[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":286},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-corruption-and-money-laundering-workshop-for-university-of-the-western-cape-law-students-76":3,"news-corruption-and-money-laundering-workshop-for-university-of-the-western-cape-law-students-76-similar":62,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":281},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":14,"activity":15,"nid":17,"topics":18,"activities":19,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":21,"language":20,"image":23,"translation_of":20,"countries":34,"tags":57,"authors":58,"images":59,"translations":60,"content":61},9935,"published","2022-05-26T22:57:38.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:59.000Z","Corruption and money laundering workshop for University of the Western Cape law students","","In October 2018, Mark Pieth and two assistants Stefan Mbiyavanga and Kathrin Betz delivered a workshop on corruption and money laundering to students in Cape Town. The students are enrolled in the University of the Western Cape’s [LL.M programme in Transnational Criminal Justice and Crime Prevention](https:\u002F\u002Ftranscrim.rewi.hu-berlin.deindex.php\u002F?id=programme). The programme aims at preparing African lawyers and jurists from various countries for leading positions at both the national and international levels.\n\nMark Pieth, President of the Basel Institute on Governance, led the workshop in his capacity as Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Basel.","2018-10-08",[10],"corruption-and-money-laundering-workshop-for-university-of-the-western-cape-law-students-76",[16],"Training",76,[],[16],null,[22],"Main page",{"id":24,"storage":25,"filename_disk":26,"filename_download":27,"title":9,"type":28,"created_on":29,"modified_on":29,"charset":20,"filesize":30,"width":31,"height":32,"duration":20,"embed":20,"description":20,"location":20,"tags":20,"metadata":33,"focal_point_x":20,"focal_point_y":20,"tus_id":20,"tus_data":20,"uploaded_on":29},"23800378-15ba-4192-a58f-0696422613a6","local","23800378-15ba-4192-a58f-0696422613a6.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:23:37.000Z",110578,1400,1231,{},[35],{"id":36,"news_id":37,"countries_id":51},7519,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":38,"date_created":7,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":24,"date":12,"topic":40,"slug":14,"activity":41,"nid":17,"topics":42,"activities":43,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":44,"translation_of":20,"language":20,"countries":45,"tags":46,"authors":47,"images":48,"translations":49,"content":50},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30",[10],[16],[],[16],[22],[36],[],[],[],[],[],{"id":52,"name":53,"code":54,"latitude":55,"longitude":56},243,"South Africa","ZA",-30.55948,22.93751,[],[],[],[],[],[63,87,118,140,161,183,204,233,259],{"id":64,"body":65,"status":6,"type":66,"date":67,"slug":68,"title":69,"image":70,"countries":71,"topic":72,"activity":74,"tags":75,"nid":76,"topics":77,"activities":78,"authors":79,"images":80,"websites":81,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":82,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":83,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":84,"content":85,"link":86},9758,"Law students at the [University of the Western Cape](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.uwc.ac.za\u002F) in South Africa were surprised when a two-day course on corruption and money laundering by Professor Mark Pieth and Kathrin Betz turned out to involve acting out roleplays and working on a simulated money laundering case.\n\n### Role-playing a corruption case\n\nActing as prosecutors, defence lawyers and judges, the students first had to resolve a corruption case by applying the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).\n\nThis was one of the topics covered in the morning lectures, which focused on the international legal framework against corruption and its domestic implementation, challenges for businesses including facilitation payments, and [Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action).  \n\nThe roleplay helped the students quickly get to know each other and feel more comfortable raising questions in the group discussions. Some students were LLBs with no experience in corruption or money laundering, while others were more experienced LLMs and practising attorneys. Some students had experience in compliance and in the forensic industry.\n\nTheir diverse backgrounds meant the discussions were lively and varied.\n\n### Solving a simulated money laundering case\n\nOn the second day, the group resolved a money laundering case step-by-step. This involved identifying potential flows of illicit funds via offshore companies and foreign bank accounts. The students also had to grapple with issues such as the intermingling of proceeds of crime with clean assets.\n\nThe students found they could immediately put to use the knowledge they had gained in that morning’s lectures. These covered:\n\n*   the _modus operandi_ and phases of money laundering;\n*   the emergence of an international standard against money laundering, in particular the FATF 40 Recommendations;\n*   the risk-based approach;\n*   domestic implementation of the international standard.\n\nThe students were particularly interested in learning about [current debates around international arbitration and corruption\u002Fmoney laundering](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fhigh-level-workshop-legal-consequences-corruption-and-money-laundering-international).