The Partner Independence team are part of the wider Ethics & Independence (“E&I”) team and sit within Quality and Risk Management. The E&I team is responsible for developing and deploying appropriate policy, procedure and guidance on Ethics and Independence (firm, personal and service-related) to ensure compliance with regulatory and KPMG International requirements, ensuring an adequate programme of communication and training in respect of those policies and procedures is in place and providing guidance and advice to Partners and staff on all E&I matters.

The Partner Independence team provide support and guidance to all of KPMG’s Partners and Directors and play an important role ensuring personal independence compliance is met and upheld by helping them to accurate maintain their personal compliance records in line with the policies and procedures surrounding their personal financial affairs.

The Ethics and Independence (E&I) team are part of the Risk Operations Group (ROG) within the Operational Excellence Hub (OEH) which is responsible for monitoring the firm’s and its individuals’ compliance with the firm’s professional risk management and quality control policies, procedures, and guidance. Furthermore, the Group work with the wider Quality and Risk community and across the KPMG network to exchange knowledge, develop and improve processes and procedures in response to emerging regulatory, business, and other requirements.

The Personal E&I team are responsible for a number of processes and procedures in order to demonstrate oversight of compliance in accordance with firm/regulatory policy such as clearance of the firm’s personnel and third-party resource for on-boarding and issuing mandatory E&I training in line with global requirements. They provide guidance and advice to partners, firm’s personnel and third-party resource on personal independence matters and are the first point of contact for personal E&I related requests, completing the necessary research in order to escalate/ respond in accordance with firm/regulatory policy.

The Ethics and Independence (E&I) team are part of the Quality and Risk Management Risk Operations Group which is responsible for monitoring the firm’s and its individuals’ compliance with the firm’s professional risk management and quality control policies, procedures and guidance. Furthermore, the Group work with the wider Quality and Risk community and across the KPMG network to exchange knowledge, develop and improve processes and procedures in response to emerging regulatory, business and other requirements.

Within the Risk Operations Group there are four teams who have responsibility for Partner and colleague independence. These teams are responsible for communicating UK policy, process and guidance on Ethics & Independence (firm and personal) and providing guidance and advice to partners and colleagues on ethics & Independence matters.