[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":301},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-ask-a-taxi-driver-peter-maurer-on-definitions-dialogue-and-the-collective-fight-against-corruption-2553":3,"news-ask-a-taxi-driver-peter-maurer-on-definitions-dialogue-and-the-collective-fight-against-corruption-2553-similar":61,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":296},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":15,"activity":16,"nid":18,"topics":19,"activities":20,"programme":21,"area":21,"websites":22,"language":21,"image":24,"translation_of":21,"countries":35,"tags":36,"authors":37,"images":58,"translations":59,"content":60},10409,"published","2023-12-09T11:01:35.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:40.000Z","Ask a taxi driver: Peter Maurer on definitions, dialogue and the collective fight against corruption","Blog","_This blog is adapted from a keynote speech at a_ [_high-level event_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lie-zeit.li\u002F2023\u002F11\u002Fbekaempfung-der-internationalen-finanzkriminalitaet\u002F) _in Vaduz, Liechtenstein on 31 October 2023. Organised by the Liechtenstein Government in collaboration with the Basel Institute, the event focused on the fight against international financial crime._\n\nWhen you travel, it is almost always insightful to ask taxi drivers about the country’s biggest problems. Invariably when I have done this, corruption is named as one of the local population’s main concerns.\n\nThat people all over the world care about corruption is no wonder, because they see the effects on their lives every day. Corruption drains resources from the economy and negatively impacts social development and cohesion. People on average and low incomes are the most affected.\n\nBeyond everyday impacts, corruption also jeopardises the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. It undermines efforts in the areas of climate, human rights, environmental protection and health. And it is increasingly recognised that corruption plays a big role in fuelling conflict and undermining security.\n\nIn contrast to taxi drivers and their fellow citizens, it is striking that political institutions and the economy attach relatively little importance to corruption. Corruption is mentioned just twice in the 2023 [Global Risks Report](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.weforum.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fglobal-risks-report-2023\u002F) published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), both times in passing. But if you look at the list of 32 global risks that are deemed important in the WEF's survey, you'll quickly see that corruption exacerbates practically every single one. So it should receive much higher priority.\n\nThis does not mean that nothing is being done. But the problem of corruption is not receiving the attention, interest, political momentum and resources it deserves.\n\n### Fundamental differences\n\nThis discrepancy – between the real-world impacts of corruption and the attention paid to it at the highest political and economic levels – also points to a problem: Corruption remains insufficiently defined. And where it is defined by international treaties, there is too much room for interpretation.\n\nIn recent decades, the fight against corruption has therefore been broken down into definable criminal offences like bribery or money laundering. This has brought progress, but also problems of political coherence. Because standards are not defined in the same way everywhere, cooperation between legal systems is put to the test.\n\nNot only do these different understandings make cooperation difficult. Newly recognised forms of corruption also risk being forgotten. For example, the term is often reduced to bribery or other monetary forms of corruption involving public and private actors. But that [misses out behaviours](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fwhat-is-corruption) such as patronage, nepotism, conflicts of interest, influence peddling or the manipulation of legislative processes with a corrupt objective, to name but a few.\n\nAt the Basel Institute on Governance, we see the challenges that these discrepancies cause across our work – from the [recovery of assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) to the [corruption risk management](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fprivate-sector) frameworks of international corporations to attempts to counter [money laundering and terrorist financing](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fbasel-aml-index).\n\n### Hybrid solutions based on a common understanding\n\nIn many ways, the challenges in the fight against corruption are similar to those in efforts to reduce war and conflict and to promote human rights and international humanitarian law. Norms and realities diverge: political and professional, legal and practical, real and virtual. And wherever we look, problems are complex and typically arise on several levels, affecting a variety of players. They require different expertise, specialist knowledge and new approaches to solve them. Hybrid problems need hybrid solutions.\n\nMany areas of tension arise from the hybrid nature of corruption, as in other fields. The biggest tension is often between the technical\u002Flegal side and domestic political conditions. While legally coherent standards are important, they are not necessarily politically acceptable. This is because states have to consider other interests beyond the objectives of the standards.\n\nBut aligning standards solely with the political wind is not a solution either. Then the law becomes arbitrary and leads us to double standards. We see this in major issues such as sovereignty – the inviolability of borders, the protection of the civilian population or the confiscation of assets – where context-specific political stances call into question universal norms that are crucial for legal certainty. One finds the bombing of civilians unacceptable in one place and not worth mentioning in another. One negotiates with terrorists here, but not there. One finds property rights a good thing here, and calls for unilateral confiscations there.\n\nWhat is important today is that we find our way back, or rather forward, to norms that are universally implemented and understood regardless of – or perhaps precisely because of – the hybrid nature of the problems we are faced with. Or if this is not immediately politically possible, norms should at least be universally applicable. This means we need to uncover the interests behind the normative problems in order to find political compromises that work.\n\n### No problem is an island\n\nThe English poet John Donne wrote 400 years ago that \"No man is an island, entire of itself”. He meant that we are all dependent on each other and that our decisions have impacts beyond our selves.\n\nThat holds particularly true when it comes to solving problems. We know that we cannot make decisions on a national level alone. Or if we do, they do not actually solve the problem. But instead of thinking in the interconnected, multi-faceted manner and collective action-driven manner necessary to solve problems, our national and international institutions and decision-makers are locked in siloed thinking and functional differentiation. This inhibits adequate and legitimate solutions. Again, we see this in our work every day.\n\nAnother challenge is that to solve problems, we need to combine what is legally meaningful and politically legitimate. Yet the more norms we create, the more vague become the boundaries between what is legal, illicit and illegal. This is because we don’t give adequate consideration to the political consensus when it comes to norm creation. \n\nThis reminds me in many ways of my previous work. Corrupt politicians or businessmen are not that different from warlords who violate the Geneva Conventions:\n\n*   They interpret a normative vacuum as empowerment, using the excuse that if something is not explicitly prohibited, it is allowed.\n*   They turn perpetrators into victims, when they attempt to undermine anti-corruption efforts with arguments about property rights and economic freedoms.\n*   They hide behind logic like: \"If the other person is corrupt, I can be corrupt too.\"\n\nFrom my previous challenges with the implementation of the Geneva Conventions, and from what I see in the anti-corruption world so far, I tend to believe that there is often no alternative to dialogue and negotiation with the power holders, actors and stakeholders who are sceptical of the further development and implementation of anti-corruption norms or who resist them outright.