Many multi-national public companies with robust anti-corruption compliance programs will discover, at some point, evidence of potential fraud that requires an internal investigation.  See “Handling the Challenges of Overseas Anti-Corruption Investigations: Forensic Accountants, Government Expectations, Translators, Upjohn Warnings, Privilege Issues and Recording Interviews” (May 1, 2013).  When a publicly traded company performs such an investigation, it is faced with a series of difficult questions.  Among the most vexing and urgent questions are whether and when the company should disclose the investigation in an SEC filing.  Should the company wait until it completes the investigation?  Should it wait until after it has disclosed to the DOJ and the SEC?  How much evidence of actual corruption is needed to justify the filing?  What information should the disclosure include?  When answering these questions, companies must consider the serious consequences of publicly reporting FCPA concerns.  Companies that publicly disclose such information may face civil lawsuits, stock price volatility, reputational issues, damage to employee morale and productivity, loss of current government contracts and debarment from future contracts.  See “Doing Business with the World Bank: Understanding and Avoiding Debarment” (May 15, 2013).  The Anti-Corruption Report is publishing a series of articles addressing best practices for disclosing anti-corruption investigations in SEC filings.  The series provides insight on when a company should disclose and strategies for mitigating the negative impact of a disclosure, including guidance on timing and language to include in the disclosure.  In addition to analysis and insight from practitioners, this series will include a compendium of actual FCPA-related disclosures from recent SEC filings compiled with help from Intelligize’s database and search tools.  These real-world examples of relevant disclosures can serve as precedents for counsel tasked with drafting or reviewing SEC filings relating to an FCPA issue.  This article, the third in the series, provides insight on the most effective language to use in disclosures, and analyzes Wal-Mart’s disclosures at critical decision points in its recent investigation.  The first article in the series discussed factors that companies should consider when determining whether a public disclosure is appropriate; what experts a company should retain to help it make appropriate disclosure decisions; and the risks and benefits of disclosing at different stages of the anti-corruption investigation.  The second installment in the series detailed the risks inherent in disclosure and non-disclosure; addressed ways to diminish those risks, including handling media coverage; and discussed best practices when disclosing foreign investigations to the SEC.  Finally, in the last article in the series, the Anti-Corruption Report will publish the referenced compendium of SEC disclosures, categorized by their attributes.