Enforcement needs to top agenda at anti-corruption summit

“World leaders gathering in the UK on Thursday for the UK Government’s international anti-corruption summit need to put enforcement at the top of the list,” said Leo Martin director of leading business ethics and compliance advisers GoodCorporation.

Of the 41 signatories to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, only four countries are considered to be active enforcers of laws to prevent foreign bribery: Germany, Switzerland, the US and the UK. Sixteen years after the convention came into force almost half of the signatories (20) are doing little to combat cross-border bribery  failing to investigate or prosecute companies that bribe foreign officials to obtain contracts, licences or concessions[if !supportFootnotes][1][endif].

Without enforcement there can be no level playing field. Since the Bribery Act became law in 2011, many UK companies have been calling for greater diplomatic support to put pressure on those regimes that demand payments for contracts and licences to operate. Without consistent international pressure to punish and expose those who facilitate bribery there can be no real progress.

In addition to greater enforcement, GoodCorporation is also calling for greater initiatives in four key areas:

  1. Common Debarment Regime: Extend the Cross Debarment Agreement beyond development banks to governments and public procurement.
  2. Public Procurement: Corrupt organisations should be barred from public tender; tax-payers money should not be used to reward corrupt organisations good organisations that have worked hard to stamp out corruption should not have to compete with those that have not.
  3. Beneficial Ownership: ensure an international commitment to ending secret shareholding in companies and an agreement to establish public registers containing beneficial ownership information.
  4. Whistleblower Protection: introduce and implement laws that protect whistleblowers and encourage individuals to feel able to speak up against corruption.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

  • Leo Martin, founder and director of GoodCorporation is available for interview.
  • GoodCorporation is a leading business ethics consultancy and has worked with over 100 organisations since 2000 to assess and improve their ethical conduct. We have worked in a wide range of commercial and public sector organisations including 17 FTSE companies, 6 CAC40 organisations as well as SMEs and not-for-profit organisations.

Media Enquiries:

Sally McGeachie, Head of Communication & Marketing

Contact on: 020 8877 5300 or sally.mcgeachie@goodcorporation.co

[1]Source: Transparency International Exporting Corruption Progress Report 2015

Posted May 11 2016