GCs at global companies say their organisations are struggling to maintain full compliance across all jurisdictions where they operate, according to a survey from business administration services company CSC.
The report – The General Counsel Barometer 2026 - From Complexity to Control – found that just 7% of GCs believe their corporate entities around the world are fully compliant, with 53% saying those entities are between 50% to 75% compliant. Some 5% said they are under 50% compliant.
Rogier Bronk, senior commercial director for the Americas at CSC, said it is not surprising so few organisations are 100% compliant.
He said: “Regulations change so quickly and cover new areas all the time: it could be AI, crypto or other regulations that legal teams are not aware of, resulting in or meaning that they are already non-compliant.”
Almost half of GCs (47%) said that ultimate beneficial ownership (UBO) and similar regulatory demands posed the biggest risk to their legal operations this year, with just 31% of respondents saying they feel ‘very prepared’ to comply with those UBO rules.
Another 43% cited managing multiple service providers as their biggest risk, followed by 41% who cited AI. More than a third cited GDPR and other data privacy regulations (40%) as their biggest risk, with 44% of respondents saying they are not confident in meeting each jurisdiction’s data security protocols.
Some 39% also cited the changing regulatory landscape as their biggest risk.
“The pace of change is increasing,” said Ian McConnel, chief legal officer at CSC. “You’re getting a proliferation of regulatory frameworks across the globe, and it’s penetrating all of the different aspects of your business.”
Amid these regulatory challenges, GCs said their top three legal operations priorities for 2026 are upgrading technology and automation, implementing AI systems and optimising team structures. As many as 43% of GCs believe AI can deliver the most impact by improving risk and compliance oversight, with 38% saying it can also support global growth through scalable AI processes. Another 36% said AI will help accelerate contract review, negotiation and due diligence.
McConnel added: “People don’t always fully appreciate the transformative nature of AI, and it’s hard to say you’re ready to manage it confidently when it’s that uncertain, and when it’s iterating at such a pace.”
The report was based on a survey of 350 GCs and in-house senior legal professionals in Europe, the UK, North America and Asia Pacific.
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