\n\nThis does not mean renouncing normative coercion or that we should give perpetrators a right of veto. Rather, it means that we need to be willing to understand and recognise the realities of power. And that as a consequence, behaviour, institutions and processes need time to adapt to new requirements.\n\n### The vital role of non-state actors\n\nA last important point: focusing solely on states and state-driven solutions is no longer appropriate today. Wherever we look, actors other than states play a vital role in politics, standard setting and the practical implementation of standards.\n\nIn the fight against corruption in particular, we would be making even less progress without the constant pressure and solutions coming from civil society and the private sector. Social norms, political realities and corruption are a collective action problem, just as we have seen in tough conflict and humanitarian situations. Calling for norms is relatively fruitless without a committed business community and civil society that also want to implement behavioural changes in their own interests.\n\nIt is not only dialogue with the powerful that is needed, but also the mobilisation of those willing parties who want to tackle problems effectively and collectively. And because here again, problems are multi-layered, complex and hybrid, there is an even greater need to mediate between norms and realities, individual cases and policies, political and professional perspectives.\n\nSeeking pragmatic solutions should remain our goal.","2023-12-09",[14],"","ask-a-taxi-driver-peter-maurer-on-definitions-dialogue-and-the-collective-fight-against-corruption-2553",[17],"Insights",2553,[],[17],null,[23],"Main page",{"id":25,"storage":26,"filename_disk":27,"filename_download":28,"title":9,"type":29,"created_on":30,"modified_on":30,"charset":21,"filesize":31,"width":32,"height":33,"duration":21,"embed":21,"description":21,"location":21,"tags":21,"metadata":34,"focal_point_x":21,"focal_point_y":21,"tus_id":21,"tus_data":21,"uploaded_on":30},"8faf9b3f-e124-4ace-9c8a-a4de16d70ee8","local","8faf9b3f-e124-4ace-9c8a-a4de16d70ee8.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:11:18.000Z",19778,1400,933,{},[],[],[38],{"id":39,"news_id":40,"authors_id":54},1127,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":41,"date_created":7,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":25,"date":12,"topic":43,"slug":15,"activity":44,"nid":18,"topics":45,"activities":46,"programme":21,"area":21,"websites":47,"translation_of":21,"language":21,"countries":48,"tags":49,"authors":50,"images":51,"translations":52,"content":53},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30",[14],[17],[],[17],[23],[],[],[39],[],[],[],{"id":55,"name":56,"position":21,"image":57},558,"Dr Peter Maurer","77976774-7119-48eb-9813-0979e38abf71",[],[],[],[62,90,113,137,159,182,211,242,266],{"id":63,"body":64,"status":6,"type":65,"date":66,"slug":67,"title":68,"image":69,"countries":70,"topic":72,"activity":74,"tags":76,"nid":77,"topics":78,"activities":80,"authors":81,"images":82,"websites":83,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":84,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":85,"user_updated":86,"date_updated":87,"content":88,"link":89},9936,"Financial interviews are a critical component of a financial investigation. Properly conducted, they enable investigators to extract relevant financial information from informants, witnesses or suspects. This provides not only additional leads to further the investigation but also key evidence that could be used in a court of law.\n\nTo ensure positive outcomes for financial crimes and asset tracing investigations by law enforcement agencies, it is vital to help investigators gain the necessary interviewing skills.\n\nA training workshop on Interviewing Skills for Financial Investigators was conducted in Dar es Salaam from 24–28 September 2018. The workshop was given by experts from the [International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR)](\u002Fnode\u002F25\u002F), part of the Basel Institute on Governance. It was part of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)-funded programme to strengthen the capacity of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) of Tanzania.\n\nThe workshop was attended by 12 investigators from the PCCB, the Tanzania Police Force and the Zanzibar Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Authority (ZAECA).\n\n[ICAR trainers](\u002Fnode\u002F225\u002F) exposed the participants to international best practices in financial interviewing. Faithful to ICAR’s unique practice-based training methodology, they also provided sets of facts related to a complex corruption and money laundering case. Participants conducted mock interviews to put into practice their new skills and learn from a practical exercise simulating a real investigation.\n\nThe participants were highly enthusiastic as this innovative training workshop addressed the needs of their everyday operations. One PCCB investigator mentioned: “This training will change the way I conduct my interviews as I will now be better prepared and know exactly what I need to ask a witness or a suspect.”","News","2018-10-04","tanzania-investigators-sharpen-their-financial-interviewing-skills-77","Tanzania investigators sharpen their financial interviewing skills","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fff61a50c-cb55-4f41-adf0-989543c70179?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[71],7520,[73],"Asset Recovery",[75],"Training",[],77,[79],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[75],[],[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:57:39.000Z","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","2026-05-29T22:22:04.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Ftanzania-investigators-sharpen-their-financial-interviewing-skills-77",{"id":91,"body":92,"status":6,"type":65,"date":93,"slug":94,"title":95,"image":96,"countries":97,"topic":98,"activity":100,"tags":101,"nid":102,"topics":103,"activities":104,"authors":105,"images":106,"websites":107,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":108,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":109,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":110,"content":111,"link":112},10260,"In October 2011, FIFA had announced that it had commissioned four internal Task Forces to conduct a thorough reform process. Concurrently, it indicated that an external advisory board, the Independent Governance Committee (IGC) would oversee its governance reform and make final recommendations to FIFA\\`s Executive Committee (ExCo).\n\nBased on the advice of a reputable worldwide active NGO, FIFA decided to ask a Multistakeholder Group, consisting of governance experts on the one hand and football insiders (including representatives of Players, Clubs, Leagues, Associations as well as Marketing Professionals) on the other hand to assume the task of the Independent Governance Committee.\n\nThe Committee will assume its work in January and - in a first phase - oversee the work of the four internal FIFA Task Forces (Football 2014, Ethics Committee, Transparency and Compliance, Revision of Statutes). The Task Forces have been working on recommendations for FIFA\\`s governance reform based on proposals by Transparency International, the Basel Institute on Governance, KPMG and internal sources. The IGC will give its advice to the Executive Committee in March 2012, expecting necessary recommendations for regulatory changes to be prepared for the FIFA Congress 2012. It will oversee stringent implementation of regulations and organisational structures up to the FIFA Congress 2013.","2011-12-17","fifa-reform-independent-governance-committee-established-374","FIFA reform: Independent Governance Committee established","\u002Fpics\u002Fimg-placeholder.png",[],[99],"Private Sector",[14],[],374,[99],[],[],[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:59:37.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:59.