Our Team
Scott Avelino | Principal
Scott has substantial experience working with many well-known companies in their efforts to achieve the highest levels of business integrity.
Prior to joining CSLG, he was a Principal with the Forensic practice of KPMG LLP, where he chaired the global network of forensic professionals responsible for driving innovation, thought leadership, global methodologies, training and regional deployment of ethics and compliance services across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific.
Scott began his work in the field at the Ethics Resource Center, an influential non-profit organization that helped pioneer the field of business ethics and a predecessor to what is now the Ethics & Compliance Initiative. He presently serves as that organization’s Chief Ethics Officer (pro bono), a position he was appointed to by its Board of Directors.
The results of Scott’s thought leadership in the field have been profiled in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Financial Times, CNN and dozens of other business, government and academic venues around the world. He is the lead author three national benchmarking studies examining the nature, prevalence and root causes of corporate fraud and misconduct in the U.S., along with the impact of ethics and compliance programs on employee perceptions and behaviors. He is also co-author, with Win Swenson, on “Measuring the Effectiveness of Compliance and Ethics Programs” in Compliance Programs and the Corporate Sentencing Guidelines (a leading legal interpretive treatise on preventing corporate criminal and civil liability under U.S. law).
Representative Engagements:
Served as Interim Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer for a global humanitarian relief organization and led efforts to combat fraud, corruption, collusion, human rights abuses in some of the highest-risk environments in the world, including the Syrian refugee crisis. Oversaw and helped enhance all aspects of the ethics and compliance program, including risk assessments, policies, due diligence, communications, training programs, global investigations, government disclosures and issue remediation. Reported jointly to the CEO and Board Audit Committee and liaised with international government donors and law enforcement officials.
Performed a global anticorruption risk assessment and control gap analysis for a global chemicals company as part of its efforts to strengthen its compliance program in the context of resolving a matter before the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission.
Performed a comprehensive compliance program evaluation for a global upstream oil and gas company.
Designed an integrated compliance program framework for a global derivatives exchange marketplace.
Performed a global compliance program evaluation for an aerospace manufacturer.
Performed a global compliance program evaluation for a major engineering, procurement and construction company.
Retained as an expert witness in a landmark criminal antitrust case involving the breakup of an illegal cartel in the global shipping industry under the Department of Justice Amnesty Program.
Scott has also helped shape public policy on corporate governance and responsibility. He was selected by the U.S. Sentencing Commission to provide expert testimony on amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizations, which is the leading framework for compliance and ethics programs in the U.S. and internationally. He was later also appointed to an independent advisory group tasked with issuing recommendations to the U.S. Sentencing Commission on weighing compliance and ethics programs in enforcement outcomes and served as one of the lead authors of the group’s report.
Education:
Scott received his M.B.A. from the Cornell University Johnson School of Management and his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Bar Admissions:
Non-attorney member of the firm under DC Bar Rule 5.4(b).