Which statement is NOT typically a concern addressed by a compliance program?

• A. Fraud
• B. Waste
• C. Ethical conduct
• D. Seasonal advertising

Answer: (D)

Compliance programs are built to prevent, detect, and deter violations of laws, regulations, and internal policies, and to promote ethical behavior and proper use of resources. They target areas that pose legal, financial, and reputational risks and require formal controls, training, monitoring, and reporting.

Fraud is a direct compliance risk because it involves deception and illegal activity that the program is designed to uncover and stop. Waste concerns improper or inefficient use of resources that a program aims to prevent through controls and oversight. Ethical conduct underpins the organization’s governance and risk management, guiding behavior and decision-making to stay within legal and policy boundaries.

Seasonal advertising, on the other hand, is primarily a marketing activity. It becomes a compliance issue only if specific advertising laws or truth-in-advertising regulations are at stake, but as a general area, it isn’t a typical focus of a broad compliance program.