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Ffifa-reform-independent-governance-committee-established-374",{"id":114,"body":115,"status":6,"type":10,"date":116,"slug":117,"title":118,"image":119,"countries":120,"topic":121,"activity":123,"tags":124,"nid":125,"topics":126,"activities":127,"authors":128,"images":129,"websites":130,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":131,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":132,"user_updated":133,"date_updated":134,"content":135,"link":136},10483,"_By Oscar Caipo Ricci, President of the_ [_Empresarios por la Integridad_](https:\u002F\u002Fempresariosporlaintegridad.pe\u002F) _initiative in Peru. The initiative is a member of the Basel Institute's_ [_Mentoring Programme_](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fmentoring-programme) _and recently became the national hub of_ [_Alliance for Integrity_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.allianceforintegrity.org\u002Fen\u002F) _in Peru._\n\n_Speaking at the Basel Institute’s [International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2024) on 25–26 June 2024, Oscar highlighted the value of building a community of professionals_ _dedicated to anti-corruption Collective Action._\n\nVideo file \u003Cvideo controls=\"controls\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\">\u003Csource src=\"\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2024-09\u002F240814_CA%20interview%205%20Oscar_captions.mp4\" type=\"video\u002Fmp4\">\u003C\u002Fvideo>\n\n> What is the value of building a community of professionals dedicated to anti-corruption Collective Action?\n> \n> I think first, not to feel alone: that we are together in this fight.\n> \n> Second, that we have a lot to learn from each other.\n> \n> Problems of corruption are often similar. They are not exactly the same – there are cultural differences – but the problem is very similar and we usually work alone to develop solutions.\n> \n> So it is great to be part of a larger community where we can interchange experiences and best practices, and be there to offer support when somebody calls to ask about a certain topic.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   See more Q&As with leading voices in promoting anti-corruption Collective Action, together with photos and videos, on the web page of our [2024 International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2024).\n*   Learn more about Collective Action and how to engage on the [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F).","2024-09-09","building-a-community-of-professionals-dedicated-to-anti-corruption-collective-action-2680","Building a community of professionals dedicated to anti-corruption Collective Action","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F98f3db43-bd6b-4bfa-9ce6-3f3cea10f36e?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[122,99],"Collective Action",[17],[],2680,[122,99],[17],[],[],[23,122],[],"2024-09-09T16:01:41.000Z","dfef11db-1bc6-47e9-a61d-93443995484b","2026-05-08T21:11:11.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbuilding-a-community-of-professionals-dedicated-to-anti-corruption-collective-action-2680",{"id":138,"body":139,"status":6,"type":10,"date":140,"slug":141,"title":142,"image":96,"countries":143,"topic":144,"activity":145,"tags":147,"nid":148,"topics":149,"activities":150,"authors":151,"images":153,"websites":154,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":155,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":156,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":110,"content":157,"link":158},10221,"_Comments from the Basel Institute on Governance Conference on Anti-Corruption Collective Action to address corporate and multi-stakeholder initiatives against bribery and extortion:_\n\nSome 150 experts from the worlds of business, civil society and government as well as international organisations began meeting today in Basel, Switzerland, to discuss the role of Collective Action as a tool in the fight against corruption. Anti-corruption Collective Action consists of initiatives that are formed by groups of companies, or multi-stakeholder groups, seeking to overcome common bribery and extortion problems faced by businesses.\n\n\"The ability of corrupt networks and organized crime to effect state capture means that we are in a condition where one sometimes needs to ask whether a powerful corruption network has a state in its grip or whether the state itself has become a corruption network. Either way, such a condition won't be dismantled easily; strong and united coalitions of companies, civil society and others whose aim is to tackle systemic corruption can however make a difference” said prominent Kenyan anti-corruption activist John Githongo, CEO, Inuka Kenya Ni Sisi Ltd., in his keynote address.\n\n“Challenges are however still of a great magnitude”, said Basel Institute on Governance President Mark Pieth stated in his opening remarks. He continued: “There is a need for introducing an element of creativity in the fight against corruption”.\n\nTargeted breakout sessions scheduled to take place during the conference will provide participants with the opportunity to delve further into the topics of Collective Action and collaboration in order to develop practical solutions for tackling these critical issues.\n\n\"It is essential to have an international dialogue which brings together all of the key actors concerned with Collective Action to further support clean business,\" said Dr Andreas Hoffmann, General Counsel of Siemens, commenting on the morning sessions before delivering his keynote speech.\"The conference is a major step in giving substance to this dialogue and will fundamentally support the B20 Collective Action Hub, which is run by the Basel Institute ́s International Centre for Collective Action (ICCA) in partnership with the UN Global Compact. The Hub offers tools and a forum for businesses and governments to take concrete steps to jointly step up against corruption and strengthen good business practice.”\n\nAdding to this, Soji Apampa, Head of the Convention on Business Integrity, a Nigeria-based NGO with the mission of promoting ethical business practices, confirmed that “goal congruence between businesses and between businesses and NGOs results in their partnership, which is key to advancing Collective Action and more effectively prevent corruption.”\n\nThe meeting is the first international conference convened by the Basel Institute on Governance’s new Centre for Collective Action. It is part of the G20\u002FB20 anti-corruption agenda aimed at identifying mechanisms that may effectively support companies’ efforts to resist bribery and extortion. The conference is organised with support from the Siemens Integrity Initiative.","2014-06-26","collective-action-conference-2014-how-can-companies-more-effectively-fight-corruption-167","Collective Action Conference 2014: How can companies more effectively fight corruption?",[],[122,99],[146],"Events",[],167,[122,99],[146],[152],1336,[],[23,122],[],"2022-05-26T22:59:30.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcollective-action-conference-2014-how-can-companies-more-effectively-fight-corruption-167",{"id":160,"body":161,"status":6,"type":10,"date":162,"slug":163,"title":164,"image":96,"countries":165,"topic":166,"activity":168,"tags":169,"nid":170,"topics":171,"activities":172,"authors":173,"images":176,"websites":177,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":178,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":179,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":8,"content":180,"link":181},10434,"_This blog was originally published on the FCPA Blog, which was discontinued in February 2024._\n\nLast week’s publication of our 10th annual [Basel AML Index](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-aml-index-2021-4-things-holding-back-global-fight-against-money-laundering) – which assesses money laundering risks around the world and ranks jurisdictions on how well they’re addressing them – has triggered two types of response.\n\nAs usual, people first want to see how their country is doing on the AML\u002FCFT “league table.” How is the country ranked compared to its neighbors? Has the risk score gone up or down? Sadly, the answer to that last question is: mostly up. The average global money laundering risk score increased slightly this year from 5.22 to 5.3 out of 10.\n\nThis kind of league table response hits headlines, but it misses the point. The point of the Basel AML Index is to illuminate weaknesses in national, regional, and global financial systems that leave them open to abuse by money launderers, those financing terrorism, and other criminals. After all, the fight against corruption and money laundering is not a competition but a team effort.