TheCorporateCounsel.net

A week ago, PwC released the results of its 2025 Global Compliance Survey (available for download) that asked 1,802 executives from 63 territories across a wide range of industry sectors about their companies’ current compliance challenges and practices and how they hope to evolve them. Not surprisingly:

– 85% stated that compliance requirements have become more complex in the last three years

– 77% said that their company has been negatively impacted by compliance complexity in several areas that drive growth

– Only 7% consider themselves to be leading in compliance right now

That said, the survey shared some good news too:

– 59% had greater confidence in compliance decision-making due to better coordination

– Respondents cited investments in compliance to take advantage of new technology (32%), enhance effectiveness (30%) and reduce costs (21%)

– 82% plan to invest more in technology to drive compliance activities

– Respondents are already leveraging compliance technology for better visibility of risks and risk management activities (64%), faster identification and proactive response to compliance issues (53%), higher quality/more insightful reporting (48%), and increased productivity and cost savings (43%)

– 71% believe that AI will have a net positive impact overall on compliance

Clearly, the adoption of emerging technologies was an area of focus for survey questions. The report says this will be necessary to keep up with the pace of change. “The level of regulatory change, shifting stakeholder expectations, and changes in industry ecosystems and macro risks, means that responding in a ‘traditional way’ – more people, more controls – is unlikely to be sustainable.”

– Meredith Ervine