Public sector corruption siphons $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion annually from the global economy in bribes and costs far more in stunted economic growth, lost tax revenues and sustained poverty, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The fact is, bribery and corruption can affect any organisation, of any size, in any industry and location.
There are 10 things that an organisation can do, however, to be better protected against the threat of bribery and corruption:
1. Be proactive
Adopt a code of ethics for management and employees. Evaluate your internal controls for effectiveness and identify areas of the business that are vulnerable to bribery and corruption.
2. Be strict
Communicate regularly to staff about anti-bribery and corruption policies, ways to report suspicions of misconduct, and the potential consequences (including termination and prosecution) of unethical behaviour.
3. Train your employees
Your workforce is your first line of defence against corruption – enrol your organisation in training programs like ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Introductory, Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor training to ensure they can properly identify, prevent and detect bribery.
4. Be aware of red flags
Payment for vague services like “facilitating”, paying higher-than-normal fees to a vendor as “commission”, off-the-books deals, requirements of cash-only payments or unusual payment arrangements are all signs that things may be amiss and require further review.
5. Validate compliance regularly
Putting standards in place is only effective if you test and follow them year-round. Implement a process to ensure compliance with legislation like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act 2010.
6. Conduct due diligence
An unethical partner or supplier engaging in bribery and corruption can have serious effects on your own company’s reputation. Conduct thorough due diligence, with background checks and full risk assessments, on all third-parties with which you are engaged.
7. Encourage whistleblowing
Corruption is still most likely to be detected by a tip. Providing an anonymous reporting system for your employees, contractors and clients will help uncover more cases of bribery and other misconduct.
8. Be transparent
A way to be proactive in your engagement with others is to ask for feedback. Then be prepared to address it, good or bad – creating open lines of communication and honest dialogue regarding what is and what isn’t unethical behaviour.
9. Establish Hiring Procedures
When hiring staff, conduct thorough background investigations. Check educational, credit and employment history (as permitted by law), as well as references.
10. Get Certified
The ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard is designed to help an organisation implement an anti-bribery management system. Any organisation can and should become ISO 37001 certified to signify the measures it has taken to prevent and detect bribery and corruption
About ABAC®
Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence, is an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management- Guidelines, ISO 37000:2021 Governance of Organisations, ISO 37002:2021 Whistleblowing Management System, ISO 37301:2021 (formerly ISO 19600) Compliance Management system, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems.
ABAC® is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS CB number: 10613) against ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of the scheme’s management systems of ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS). This makes ABAC® Certification the leading accreditated certification body specialising in global anti-bribery and anti-corruption, risk and compliance management system standards. ABAC® experts audit any existing compliance and anti-bribery anti-corruption management systems to assess effectiveness and vulnerabilities, while ensuring your organisation complies with Internal Standards, FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and all other global, regional and local regulations while maintaining a competitive edge in the world marketplace.
ABAC® Center of Excellence, powered by CRI® Group, educates, equips and supports the world’s leading business organisations with the latest best-in-practice risk assessments, performance assessments, systems improvement and standards certification.
ABAC® offers a complete suite of solutions designed to help organisations mitigate the internal and external risks associated with operating in multi-jurisdiction and multi-cultural environments while assisting in the development of frameworks for strategic compliance programs.
If you are seeking to validate or expand your existing compliance frameworks to maintain a competitive edge in the world marketplace ABAC® can help you. Our experts audit your existing compliance and anti-bribery anti-corruption management systems to assess effectiveness and vulnerabilities, while ensuring your organisation complies with Internal Standards, FCPA rules, UK Bribery Act laws, Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and all other global, regional and local regulations.