\n\nSome of the weaknesses revealed by the Basel AML Index are caused by the continuous evolution of financial crime typologies. Ten years ago, for example, cryptocurrencies were barely heard of; now, as our [report explores](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2021-09\u002FBasel_AML_Index_2021_10th%20Edition.pdf), regulators and reporting entities are scrambling to get on top of the risks.\n\nIn other areas, not all jurisdictions are scrambling enough. Our analysis, for example, supports growing concerns that beneficial ownership transparency is not being implemented as fast or as effectively as it should be. This is not only a problem for law enforcement seeking information on suspected criminals or for financial institutions trying to conduct customer due diligence in the dark. It undermines global efforts to combat corruption and money laundering because it leaves opaque spots on the world map where criminals can set up anonymous corporate structures to launder their illicit money.\n\nThen we have the blind spots. This year, we have shone a light on money laundering risks beyond the financial sector. Data-crunching shows that lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, and other designated non-financial businesses and professions (DNFBPs) continue to underperform on compliance with AML\u002FCFT standards. Tighter regulations, more supervision, and credible enforcement are urgently needed to close that gap.\n\nLastly, and most disappointingly, weaknesses that we have pointed out year after year since the first edition of the Basel AML Index have barely been addressed. The effectiveness of AML\u002FCFT systems is the elephant in the room here. On average, countries assessed by the FATF for the effectiveness of their AML\u002FCFT frameworks score a woeful 30 percent. This means it is still all too common for jurisdictions to have laws and institutions in place that are largely compliant with FATF Recommendations yet ineffective in practice.\n\nTired of repeating this message, this year, we looked more closely at the data to see whether the problem was prevention, enforcement, or both. We saw that jurisdictions consistently score even worse for the prevention of money laundering than they do for enforcement. Why this is, is an excellent question to ask and a hard one to answer. Unlike for enforcement, there is very little hard data to measure the effectiveness of preventive measures.\n\nSmart governments, or those that mean what they preach, will look at this and invest more resources in preventing money laundering and terrorist financing. A fire contained is always better than an arsonist caught when the house has burnt down. This obviously shouldn’t come at the expense of enforcement because arsonists also have to be caught and punished.\n\nAnd if all players in government and the private sector work to better understand and address their money laundering risks – as well as keep up with global trends like those above – maybe, just maybe, all countries will creep up the Basel AML Index league table next year.","2022-09-22","fcpa-blog-basel-aml-index-going-beyond-the-money-laundering-leaderboard-2603","FCPA Blog: Basel AML Index – Going beyond the money laundering leaderboard",[],[167],"Anti-Money Laundering",[14],[],2603,[167],[],[174,175],1029,1030,[],[23],[],"2024-03-19T11:01:38.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Ffcpa-blog-basel-aml-index-going-beyond-the-money-laundering-leaderboard-2603",{"id":183,"body":184,"status":6,"type":10,"date":185,"slug":186,"title":187,"image":188,"countries":189,"topic":190,"activity":191,"tags":192,"nid":201,"topics":202,"activities":203,"authors":204,"images":205,"websites":206,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":207,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":208,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":8,"content":209,"link":210},9522,"The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) has launched tailored guidance on measures that companies in the oil, gas and mining sectors can adopt to reduce corruption risks when partnering with state-owned enterprises (SOEs).\n\nPublished on a user-friendly website, [Anticorruption Guidance for Partners of State-Owned Enterprises](https:\u002F\u002Fresourcegovernance.org\u002Fsoe-anticorruption) also recommends measures SOEs can take to strengthen their own anti-corruption safeguards. The guidance was [launched at a virtual event](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FG5NJ3Ryc7jM) on 26 January 2022, at which our Head of Collective Action Gemma Aiolfi moderated a panel discussion.\n\nIn this interview, [Alexandra Gillies](https:\u002F\u002Fresourcegovernance.org\u002Fabout-us\u002Fexpert\u002Falexandra-gillies), Advisor to the NRGI and co-author of the guidance alongside Tom Shipley, explains how and why they developed the guidance over two years of research and multi-stakeholder consultations with private companies, SOEs and civil society stakeholders, including our [Collective Action team](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action).\n\nHer insights throw light on the NRGI’s approach of conducting extensive, multi-stakeholder consultation and trust-based discussion, which is central to many Collective Action initiatives. A similar process could help practitioners in other sectors and countries to develop guidance that both addresses pertinent corruption risks and has a good chance of being widely adopted.\n\n### Anti-corruption recommendations already exist for extractive industries and for SOEs. Why did you decide a fresh approach was needed?\n\nOil, gas and mining industries are crucial to many countries’ development, but the benefits to citizens continue to be lost through corruption. Despite the many valuable efforts to raise standards of integrity and implement safeguards against corruption in these sectors, something is clearly missing the mark.\n\nAnd the stakes are only going to rise with the commodities boom and explosion in demand for transition minerals. Three issues stand out:\n\nFirst, interactions between international companies and SOEs in charge of oil, gas and mining resources remain a major problem area.\n\nThis finding emerged clearly from our detailed analysis of over 100 past corruption cases across many countries. Initial conversations with compliance officers confirmed that existing measures, and the standard risk-based approach to addressing corruption risks more generally, face difficulties in the case of interactions with some SOEs. They were open to fresh ideas.\n\nSecond, existing compliance systems often focus narrowly and inwardly on protecting companies from penalties for violating anti-bribery laws.\n\nYet many forms of corruption that are the most harmful to citizens are not covered by bribery laws, such as when political elites syphon off hundreds of millions of dollars that could be public revenue. We were keen to address the risks of company activities _enabling_ corruption by helping corrupt actors to carry out their schemes.\n\nThird, voluntary anti-corruption guidance needs buy-in from companies if it is to be effectively implemented across enough of the sector to make a difference.\n\nThis means it needs to take into account how companies interact with SOEs in their operations, the risks they face, and what is feasible to implement in their anti-corruption and due diligence systems. We therefore wanted to prioritise learning from private companies and other stakeholders about what’s working and what’s not in their relationships with SOEs. This is where a Collective Action approach helped.\n\n### Who is the guidance aimed at and why?\n\nDespite the focus of the guidance on five specific risk areas between extractive industry companies and SOEs – due diligence, high-risk agents, political exposure, safeguarding payments and joint ventures – many of the recommendations are relevant to a broad stakeholder group.\n\nAs well as producers directly involved in extracting natural resources, we proactively involved other companies in the supply chain, notably commodity traders and suppliers to oil, gas and mining companies. Although we drew on existing relationships at NRGI, we also reached out to get new companies involved in the conversation.\n\nWithin these companies, we are targeting not only compliance teams but also commercial departments and those responsible for external affairs, transparency, human rights and related issues. This is because we take a broad view of what counts as corruption and what kind of anti-corruption measures can help. In SOEs, we spoke to compliance teams or, where dedicated compliance functions do not yet exist, we engaged the leadership or the legal and procurement departments.