SkillSoft Introduces U.K. Bribery Act E-Learning Course to Help Organizations Stay Compliant with New Legislation

SkillSoft, a leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider of e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small-to-medium-sized businesses, recently announced a new Legal Compliance e-learning course for the UK Bribery Act of 2010. SkillSoft has partnered with Davenport Lyons, a leading London-based commercial law firm, to develop the UK Bribery Act course to help protect organizations from liability under the new law.

“For many years, SkillSoft has been a trusted partner helping organizations stay compliant with anti-corruption legislation,” said John Ambrose, senior vice president, strategy, corporate development and emerging business, SkillSoft. “The new UK Bribery Act course continues our commitment to providing organizations with the best and most advanced technology solutions in the industry to help them stay on top of today’s constantly evolving global business environment.”

The Act, which went into effect on July 1, 2011, heightens the anti-corruption obligations for all companies doing business in the UK. The prohibitions imposed by the Act are in some cases even more stringent than those found in the US’s long-standing anti-bribery law, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The UK Act sets stringent ethical standards for any company that does business in the UK, prohibiting both the bribery of government officials and any corruption that occurs between private organizations and persons. The new law also means that senior officers in a company can be found liable for some violations—even when the wrongdoing is committed by other employees within the organization. The Act also makes a separate violation out of a company’s failure to prevent bribery in the first place.

The UK Bribery Act does provide one defense for organization liability: the implementation of “adequate procedures” – including “training” and “awareness raising” – to prevent employees and other individuals associated with the company from engaging in bribery. SkillSoft’s new UK Bribery Act course, which explains the law in simple language and through interactive, real-world scenarios, can help any organization take steps to prevent bribery in its workplace and avoid liability.

“Under the new law, companies can no longer claim ignorance as an excuse when its employees engage in criminal activity,” said Laura Livingstone, employment partner at Davenport Lyons. “This new course, developed with SkillSoft, provides training to help organizations protect themselves against liability.”

For more information on The UK Bribery Act course please visit http://www.skillsoft.com/products/course_collections/compliance.asp.

About SkillSoft

SkillSoft is a leading SaaS provider of on-demand e-learning and performance support solutions for global enterprises, government, education and small to medium-sized businesses. SkillSoft enables business organizations to maximize business performance through a combination of comprehensive e- learning content, online information resources, flexible learning technologies and support services. SkillSoft is on the web at http://www.skillsoft.com.

Content offerings include business, IT, desktop, compliance and consumer/SMB courseware collections, as well as complementary content assets such as Leadership Development Channel video products, KnowledgeCenter(TM) portals, virtual instructor-led training services and online mentoring services. SkillSoft's Books24x7(R) product offering includes access to more than 29,000 digitized IT and business books, as well as book summaries and executive reports. Technology offerings include the SkillPort(R) learning management system, Search-and-Learn(R), SkillSoft(R) Dialogue(TM), inGenius(R) and virtual classroom.

SkillSoft courseware content described herein is for information purposes only and is subject to change without notice. SkillSoft has no obligation or commitment to develop or deliver any future release, upgrade, feature, enhancement or function described in this press release except as specifically set forth in a written agreement.

SkillSoft, the SkillSoft logo, SkillPort, Search-and-Learn, SkillChoice, Books24x7, ITPro, BusinessPro, OfficeEssentials, GovEssentials, EngineeringPro, FinancePro, AnalystPerspectives, ExecSummaries, ExecBlueprints, Express Guide, Dialogue and inGenius are trademarks or registered trademarks of SkillSoft Ireland Limited in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, countries.