New research reveals significant gaps in compliance training across US, EU, and APAC — with only 28% of organizations fully prepared for 2026 regulatory changes
SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE, February 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — CompliQuest, a global compliance training platform, today released its 2026 Global Compliance Benchmark Report, the most comprehensive study to date on corporate compliance training practices across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
The report, authored by Matthew Long, Head of Training at CompliQuest, draws on survey responses from 1,200 compliance, HR, and learning professionals, analysis of over 500,000 training completions, and interviews with 35 Chief Compliance Officers.
Key findings include:
Organizations are struggling to keep pace with regulatory expansion. While 73% of companies increased their compliance training budgets in 2025, the average increase of 12% falls far short of the estimated 35% growth in regulatory requirements. Only 28% of organizations report feeling “fully prepared” for 2026 regulatory changes.
“The compliance training gap is widening,” said Matthew Long, Head of Training at CompliQuest. “Regulations are multiplying faster than most organizations can adapt. Companies that treat compliance training as an annual checkbox exercise are falling dangerously behind.”
EU AI Act preparedness alarmingly low
With EU AI Act enforcement approaching, the report finds that only 19% of organizations have implemented AI ethics and compliance training. More than half of HR and compliance leaders surveyed admit they do not fully understand the regulation’s requirements.
“The EU AI Act will impact any organization using AI in hiring, customer service, or automated decision-making,” Long added. “That covers most large enterprises and a growing number of mid-market companies. The training gap here is a ticking time bomb.”
Workplace harassment training remains inconsistent
Despite years of heightened attention on workplace harassment, the report reveals persistent gaps. While 68% of employees have received some form of harassment prevention training, only 34% of organizations provide managers with dedicated training on handling complaints, recognizing retaliation, and proper documentation.
Companies with bystander intervention training report 2.3 times higher incident reporting rates, suggesting that training approach matters as much as training coverage.
Regional disparities in training practices
The report highlights significant differences across regions:
North American companies average 4.2 hours of compliance training per employee annually, with 61% reporting difficulty tracking fragmented state-level mandates
European organizations lead with 5.1 hours annually but struggle to harmonize training across EU member states
Asia-Pacific companies lag at 3.6 hours annually, with 44% lacking dedicated compliance training staff
What leading organizations do differently
The report identifies practices common among organizations with zero major compliance violations over three years: continuous training cadence rather than annual sessions, visible executive sponsorship, scenario-based learning built around real incidents, and integration with HR systems for automated tracking and escalation.
“The best compliance programs don’t feel like compliance programs,” said Long. “They feel like part of how the company operates. That requires ongoing reinforcement, not a once-a-year training dump.”
The full 2026 Global Compliance Benchmark Report is available for download at compliquest.com
Matthew Long
CompliQuest
email us here
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