naleving

Naleving, often translated as compliance, is the act and process of adhering to laws, regulations, standards, and contractual obligations. It covers the state of being in compliance and the actions taken to achieve and verify conformity, including monitoring, reporting, and auditing.

In law and governance, regulatory regimes impose obligations on individuals and organizations, and authorities enforce them through inspections, sanctions, and penalties for violations. Naleving thus becomes a central objective of public policy, and organizations are expected to implement programs to prevent non-compliance and to respond to incidents when they occur. Compliance programs typically include governance structures, policies and procedures, risk assessments, training, due diligence, internal controls, and incident management.

In business and public administration, naleving is essential for risk management, reputation, and legitimacy. It often requires cross-functional collaboration, documentation, and assurance practices such as internal and external audits, certifications, and reporting to stakeholders and regulators.

Measurement of naleving relies on audits, performance metrics, and certifications. Challenges include the complexity of modern regulatory landscapes, jurisdictional differences, evolving standards, and the cost and effort required to maintain ongoing compliance, especially in areas like data protection, anti-corruption, labor rights, and supply chain due diligence.

Etymology and usage: The term originates from the Dutch verb naleven (to comply). In English-language contexts, the concept is typically referred to as compliance or conformity rather than a direct translation of the noun naleving.