Corporate governance and regulation were one of the dominant themes of 2004 and look set to continue to be so throughout 2005. Corporate governance relates to how an organisation is run, and has repercussions for almost every department – particularly Finance, HR, Auditing, Procurement and IT. Due to the nature of the potential content of email, ranging from a simple customer query to financial projections, the use of this application demands particular attention to ensure that its management helps to secure regulatory compliance.

From the late 1990s, numerous new regulations have been introduced in both the United States and Europe, often in the wake of corporate scandals where unethical business practices fell foul of existing financial reporting and disclosure rules. The backlash from these high profile episodes prompted newer corporate compliance legislation, such as Basel II in Europe and Sarbanes-Oxley in the United States. This is now being implemented alongside the likes of the EU Data Protection Directives and the Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulation, to ensure that companies put and keep their houses in order.

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