\n\nThis mix reflects the professional backgrounds of those who took part in the workshops and consultation process.\n\n### What were their incentives to take part?\n\nI believe there was a genuine interest among participants in getting new ideas to tackle these common problem areas. And sharing experiences with like-minded professionals who have similar concerns is not only useful and enriching, but enjoyable.\n\nReputation is also an important factor. As with many Collective Action initiatives, engaging in such a consultation process helps to demonstrate that the company is proactively addressing corruption risks. This is particularly strong for companies that have faced public corruption issues that have damaged their reputation in the eyes of the public, investors or potential employees.\n\nThird, many appreciated the chance to contribute to industry guidance that might become widely accepted standards or influence other standards down the road. Companies have an interest in making it realistic and feasible.\n\n### Can you recap the process?\n\nFirst we conducted a lot of background research, particularly looking into past corruption cases in the extractive sector to understand the problem we were trying to address. The analysis made clear the vulnerability of SOEs in diverse countries to corruption. We then spent some time considering who should be involved in the conversations, including which types of company and from which countries, and getting initial ideas and feedback from colleagues.\n\nAfter a few initial conversations with relevant stakeholders, we scheduled a first gathering to get feedback on the topic. Prior to the meeting, we discussed the project with many of the invited company representatives in order to provide adequate background. At that first meeting, held in December 2019, around 30 people from companies, academic institutions, NGOs, international organisations and other entities gathered to discuss new approaches to preventing corruption, with a focus on SOEs.\n\nDrawing on the discussions, we then identified five priority areas of business interactions between companies and SOEs that represented particularly high corruption risks – and importantly, where existing measures are not proving sufficient to mitigate them. We then held interviews with stakeholders on these topics, which helped us gather frank feedback on what’s working and what’s not in each area.\n\nThen, we organised five virtual, invitation-only workshops, one on each of the topics of focus. The workshops provided additional ideas regarding good practices and prevailing challenges, and created opportunities for companies and experts to share ideas on sensitive issues.\n\nNext came the drafting and ongoing consultations with the workshop participants and other stakeholders, including SOE compliance teams, representatives from risk advisory consultancies, anti-corruption experts and academics, and investors. We also consulted with international banks that do business with SOEs; these can provide valuable inspiration for companies seeking to strengthen their systems for conducting customer due diligence.\n\nDrawing on these inputs as well as additional research, we then drafted the guidance, shared it with the participants, and received a very robust set of feedback.\n\n### Were you seeking consensus?\n\nNo. Importantly, we were clear from the start that the guidance would be the product of _consultation_, but not _consensus_. As an independent organisation promoting transparency and accountability in natural resource governance, we knew we might put forward some more ambitious ideas that don’t have much support among private companies.\n\nThis is a different approach from that of the [Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Feiti.org\u002F) (EITI), for example, which seeks consensus on its global standard. Civil society organisations sometimes also unilaterally publish recommendations.\n\nBoth approaches have merit, but we believe a middle way is appropriate in this case: the guidelines are informed by participants’ views and reflect what is realistic and feasible, but we are not asking companies to endorse or sign up to them all.\n\n### What are the prospects for widespread adoption, and how will you know?\n\nWe hope that, as a first step, some of the participating companies adopt elements of the guidance. We of course also hope to see widespread adoption by companies and SOEs in the sectors. That includes those not directly involved in the development of the guidance.\n\nThe participatory approach makes it more likely that companies and SOEs in the sectors will adopt the guidance. Many representatives were actively engaged in its development and can see the results of their contributions. Having been involved in the discussions, they can also understand why in some instances the final document doesn’t always reflect their views.\n\nThe consultation process also enabled us to build good working relationships, so we hope to get positive responses to our follow-up surveys on the impact of the guidance on policies and practices within the companies.\n\nOne difficulty with measuring the impact of the guidance is that companies rarely disclose information about their anti-corruption practices beyond high-level statements. We believe this is a missed opportunity. Many of those involved in the consultations are doing impressive work to mitigate corruption risks and strengthen their anti-corruption safeguards. They should be shouting this kind of thing from the rooftops.\n\n### What are potential obstacles?\n\nOne big barrier to adoption is the widespread concept of “risk appetite” in business, which weighs up potential financial rewards against financial and other risks, including corruption risks. If the deal is potentially very lucrative, it could tip the balance towards going ahead despite corruption risks that can harm the public interest.\n\nOur guidance seeks to address by encouraging companies to set clear upfront rules – red lines – on what they will not tolerate in any circumstances, even if the financial rewards are huge. But changing that ingrained risk appetite approach more generally is going to take a lot more than our guidance.\n\n### What lessons did you learn and what will you take forward?\n\nFirst, a thorough stakeholder mapping is helpful to gather an influential group of stakeholders.\n\nIn this case, we identified that we needed to reach out to more supplier companies, which have traditionally been left out of conversations around extractive sector transparency and governance. Stakeholder mapping doesn’t guarantee a perfect mix – our group leaned significantly towards North American, European and Australian companies – but successful Collective Action doesn’t require every single actor to be around the table.\n\nSecond, building trust between participants – who may be direct competitors – goes beyond basic elements such as confidentiality and anonymity.\n\nWe found it useful to clarify from the start that this guidance is NRGI guidance, not the result of consensus or something that companies will be asked to endorse. This helped to set expectations and gave participants the freedom and security to engage with the issues openly and in a good faith way. And that in turn encouraged more hesitant participants to do the same.\n\nThird, don’t be afraid to talk about sensitive issues – but to do it in an empirically grounded and evidence-based way.\n\nWe felt empowered by our research and data on corruption in the sector. These allowed us to ask pertinent questions, push back where needed and generate real debate. Without that expertise or evidence base, you are standing on much shakier ground.\n\nGoing forward, we see great potential for more multi-stakeholder discussion and potentially building Collective Action initiatives around specific issues within the guidance. For example, requirements that companies use third-party agents in particular markets, or around how to utilise beneficial ownership information and respond to political exposure in the supply chain.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Visit the [Anticorruption Guidance for Partners of State-Owned Enterprises](https:\u002F\u002Fresourcegovernance.org\u002Fsoe-anticorruption) website and view the [launch event](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FG5NJ3Ryc7jM).\n*   Learn more about the work of the [NRGI](https:\u002F\u002Fresourcegovernance.org\u002F) in promoting good governance in oil, gas minerals.