Last year, as organizations grappled with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s conflict minerals rule, they focused on risks associated with supply-chain governance, big data and social media, and the costly due diligence required to ensure compliance with the rule. This year the focus will shift to the emerging supply-chain risks of multichannel selling and customer fulfillment, as well as best practices for creating a culture of compliance and strong corporate citizenship.

I will address each of these focus areas in greater detail as the year unfolds, sharing what I’m seeing and hearing in the field as companies confront and solve issues about governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) in preparation for filing their first conflict minerals reports on May 31, 2014.

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