Re-certification course for compliance officers / compliance managers

Haufe Akademie recommends that recertification be conducted every two to three years after successfully completing the initial training. Those who do not adhere to this schedule risk working with outdated knowledge—a risk that carries particularly serious consequences in the area of compliance. Outdated knowledge can lead to new legal requirements being overlooked, the CMS no longer being considered adequate and effective, and—in the event of an emergency—it not being recognized as a reliable basis either internally or externally. Regular recertification is therefore not just a formal signal to the outside world, but a genuine commitment to quality in one’s own work—and concrete protection against personal liability.

Real-world compliance cases are the most valuable learning resources a CMS has: They reveal where systems fail, which vulnerabilities are typically exploited, and how courts and regulatory agencies respond to violations. In the mandatory module of the recertification course, current cases and legal precedents are systematically reviewed and analyzed for their implications for compliance practice. Those who are familiar with these developments can strengthen their CMS in a targeted manner—and avoid making the same mistakes that have already cost other companies dearly. This direct practical relevance is one of the key advantages of the course over purely theoretical refresher programs.

Since the Whistleblower Protection Act went into effect, its practical application has raised numerous questions of interpretation that are only gradually being clarified through court decisions and administrative practice. Those who have already established an internal reporting channel regularly face the question of whether the measures they have taken are still sufficient—and whether current developments necessitate adjustments. The recertification course updates your knowledge of the HinSchG and highlights the insights that can be drawn from past practice. This will enable you to continuously improve your whistleblower system, operate it in a legally compliant manner, and document it in a way that stands up to scrutiny by external auditors.

ISO 37301:2021 is not merely a revision of ISO 19600, but a fundamental paradigm shift: While ISO 19600 was merely a set of recommendations, ISO 37301 establishes mandatory requirements and, for the first time, enables external certification of the CMS. It follows the Harmonized Structure, which ensures structural compatibility with other management system standards such as ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, and sets significantly higher requirements for leadership, documentation, and effectiveness monitoring. The mandatory module of the recertification course explains what these changes mean in practice and how you can further develop your existing CMS so that it meets the requirements of the new standard—without having to rebuild everything from scratch.

Compliance does not end at a company’s own boundaries. With the LkSG and the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), companies are increasingly being held accountable for the conduct of their suppliers and business partners throughout the entire value chain. For compliance managers, this means that the CMS must extend beyond their own organization—with structured business partner integrity management, clear documentation and reporting requirements, and systematic supplier monitoring. The recertification course explicitly addresses this topic and provides you with an up-to-date overview of regulatory requirements as well as concrete guidance for practical implementation within your company.