\n*   Learn more about [Collective Action at the Basel Institute](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action) and find resources, inspiration and event information on our [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fb20-collective-action-hub).","2022-03-14","how-a-participatory-approach-helped-the-nrgi-to-develop-effective-anti-corruption-guidance-for-oil-gas-and-mining-sectors-2198","How a participatory approach helped the NRGI to develop effective anti-corruption guidance for oil, gas and mining sectors","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F24d0505c-1b97-44b2-af4e-5b8c5f09923f?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[122,99],[17],[193,197],{"tags_id":194},{"id":195,"name":196},804,"Natural resources",{"tags_id":198},{"id":199,"name":200},859,"Corruption risks",2198,[122,99],[17],[],[],[23,122],[],"2022-05-26T22:51:56.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-a-participatory-approach-helped-the-nrgi-to-develop-effective-anti-corruption-guidance-for-oil-gas-and-mining-sectors-2198",{"id":212,"body":213,"status":6,"type":10,"date":214,"slug":215,"title":216,"image":217,"countries":218,"topic":219,"activity":222,"tags":224,"nid":229,"topics":230,"activities":232,"authors":233,"images":235,"websites":236,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":237,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":238,"user_updated":86,"date_updated":239,"content":240,"link":241},10458,"_A [new paper](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.annualreviews.org\u002Fcontent\u002Fjournals\u002F10.1146\u002Fannurev-polisci-051120-095535) published in the Annual Review of Political Science explores how we can improve anti-corruption efforts using a “new arrow in the quiver”: the social norms approach. Claudia Baez Camargo, Head of Prevention, Research and Innovation and a co-author of the paper, explains why the social norms approach is crucial for anti-corruption efforts, and shares some of the paper’s main messages for practitioners and researchers. The full paper, “Corruption and social norms: a new arrow in the quiver” is available at [Annual Reviews](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.annualreviews.org\u002Fcontent\u002Fjournals\u002F10.1146\u002Fannurev-polisci-051120-095535)._\n\nWe have, by now, understood that it is impossible to legislate corruption away. Most countries in the world have adequate legal and institutional frameworks in place to counter corruption. They have also adopted measures such as tougher penalties for corruption offences and stronger administrative controls, and created dedicated anti-corruption agencies. And yet, corruption persists.\n\nScholars have identified this as an “implementation gap”, highlighting the difficulties in enforcing existing laws and policies to counter corruption. Even targeted anti-corruption interventions are often not effective enough – a significant body of research has shown that many fail to have the expected effect, or produce results that fade soon after the intervention ends. \n\nWhy does this gap exist, and how can we do better? There are several important considerations:\n\n### Don’t blame the bad apple\n\nCorruption is very rarely the result of individual “bad apples” abusing power. Rather, [evidence](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Finformal-networks-investment-qualitative-analysis-uganda-and-tanzania) suggests that corruption is a highly networked phenomenon involving groups whose collective actions enable the emergence of or entrench a corrupt system. \n\nResearch has shown that people behave differently when they are acting as part of a group than when they are acting individually. This can happen, for example, when peer pressure to conform to group behaviour undermines the effect of any legal provision prohibiting the behaviour in question.\n\nAnd yet, most conventional anti-corruption approaches target the behaviour and incentives of individuals.\n\n### The illusion of the Homus Economicus\n\nBehavioural science research has shown that we are not always the rational decision-makers whose behaviour underpins the assumptions of classical economic theory. Humans do not always (or even usually) follow a traditional cost-benefit analysis in their decision making. Instead, we often operate according to social norms, with collectively held beliefs and the desire for social belonging producing behaviour that defies rational thinking.\n\nThis behaviour may therefore contradict anti-corruption incentives or formal legal prescriptions, and can leave practitioners frustrated with lacklustre results.\n\n### Social-norms tinted glasses\n\nIn response to these considerations, scholars and practitioners are increasingly seeing the importance of analysing corruption in the social context in which it exists, identifying its drivers (the why) and enablers (the how), and the relationship between these factors.\n\nThis “social norms approach” can enhance our understanding of corruption and, therefore, the design of anti-corruption reforms by taking into account:\n\n*   the context-specific practices that affect corruption and anti-corruption outcomes in different regions and settings;\n*   the informal social networks that bind actors together:\n*   the self-reinforcing “glue” of common understandings, mutual expectations and accepted behaviours;\n*   the stubbornness of these social practices.\n\n### Ask better questions, get better answers \n\nBy asking the right questions, we can produce tangible results to make anti-corruption interventions more effective and sustainable.\n\nIn the paper we ask and answer the following questions:\n\n*   What are the complexities and gaps in the definition of corruption and the shortcomings of leading theories of corruption?\n*   How do social norms influence corrupt behaviour?\n*   How can social norms be factored into anti-corruption policy and programming?\n*   How can research be incorporated more efficiently and effectively on the ground?\n\nAny response to corruption has to reflect its multi-faceted and intrinsically human (i.e. messy) nature. Applying a social norms lens is not a one-size-fits-all approach, and corruption does not always fit into neat bureaucratic or legal categories. Citizens will often differ in their understanding of what constitutes corruption. An in-depth analysis of the specific social context in which the corruption takes place is always a necessary first step.\n\nWe should develop practical methodological approaches so that anti-corruption agencies can more easily identify specific social norms driving a corrupt practice. And we need more empirical investigation of the interaction between the various factors, including social norms, historical norms, the political system, the institutional system and individual factors such as gender, age, income and personality traits, that influence an individual’s choice to engage in a corrupt act.","2024-07-16","a-new-arrow-in-the-quiver-making-anti-corruption-reform-more-effective-and-sustainable-2655","A new arrow in the quiver: making anti-corruption reform more effective and sustainable","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faa99bafa-fc1c-43da-aef4-8b7fe6f2c319?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[220,221],"Prevention"," Research and Innovation",[17,223],"Anti-corruption interventions",[225],{"tags_id":226},{"id":227,"name":228},848,"Behavioural science",2655,[231],"Prevention Research and Innovation",[17,223],[234],1108,[],[23],[],"2024-07-16T16:01:39.000Z","2026-05-07T21:29:55.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fa-new-arrow-in-the-quiver-making-anti-corruption-reform-more-effective-and-sustainable-2655",{"id":243,"body":244,"status":6,"type":10,"date":245,"slug":246,"title":247,"image":248,"countries":249,"topic":251,"activity":253,"tags":254,"nid":255,"topics":256,"activities":257,"authors":258,"images":260,"websites":261,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":262,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":263,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":8,"content":264,"link":265},9739,"In early April, more than 770 public officials across Peru took our latest [virtual training course on public financial management](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fvirtual-training-course-public-financial-management-launched-peru) (PFM). This free seven-week course is part of a [programme](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cooperacionsuiza.pe\u002Fproyecto\u002Freformas-de-gestion-de-finanzas-publicas-a-nivel-subnacional\u002F) financed by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) to strengthen standards of PFM in 11 subnational governments. In all senses, it has been a huge success.