\n\n### About the workshop\n\nMark Pieth and Kathrin Betz led the workshop, which is delivered annually at South Africa’s University of the Western Cape, on 18–19 February 2020.\n\nMark Pieth is Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Basel and President of the Basel Institute on Governance. His work with Kathrin Betz, a Lecturer at the University of Basel’s Law faculty, includes running the University’s [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002F).","News","2020-03-05","south-african-law-students-learn-through-roleplay-and-simulation-1529","South African law students learn through roleplay and simulation","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F90de8e87-a487-4c17-a3d7-f2347c91b3bd?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73],"Anti-Money Laundering",[16],[],1529,[73],[16],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:16.000Z","2025-08-31T23:14:40.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fsouth-african-law-students-learn-through-roleplay-and-simulation-1529",{"id":88,"body":89,"status":6,"type":66,"date":90,"slug":91,"title":92,"image":93,"countries":94,"topic":95,"activity":96,"tags":99,"nid":108,"topics":109,"activities":110,"authors":111,"images":112,"websites":113,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":114,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":115,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":8,"content":116,"link":117},9774,"Over 80 arbitrators, lawyers and experts from around the world gathered at the University of Basel on 10 January 2020 to tackle the thorny issues of corruption and money laundering in international arbitration.\n\nCorruption and money laundering affecting an underlying dispute are a considerable challenge for arbitrators and parties in investment and commercial arbitration. If corruption and\u002For money laundering is established, arbitrators need to decide about the legal consequences for the parties’ claims.\n\nThe high-level workshop, Legal Consequences of Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration, covered several questions.\n\nIn investment arbitration:\n\n*   Corruption always takes two. Should a host state be held responsible for the corruption of its officials?\n*   Should a bribe at the beginning of an investment allow a state to successfully raise the corruption defence years later?\n*   Should the giving of a relatively small bribe result in the investor losing all protection under international dispute settlement mechanisms?\n*   What if a real dispute between parties involves the transfer of funds of illicit origin?\n\nIn commercial arbitration:\n\n*   What is a proportionate solution for contracts procured by bribery?\n*   What about restitution of the bribe?\n*   What is the practice of courts in France, UK, Switzerland etc. regarding enforcement of arbitral awards?\n*   What if the parties bring a fake dispute to arbitration in order to get an award that involves the transfer of funds of illicit origin?\n*   Should arbitrators and\u002For arbitral institutions have a duty (or a right) to report suspected money laundering?\n\n### About the workshop\n\nThe University’s Competence Centre for Arbitration and Crime organised the workshop as a follow-up to the 2019 [Toolkit for Arbitrators](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators) workshop and resulting publication. The Toolkit was mentioned several times as providing useful assistance to Tribunals when examining red flags.\n\nThe organisers wish to thank the event sponsors: [PWC](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pwc.ch\u002F), [BDO](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.bdo.ch\u002Fen-gb\u002Fhome-en), [Bonifassi Avocats](https:\u002F\u002Fbonifassi-avocats.com\u002Fen\u002F), [Homburger](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.homburger.ch\u002F), [Vischer](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vischer.com\u002Fen\u002F), and [Schellenberg Wittmer](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swlegal.ch\u002Fen\u002F). Partner organisations are the [University of Basel](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.unibas.ch\u002Fen.html), [Basel Institute on Governance](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002F), [Swiss Institute of Comparative Law](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.isdc.ch\u002Fen\u002F) and [The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.financialcrimelitigators.org\u002F).\n\nThe workshop was opened by [Mark Pieth](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pieth.ch\u002F), Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Basel and President of the Basel Institute on Governance. The keynote speech was given by [Alexis Mourre](https:\u002F\u002Fwhoswholegal.com\u002Falexis-mourre), President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   See the [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre website](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002Fworkshop2020).\n*   Read the [opening remarks by Alexis Mourre](https:\u002F\u002Ffiles.web.host.ch\u002Fb8\u002F79\u002Fb879cd88-7475-4be6-828c-0840879b01cf.pdf), President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration.