Alejandra Vargas, a lecturer in Criminal Law at UIC and coordinator of the Postgraduate Programme in Compliance and Cybersecurity, took part in the presentation of the ACCID–WCA Monograph on Compliance, held at the College of Economists of Catalonia. Vargas is also a co-author of the publication, which brings together contributions from experts across the field to examine some of the key challenges currently facing compliance.

The conference, organised by the World Compliance Association in collaboration with the Catalan Association of Accounting and Management (ACCID), the College of Economists of Catalonia and the College of Chartered Accountants of Catalonia, brought together practitioners and academics to discuss the evolution of compliance and its role within organisations.

As part of the event, Alejandra Vargas participated in the first panel discussion, entitled “Fundamentals, regulatory framework and compliance governance”, alongside José Luis Casero, director general of the World Compliance Association. The session explored the principles behind the compliance function and the growing importance of compliance within corporate governance frameworks.

These issues are also the focus of Vargas’s contribution to the monograph. She examines the role of corporate governance and senior management in the effectiveness of compliance systems and preventing corporate criminal liability. Her chapter looks at the shift from compliance models that exist largely on paper to a genuine culture of compliance, in which leadership commitment – the so-called “Tone from the Top” – is essential. As Vargas explains, “It is crucial to be able to demonstrate, through evidence and traceability, that the prevention model is operating effectively throughout the organisation.”

Her work also examines directors’ oversight responsibilities, the limits of delegated authority and the role of the Compliance Officer, all of which help determine the extent to which prevention systems are genuinely effective.

The monograph also explores several of the challenges currently reshaping the compliance landscape, including the impact of artificial intelligence, crypto-assets, cybersecurity, whistleblower protection, crisis management and fraud prevention.

Vargas’s involvement in both the publication and the conference highlights the role of UIC’s Faculty of Law in advancing research and education in compliance, an area of growing importance for organisations and for professionals working in law, governance and risk management.