\n\nSome people have been surprised at this, given the disruption caused by the pandemic and the technical issues of computer and internet availability in Peru. My colleagues Carlos Vargas (Director of the PFM programme), Romina Cruz (Communications Officer) and I (Component Leader for Sustainability) take this opportunity to explain how, why and for whom we developed this course and how we managed to maintain such high levels of engagement. We hope our experiences are useful for others developing virtual training courses.\n\n### Multi-platform for maximum flexibility\n\nThe course is seriously \"multi-platform\": as well as a course web page, we have content on YouTube, Google Drive, Google Classroom, Vimeo, Facebook and Padlet. We have 23 regional WhatsApp discussion groups and a Telegram channel.\n\nWhy so many different platforms? For two reasons:\n\n*   To guarantee availability and access to all learners\n*   To minimise internet usage and costs\n\nDelivering an online course on a single learning management system has advantages, but it isn’t practical in places with weak, unreliable or expensive internet services, like in many Peruvian provinces.\n\nOur students – public officials in subnational governments – tell us that they like the flexibility of multiple platforms. It helps them to reduce their internet costs. For example, they can take advantage of mobile internet deals like free use of WhatsApp or Facebook’s pilot “Discover” app, which provides users with 10 MB of data every day.\n\nThe strict coronavirus lockdown in Peru has made this flexible multi-platform approach even more valuable. Most public officials are working from home and have to share their computer (if they have one) and internet connection with their partners and children attending school online. In addition, the government wishes to reserve internet capacity for essential services, particularly during the day.\n\nIn a survey we ran, most officials said they had use of a computer, but a large proportion also access the course on mobile phones and tablets. Flexibility and responsive web platforms are key.\n\n###  “Social” media for professional purposes\n\nPeople often ask why we use personal social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp for professional course content and communication.\n\nAgain, it is because it works in our context. We know from experience that Facebook and WhatsApp are good ways to communicate with our students – and more importantly to allow them to communicate with each other. For example, we have 7,230 followers on [Facebook](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002FGFPsubnacional), all highly specialised and engaged. Just in the last week, we had more than 5,000 interactions with our posts. When they share our posts with their own networks, it amplifies our reach.\n\nThese channels have been hugely important in creating and sustaining our [Public Finance Management Experts Network](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fcusco-joins-perus-growing-public-finance-management-experts-network), for example. This is an initiative of graduates of the diploma programme that we ran in conjunction with Universidad ESAN. Thanks in large part to social media, this new network already has more than 200 members across six regions. It proves the power of using \"social\" media for professional purposes.\n\nWe've had a similarly positive experience using social media for training purposes.\n\n### Support networks and sustainability\n\nOur use of social media has another big benefit: sustainability. Sustainable capacity building is not just about teaching new skills to individuals. The support networks that students create with each other help to increase their collective knowledge and sustain it over long periods.\n\nIn a university or classroom, students naturally get together and become friends. We are using social media to recreate these same support networks in the virtual space – and in fact to expand their potential. We see students helping each other with questions and ideas from across the country, at all times of day and night.\n\nWhatsApp groups can include up to 250 people, so they work well for connecting people within cities or regions. With Telegram you can have 200,000 people in a group, so this is a good choice for cross-regional communication.\n\n### Creating a critical mass for real culture change\n\nLinking people to people in this way is visibly helping to change the culture in Peru. Thanks to our onsite and virtual training courses [over the last four years](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fpublic-finance-management-programme-peru-achieves-flying-colours-and-enters-new-four-year) – and thanks to the support networks that have grown up – we are creating a critical mass of people in Peru who understand the importance and the details of strong and transparent public financial management.\n\nMany of the new employees we have hired recently to support our wider programme have completed our training courses. Some are part of the Experts Network. This critical mass has three effects.\n\n*   Mitigating issues of staff rotation and skills gaps in subnational governments. Proper public financial management is part of the culture and processes of a government department, not just dependent on individuals.\n*   Real impact at the national level. Many of the officials we train go on to obtain jobs in the central government. They take their skills, attitudes and support networks with them.\n*   International cross-fertilisation. Students from other Latin American countries have enrolled on this course, although it focuses on Peruvian law. Why? Because, they tell us, they wish to be at the forefront when their countries adopt similar laws. Some are even using their new knowledge of Peruvian policies on public financial management to help advocate for improvements in their own countries’ laws.\n\n### Interaction, feedback and mutual support\n\nWith 770+ students signing up for this course, and limited in-house resources, we knew we couldn’t provide individual support to every single student.\n\nOur system is simple. Students can send queries by email and we share the answers with everyone. They can also use a chat room on Facebook or request help in their WhatsApp groups. The students have been amazing. They immediately started thoughtfully answering each other’s questions and sharing ideas. And in the process of supporting others, they acknowledge that they learn better themselves.\n\nIt helps that some students (as well as ourselves, the course leaders) are or have been academics in universities. But access to information via the internet is the really critical factor that has transformed the learning process. In the past, teachers used to think they were the source of all knowledge, pouring it down onto students from the top during lectures. Now, many students know – or can find out – more than their teachers about specific topics and share it directly with their peers. Teachers need to understand that they are _facilitators_ and _supporters_ of learning. That is how we see ourselves.\n\nWe are also keen to get feedback ourselves in order to continuously improve the course. We send out surveys after each module asking for feedback and we also hold an optional Zoom call in the evening after each exam to discuss the questions. The feedback has been both encouraging and valuable.\n\n### Reflection, not just rote learning\n\nIn response to feedback, we recorded two extra videos applying the theory that the students are learning to the very real situation of covid-19 and its impact on public financial management. These kinds of “extras” are what students tell us they really value, as they encourage reflection and not just rote learning.\n\n“Reflection” is the key word in our approach to testing as well. After each module, there is a test. The purpose is not to check whether students can regurgitate what they learned last week word for word. The aim is to encourage students to reflect on what they have learned and apply it to real situations.\n\nThis helps move the knowledge from short-term memory to long-term understanding. The testing is part of the learning process.