Ask the Expert: Inside the World of Compliance with Leah Ramos
December 19, 2025
In this episode of Ask the Expert, Leah Ramos, Senior Vice President of Ethics, Compliance, and Audit at STO Building Group, breaks down the biggest myths around compliance and explains its true role in protecting integrity, reputation, and trust. From managing integrity-related risk and guiding teams through new markets, to vetting subcontractors, navigating bidding processes, and ensuring ethical practices across the supply chain, Leah shares how compliance works behind the scenes to help projects succeed.
HOST
Leah Ramos
Senior Vice President of Ethics, Compliance, and Audit,STO Building Group
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Ask The Expert:
Inside the World of Compliance with Leah Ramos
Here are the episode highlights:
- [00:40] What is the biggest myth about compliance? – Why compliance isn’t about policing employees, but about prevention, fairness, and protecting people who speak up in good faith.
- [02:10] What does compliance actually do? – How the compliance team focuses on integrity-related risks that exist outside the construction process and impact trust, reputation, and relationships.
- [03:45] What is integrity-related risk? – Why perception, fairness, and optics matter just as much as legal requirements, even when no law is technically broken.
- [05:30] How does compliance build a culture of integrity? – Empowering employees to do the right thing and inspiring leaders to model ethical behavior.
- [06:45] What controls support ethical decision-making? – Policies, training, approvals, and the 24/7 helpline that preserve STOBG’s culture of integrity.
- [08:10] What does compliance do day-to-day? – Supporting teams entering new markets, onboarding subcontractors, navigating bids, and managing public-sector requirements.
- [10:15] Why does compliance matter to clients? – How strong compliance programs reduce reputational risk and allow clients to focus on building great spaces, not distractions.
Key Takeaways:
- Compliance is about protecting trust, not policing people.
- Integrity-related risk often lives in gray areas where perception and fairness matter.
- Strong compliance programs support confident decision-making across projects.
- Clients benefit from reduced risk, stronger governance, and projects delivered the right way.