\n*   [View and download photos on Flickr](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.flickr.com\u002Fphotos\u002F186407681@N02\u002Falbums\u002F72157712606359982)[.](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002Fworkshop2020)","2020-01-10","high-level-workshop-on-the-legal-consequences-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-in-international-arbitration-1055","High-level workshop on the legal consequences of corruption and money laundering in international arbitration","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Ffcf07252-3936-482c-b317-836874bd077e?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73],[97,98],"Events","Presentations",[100,104],{"tags_id":101},{"id":102,"name":103},973,"Corruption",{"tags_id":105},{"id":106,"name":107},879,"Money laundering",1055,[73],[97,98],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:30.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhigh-level-workshop-on-the-legal-consequences-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-in-international-arbitration-1055",{"id":119,"body":120,"status":6,"type":66,"date":121,"slug":122,"title":123,"image":124,"countries":125,"topic":126,"activity":127,"tags":129,"nid":130,"topics":131,"activities":132,"authors":133,"images":134,"websites":135,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":136,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":137,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":84,"content":138,"link":139},9735,"A French version of _Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration: A Toolkit for Arbitrators_ has just been published. You can download the toolkit in English, Russian and French (_Corruption et blanchiment d’argent dans l’arbitrage international – Boîte à outils pour les arbitres)_ [here](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators).\n\nThe University of Basel's [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002F) created the toolkit in early 2019 as guidance for arbitrators confronted with corruption and money laundering issues in international arbitration cases. It draws on the centre's [January 2019 workshop](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators) on Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration.\n\nA follow-up [one-day conference in January 2020](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fhigh-level-workshop-legal-consequences-corruption-and-money-laundering-international) gathered over 80 arbitrators, lawyers and experts from around the world to look specifically at the legal consequences when corruption and money laundering issues arise in international arbitration cases.\n\nMark Pieth, who leads the Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre jointly with Kathrin Betz, is President of the Board of the Basel Institute. \n\nMany thanks to Elena Fedorova of [Bonifassi Avocats](https:\u002F\u002Fbonifassi-avocats.com\u002Fen\u002F) in Paris, France, who translated the toolkit with the assistance of Lee Augier.","2020-05-27","french-version-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-toolkit-for-arbitrators-published-1753","French version of Corruption and Money Laundering Toolkit for Arbitrators published","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F2f705fcb-43c2-434e-a25f-83bdd299303d?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73],[128],"Reports",[],1753,[73],[128],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:54:57.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Ffrench-version-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-toolkit-for-arbitrators-published-1753",{"id":141,"body":142,"status":6,"type":66,"date":143,"slug":144,"title":145,"image":146,"countries":147,"topic":148,"activity":149,"tags":150,"nid":151,"topics":152,"activities":153,"authors":154,"images":155,"websites":156,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":157,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":158,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":84,"content":159,"link":160},9770,"A Russian version of _[Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration: A Toolkit for Arbitrators](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators)_ has just been published. You can download the English and Russian versions [here](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators).\n\nThe University of Basel's Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre created the toolkit in early 2019 as guidance for arbitrators confronted with corruption and money laundering issues in international arbitration cases. It draws on the centre's [January 2019 workshop](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators) on Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration.\n\nA follow-up [one-day conference in January 2020](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fhigh-level-workshop-legal-consequences-corruption-and-money-laundering-international) gathered over 80 arbitrators, lawyers and experts from around the world to look specifically at the legal consequences when corruption and money laundering issues arise in international arbitration cases.\n\nMark Pieth, who leads the Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre jointly with Kathrin Betz, will present the Russian translation at the [RAA-CEA Conference: Arbitration and Corruption](https:\u002F\u002Farbitration.ru\u002Fen\u002Fevents\u002Fconference\u002Fraa-cea-conference-arbitration-and-corruption\u002Fprogramma.php) of the Russian Arbitration Association on 6 February 2020.