Hiltrud Werner, former head of integrity and legal affairs at VW, describes how BCG helped the company through a fundamental crisis.
Our Approach to Crisis Management and Regulatory Compliance Services
Only a proactive, holistic approach is sufficient in the face of complex regulatory compliance consulting requirements and ongoing scrutiny. BCG brings more than a decade of cross-sector experience, helping clients embed compliance into core operations and transform it into a strategic capability.
Our work spans eight core areas:
Maturity Assessment
We assess the maturity of a company’s corporate compliance function to identify strengths, gaps, and emerging risks—laying the groundwork for targeted improvement and long-term resilience.
Crisis Management
From anticipated disruptions to high-stakes crises, we support clients through every phase of response—enabling recovery, trust restoration, and sustainable outcomes.
Transformation/Post-transformation
Our teams guide substantial compliance transformations and regulatory compliance remediation efforts, embedding digital capabilities and aligning change programs with business strategy.
Governance and Oversight
We clarify decision rights and responsibilities across the three lines of defense—helping compliance functions operate with precision, control, and confidence.
Digital Compliance and AI
We integrate advanced technologies, including AI and predictive analytics, to automate monitoring, reduce manual effort, and improve visibility across risk domains.
Culture
We work with leadership to shape a values-driven, risk-aware culture—ensuring that corporate compliance is owned, understood, and sustained throughout an organization.
ESG
BCG helps clients strengthen ESG compliance by embedding it into business strategy, stakeholder communications, and risk frameworks—aligning regulatory action with purpose and long-term value creation.
Investigations
When issues arise, we assist in root cause discovery, internal investigation support, and the design of enhanced safeguards to reduce the risk of recurrence. Our approach balances rapid response with the longer-term resilience benefits of regulatory remediation and regulatory compliance remediation programs.
How We Help with Compliance, Regulatory Strategy, and Crisis Management Across Industries
- Regulatory Compliance in Banking. Financial institutions are highly regulated and monitored by supervisory authorities, leading to pitfalls in complying with what is typically a complex and international business environment. These institutions have seen an exponential increase in financial crime alerts and know-your-customer (KYC) reviews. BCG’s regulatory compliance consulting experts have helped many leading banks optimize their operating models and mitigate regulatory compliance weaknesses.
- Compliance in Energy, Insurance, and Health Care. In sectors such as energy, insurance, and health care, new technologies, increased cybersecurity and digital risks, natural disasters and extreme weather conditions, and political, social, and public health instability have dramatically changed risk profiles. To battle this surge in nonfinancial risk, BCG helps compliance functions in these industries shift from being steady custodians to strategic leaders involved in core business operations and planning.
Our Clients’ Success in Compliance and Crisis Management
600,000
employees trained
BCG helped optimize the enterprise-wide compliance function at a large, multinational auto manufacturer. A compliance risk assessment framework was defined and its whistleblower system was improved, boosting the effectiveness of the operating model. Additionally, a company-wide training and communication program to more than 600,000 employees in 600+ locations was rolled out.
~30%
cost reduction
BCG worked with a large EU bank whose regulatory spending had already exceeded the competitive benchmark when COVID-19 hit Europe. We optimized the compliance department to avoid further regulatory expenditures, while reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency. By eliminating nonregulatory projects and project overlaps—making a perimeter reduction to regulatory requirements—and revising pricing and consolidating vendors, we helped reduce costs by nearly 30%.
Client Impact
Make Corporate Regulatory Compliance a Proactive Force
Our experts in AI, predictive modeling, and digital compliance play a key role as we identify solutions to improve risk monitoring. We then work with stakeholders across your organization to deepen a culture of compliance through active participation in the transformation or crisis response. Along the way, we integrate the expertise of BCG’s specialty partners.
BCG X
BCG X is our tech build and design division, and an important partner in our work to scale compliance-by-design solutions. BCG X partners with regulatory compliance consulting teams on advanced behavioral analysis, IT implementations, and cooperative efforts, such as with fintechs that specialize in bank compliance.
BCG BrightHouse
BCG BrightHouse works with companies to uncover and articulate the larger “why” behind an organization’s purpose. From there, we can create a code of conduct that elevates its integrity and culture of compliance.
Our Insights on Regulatory Compliance and Crisis Management
Article
September 19, 2025
As financial institutions become ever more reliant on technology, their tech teams must stay on top of key regulatory trends, including five that are critical today.
Article
July 31, 2025
As governments increasingly assert export control over digital products, compliance design has become integral to a company’s product and business strategy—and can create a competitive edge.
Article
July 22, 2025
Other trade measures often carry far greater impact—including the possibility of closing off entire markets.
Article
June 5, 2025
BCG’s 2025 global study finds that top banks are transforming their compliance function into a strategic engine for resilience and growth.
Article
April 23, 2025
Rising protectionism is increasing the risk of breaking complex and ever-changing trade rules. Incorporating trade compliance across the value chain is essential.
Meet Our Regulatory Compliance Consulting Leadership Team
Our compliance leadership team supports companies across all sectors to monitor the evolving regulatory landscape, implement digital assets in their compliance function, and ensure that material developments in the complex and ever-changing environment are addressed as soon as possible. Here are some of our corporate compliance and crisis management consultants:
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Capability
Cybersecurity and Digital Risk Strategy
Capability
Risk Management and Compliance
Industry