\n\n### “Using the fruit to make marmalade for everyone”\n\nVirtual training has clear benefits in normal times, not just during a pandemic. Our programme directly supports 11 subnational governments, but with virtual training we can reach the whole of Peru at no extra cost.\n\nFor example, our [virtual course in open government](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnode\u002F922) in 2019 reached more than 3,350 officials and citizens across Peru. This wider diffusion of knowledge is important for long-term sustainability and culture change.\n\nGetting the widest benefit for the lowest cost is vital in our country. That is another reason for our use of social media and networks of engaged individuals: it’s free. Saving on marketing costs means we can put more funds into the course development and support for students.\n\n### Three tips for designing virtual courses\n\nHere are three important things we recommend to consider when developing virtual courses.\n\n*   Understand your students and adapt to their needs. Speak to them and listen carefully to what they want and need. Tailor your content appropriately and be prepared to adapt quickly in response to feedback. \n*   It’s not about the tool, but what you do with it. Choose your technologies to meet the needs of the students, not just yours – and be open to non-traditional platforms like social media if that will work best in your context.\n*   Learning is about the heart, not just the head. The personal touch is still important, even if the course is virtual. The chance to interact with others through chat rooms and social media is hugely valuable. It is what turns a one-off training course for individuals into a sustainable, knowledgeable and engaged network that can really achieve change.","2020-05-17","how-to-design-a-virtual-training-course-that-works-in-your-context-experiences-from-peru-1749","How to design a virtual training course that works in your context – experiences from Peru","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faaa363c7-28be-48c1-a690-2518cd46f0e4?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[250],7421,[252],"Public Finance Management",[75,17],[],1749,[252],[75,17],[259],1231,[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:00.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhow-to-design-a-virtual-training-course-that-works-in-your-context-experiences-from-peru-1749",{"id":267,"body":268,"status":6,"type":65,"date":269,"slug":270,"title":271,"image":272,"countries":273,"topic":274,"activity":275,"tags":276,"nid":285,"topics":286,"activities":287,"authors":288,"images":290,"websites":291,"area":21,"programme":21,"language":21,"translations":292,"translation_of":21,"user_created":41,"date_created":293,"user_updated":42,"date_updated":110,"content":294,"link":295},9841,"We know who whistleblowers are: employees or others who raise a report relating to possible breaches of the law, government regulations or their company’s code of conduct. While whistleblowing itself is not hard to define, developing legal [protection for whistleblowers in Switzerland has been a long saga that has now ground to a halt](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swissinfo.ch\u002Feng\u002Fpolitics\u002Fhigh-stakes_better-whistleblower-protections-face-resistance-in-swiss-parliament\u002F45009102).\n\nThere may be a simple shortcut to the Swiss difficulties around this issue through the autonomous adoption of the requirements under the [new EU Directive on whistleblowing](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.europarl.europa.eu\u002Fdoceo\u002Fdocument\u002FTA-8-2019-0366_EN.html#title2).\n\nThe EU law covers public procurement, financial services, money laundering, product and transport safety, nuclear safety, public health, consumer and data protection. It adopts a similar three-tiered reporting process to the one envisaged by the draft Swiss law, but goes further, with:\n\n*   comprehensive safeguards on any form of retaliation to both the whistleblower and those assisting him\u002Fher;\n*   access to comprehensive and independent information and advice free of charge;\n*   access to legal aid during proceedings.\n\nThe provisions apply to organisations with more than 50 employees or a turnover of EUR 10 million.\n\n### Can a speak-up culture help?\n\nPotential whistleblowers usually cite two reasons why they prefer not to report. First, because they fear retaliation even if they report confidentially or anonymously. Secondly, because nothing will change so any reporting would be futile.\n\nThese two hurdles associated with whistleblowing are best countered by a robust speak-up culture. Studies have shown that trust within the workplace fosters innovation, collaboration and productivity. Team leaders who encourage new ideas are the ones who ask questions and listen carefully; facilitate constructive argument; give actionable feedback; take advice from the team and act on it; share credit for team success; and maintain regular contact with team members.\n\nIf companies spent more time developing a positive speak-up culture, the need for whistleblowing mechanisms might not be quite so strong.\n\n### A clearer framework for self-reporting to authorities\n\nSelf-reporting by companies to government or administrative authorities is closely related to speaking up and investigating whistleblowing reports.\n\nIt involves rewards for the spontaneous reports of wrongdoing by firms, followed by cooperation during proceedings that can be taken into account by the authorities when determining penalties.\n\nAs a general rule, there’s no obligation under Swiss law for companies to self-report misconduct and no statutory framework for self-reporting. The [OECD has recommended](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd.org\u002Fcorruption\u002Fanti-bribery\u002FSwitzerland-Phase-4-Report-ENG.pdf) that the Office of the Attorney General (Bundesanwaltschaft) create a clear and transparent framework for self-reporting by companies which sets out the conditions in which it applies and the applicable procedures. This includes issues such as the nature and degree of co-operation expected from the company; any benefit for co-operation with the law enforcement authorities; and prosecutions of natural persons connected with the self-reporting company.\n\nRecent revelations in the Swiss media about informal meetings between the Attorney General and FIFA representatives during an ongoing investigation into FIFA, and a meeting in Uzbekistan at a time when the daughter of the President of Uzbekistan is under investigation in Switzerland – combined with the lack of minutes and memory lapses around these discussions – highlight the need for guidance and clarity around self-reporting in Switzerland with rules for both sides. \n\n_An adapted version of this article appeared in German in the June 2019 edition of [Recht relevant – für Compliance Officers](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.schulthess.com\u002Fverlag\u002Fzeitschriften\u002Frecht-relevant), published by Schulthess._ \n\n_Photo by [Luis Quintero](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002F@jibarofoto?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels) from [Pexels](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pexels.com\u002Fphoto\u002Fselective-focus-photography-of-woman-using-whistle-1659980\u002F?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels)._","2019-07-03","protecting-whistleblowers-in-switzerland-can-a-speak-up-culture-and-self-reporting-framework-help-942","Protecting whistleblowers in Switzerland:  can a speak-up culture and self-reporting framework help?","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F1ebe0923-0747-4d58-82f4-4e76964ed9c1?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[99],[17],[277,281],{"tags_id":278},{"id":279,"name":280},982,"Anti-corruption",{"tags_id":282},{"id":283,"name":284},830,"Business integrity",942,[99],[17],[289],1271,[],[23],[],"2022-05-26T22:56:27.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fprotecting-whistleblowers-in-switzerland-can-a-speak-up-culture-and-self-reporting-framework-help-942",{"left":297,"top":297,"width":298,"height":298,"rotate":297,"vFlip":299,"hFlip":299,"body":300},0,20,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17 10a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H5.612l4.158 3.96a.75.75 0 1 1-1.04 1.08l-5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.08l5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 1 1 1.04 1.08L5.612 9.25H16.25A.75.75 0 0 1 17 10\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\u002F>",1780676490252]