New York – Verbatim Advisory Group, an independent research provider that conducts proprietary interviews to drive client’s investment decisions, becomes a member of CASRO, the Council of American Survey Research Organizations. Verbatim’s primary research is now formally compliant with a tough internationally-cited set of standards and a strict code of conduct, which reveals the firm’s commitment to offer its clients research within the industry’s best practices.In June 2008, Integrity published a ResearchFocus study on “Channel Checking,” which covers the channel research space, including methodologies, market size, existing providers, and best practices among others. The report includes a survey of channel research providers, which reveals that most boutique firms do not enforce any commitment to compliance issues – although very few demonstrated any blatant compliant breaches.The analysis of the channel research space, and the low formal adherence to compliance regulations, led Integrity to conclude that non-compliant firms might be exposing their clients to risks arising from information that does not follow industry benchmarks. The report states: “In order to minimize these risks, it is critical that fund managers and third-party channel research firms adhere to industry best practices.”Membership in CASRO implies that Verbatim adopts and follows the CASRO Code of Standards and Ethics for Survey Research, which prescribes the responsibilities of a survey research provider to its clients, respondents and others. The code includes four main sections:
I. Responsibilities to respondents a. Confidentiality b. Privacy and the avoidance of harassmentII. Responsibilities to clientsIII. Responsibilities in reporting to clients and the public.IV. Responsibility to outside contractors and interviewers
“The independent research area is relatively new when compared to the area of general business research, and over the decades CASRO members have formed research standards and best practices” Said John Strehle, Verbatim’s managing partner. “With our CASRO membership, we can now build and investor-centric company on a foundation formed by the collective wisdom of CASRO’s members. The backing of the CASRO’s Code of Standards and Ethics further boosts the quality of Verbatim’s findings and enhances our standing among independent research firms.”
3 Comments
Membership in CASRO is a good starting point for any market research firm that wants to serve the buy side, but some would argue that the CASRO code of conduct does not provide adequate protections for fund managers. It does not address the issue of how to avoid insider information when surveying company employees, which is one of the biggest risks a fund manager faces during the survey research process.
Agreed. The adoption of the CASRO Code of Conduct is in addition to strict policies and procedures already in place to ensure insider information does not reach the client on the buy side.
To request a copy of Verbatim Advisory Group’s compliance policy, please visit http://www.verbatimadvisory.com/why-verbatim-compliance.htm and click the contact us link at the bottom of the page.