Due diligence and background checks
A rated view of who you are dealing with, at the depth the decision needs, with material red flags reported as soon as they are confirmed.
Basic, Enhanced and Enhanced+ checks on companies, promoters, senior hires, vendors, dealers and partners.
Before you invest, lend, hire, appoint or onboard, you need to know who is really on the other side. Due diligence establishes identity, ownership, record and reputation, and tells you which findings matter for the decision in front of you.
BDI works at three levels. Basic checks verify identity, corporate records, directorships, litigation, sanctions and adverse media. Enhanced checks add beneficial-ownership mapping, discreet source enquiries and site verification. Enhanced+ is a deeper investigation for high-value or high-risk relationships, across jurisdictions.
Findings are graded by the strength of the evidence, so you can tell a confirmed fact from a reported claim. Material red flags are reported as soon as they are confirmed, without waiting for the final report.
Before you invest, lend, hire, appoint or onboard, and need to know exactly who you are dealing with.
Signs we see most often
- 01You are about to invest in, acquire or lend to a company you do not know well.
- 02A new partner, distributor or agent will represent your brand or receive credit.
- 03A senior hire's career claims or references cannot be checked internally.
- 04The counterparty's ownership runs through holding companies or overseas entities.
- 05A lender, investor or regulator expects documented due diligence.
- 06Adverse media or market talk has surfaced about a counterparty.
Scoped in writing, run by one accountable team.
Every engagement starts with agreed questions, a reporting line and a confidentiality protocol. The steps below are how this service usually runs; we adapt them to your matter.
- 01ScopeAgree the subject, the decision, the jurisdictions and the level of check: Basic, Enhanced or Enhanced+.
- 02VerifyConfirm identity, registration, directorships and shareholding from official records.
- 03ScreenSearch litigation, regulatory actions, sanctions and politically exposed person lists, and adverse media.
- 04MapTrace beneficial ownership, related parties and links to employees or officials.
- 05EnquireAt the Enhanced levels, verify premises and reputation through discreet field and source enquiries.
- 06RateGrade each finding by the strength of its evidence and give an overall risk rating.
A rated report at the depth you choose, with material red flags reported as soon as they are confirmed.
- A rated due diligence report at the level you choose
- An ownership and related-party chart
- A red-flag summary with the evidence behind each flag
- Early alerts on material findings during the work
- Recommendations on conditions, warranties or further checks
The law and frameworks this work is aligned to
- DPDP Act, 2023 for consent and lawful processing of personal data
- Companies (Significant Beneficial Owners) Rules, 2018
- PMLA, 2002 and the PML (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005, where customer due diligence applies
- FATF Recommendations on customer due diligence and beneficial ownership
- Aligned to ISO 37001 due diligence on business associates and personnel
References show the standard the work is built to. They do not imply accreditation or endorsement by the bodies that publish them.
This is a summary of the service. For a deeper understanding of how it would work for your organisation, please reach out to us.
Talk to a BDI partnerQuestions clients ask before we start.
Which level do I need?
It depends on the value and risk of the decision. Basic suits routine onboarding. Enhanced suits material partners, senior hires and investments. Enhanced+ suits high-value transactions or subjects with complex ownership or cross-border exposure. We recommend a level when we scope the work.
Will the subject know they are being checked?
Public-record and open-source checks do not involve the subject. Background checks on individuals rely on consent where the law requires it. Source enquiries are discreet, and the commissioning client is never named to a source.
What if you find something serious early?
We tell you as soon as it is confirmed, so the decision can be paused or conditions added before the final report is ready.