NEW YORK — MAY 8, 2025 — LRN Corporation, a leader in ethics and compliance (E&C) solutions, has released its 2025 Global Study on Ethics & Compliance Program Maturity, providing one of the most comprehensive views on the state of corporate compliance programmes worldwide. As the global regulatory environment grows more complex, the study finds E&C programmes remain uneven in their maturity and reveals significant shortfalls in areas critical to long-term success, including cultural measurement, manager accountability, and enforcement consistency.
“As organisations face increasing scrutiny, rising complexity, and fast-evolving risks, the strength and sophistication of a company’s E&C programme becomes a true differentiator,” said Kevin Michielsen, CEO of LRN Corporation. “The data from our latest study shows progress, but also offers a call to action for organisations to do more to embed ethical behaviour into day-to-day decision-making, especially at the middle management level.”
Drawing on insights from global benchmarking and survey data using LRN’s proprietary Programme Maturity Assessment (PMA), the report evaluates the maturity of E&C programmes across six core dimensions: Culture, Written Standards, Enforcement & Incentives, Risk Assessment, Training & Communication, and Resources & Board Oversight. The study reveals that while organisations are updating codes of conduct and expanding board-level oversight, deep gaps remain in middle management engagement, culture-building, enforcement, and risk assessment.
“Organisations that embed ethics into how they lead, manage, and reward people are positioning themselves for long-term resilience and trust,” said Ty Francis, MBE, Chief Advisory Officer at LRN Corporation. “Organisations may have the right policies on paper, but without investment in middle management, integrated systems, and accountability structures, they will struggle to translate principles into practice.”
The 2025 Global Study on E&C Programme Maturity offers a clear roadmap for building resilient, values-driven organisations based on insights from a diverse, global pool of compliance professionals. Organisations must reinforce manager accountability to ensure that ethical values are consistently modelled and upheld at every level. They should modernise investigations by adopting integrated tools, enhancing speed, transparency, and credibility, and closing the measurement gap by rigorously evaluating organisational culture, training effectiveness, and ethics-based decision-making.
To download the full 2025 Global Study on Ethics & Compliance Programme Maturity, visit here.
The 2025 Global Study on Ethics & Compliance Programme Maturity is the latest instalment in LRN’s decade-long research series of surveys and analyses that track data points from organisations across the world. This research complements other LRN ongoing studies, including the Ethics & Compliance Programme Effectiveness Report, the Benchmark of Ethical Culture Report, and Code of Conduct Report. Combined, LRN industry research provides unparalleled insights into best practices, benchmarks, and innovative strategies shaping the future of compliance programmes.
LRN is the world's largest dedicated ethics and compliance company, educating and helping more than 30 million people each year worldwide navigate complex legal and regulatory environments and foster ethical cultures. As one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies, LRN's growth and impact underscore our commitment to excellence and innovation in the advancement of ethical business practices. Our combination of practical analytics and software solutions, education, and strategic advisement helps companies translate their values into concrete practices and leadership behaviours that create sustainable, competitive advantage. LRN is the trusted long-term partner to more than 2700 organisations, including some of the most respected and successful businesses in the world.