thinking, culture assessments, and quick response to evolving industry requirements. A former President of the Insurance Institute of Manchester and recipient of the CII’s Exceptional Service Award, Karen...