\n\nMany thanks to Elena Fedorova of Bonifassi Avocats (Paris) for the translation and Vladimir Khvalei of Baker McKenzie (Moscow) for the polishing.","2020-01-27","russian-version-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-toolkit-for-arbitrators-published-1063","Russian version of Corruption and Money Laundering Toolkit for Arbitrators published","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F1446ae1f-9e54-441a-bd59-48d222e2ca23?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73],[128],[],1063,[73],[128],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:26.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Frussian-version-of-corruption-and-money-laundering-toolkit-for-arbitrators-published-1063",{"id":162,"body":163,"status":6,"type":66,"date":164,"slug":165,"title":166,"image":167,"countries":168,"topic":170,"activity":171,"tags":172,"nid":173,"topics":174,"activities":175,"authors":176,"images":177,"websites":178,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":179,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":180,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":84,"content":181,"link":182},9537,"The 5th Arbitration and Crime Workshop is set to take place in hybrid format on 7 May 2022 at the University of Basel, Switzerland. The focus will be on [US President Biden's anti-corruption initiative](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.whitehouse.gov\u002Fbriefing-room\u002Fpresidential-actions\u002F2021\u002F06\u002F03\u002Fmemorandum-on-establishing-the-fight-against-corruption-as-a-core-united-states-national-security-interest\u002F) and recent challenges in the area of arbitration and crime.\n\nOrganised by the Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre, which is led by Professor Mark Pieth and Dr Kathrin Betz, the annual event brings together leading arbitrators, lawyers, academics and other experts from around the world.\n\nThe [Toolkit for Arbitrators,](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators) available in English, French and Russian, emerged from the 2019 meeting to guide arbitrators who suspect, or are confronted with, alleged corruption or money laundering in relation to the underlying dispute.\n\nThe draft agenda for the 2022 workshop currently includes:\n\n*   US President Joe Biden's initiative against corruption: The emerging new paradigm of bribery as a security issue (Chair: Krista Nadakavukaren Schefer, Swiss Institute of Comparative Law).\n    \n*   Arbitration in sports: How does sports arbitration deal with illegality? How can sanctions enacted by an arbitral tribunal interact with national procedures? (Chair: Nicola Bonucci, Paul Hastings LLP).\n    \n*   Ratification: What amounts to ratification of a tainted contract? Who can ratify and in what timeframe? What are the limits of ratification? (Chair: Lord Peter Goldsmith QC, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP).\n    \n*   Protection of third parties: Who is a third party that deserves protection? What happens to workers, subcontractors, financial operators who are involved in a project tainted by corruption? (Chair: Juan Fernández-Armesto, Armesto & Asociados).\n    \n*   Maritime arbitration: How does it protect human rights? (Chair: Nadia Darwazeh, Clyde & Co)\n    \n\nThe panel speakers include many well-known names in financial crime litigation and arbitration. For the latest agenda and speakers, see the [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre website](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002Fworkshop2022).\n\nWe are delighted to co-host the event again this year with support from [The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.financialcrimelitigators.org\u002F), several of whose Fellows are participating in workshop panels. It will kick off with an informal pre-workshop dinner on 6 May at Restaurant Krafft in Basel for those attending in person.\n\n### Registration – in person or virtually\n\nAttendance is free of charge both in person and virtually, but please note that physical spaces are limited due to foreseeable Covid-19 restrictions. You will require a Covid-19 certificate valid in Switzerland and will need to adhere to the health measures in place at the time, including those imposed by the University of Basel. Please sign up quickly as the organisers offer physical places on a first-come, first-served basis.\n\nFor full details and the email for in-person registration, please see the [latest agenda](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002Fworkshop2022) on the Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre website.\n\nVirtual participants will be able to join by Zoom for the workshop on 7 May. [Click here to register.](https:\u002F\u002Funibas.zoom.us\u002Fwebinar\u002Fregister\u002FWN_IJJuj9XgQ4ag8GBMSiQZsA)","2021-12-21","new-dates-arbitration-and-crime-workshop-moved-to-6-7-may-2022-2115","New dates: Arbitration and Crime Workshop moved to 6-7 May 2022","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F5c0abf4f-9fc5-475f-ac7b-76cff291c946?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[169],7274,[10],[97],[],2115,[],[97],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:52:10.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fnew-dates-arbitration-and-crime-workshop-moved-to-6-7-may-2022-2115",{"id":184,"body":185,"status":6,"type":66,"date":186,"slug":187,"title":188,"image":189,"countries":190,"topic":191,"activity":192,"tags":193,"nid":194,"topics":195,"activities":196,"authors":197,"images":198,"websites":199,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":200,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":201,"user_updated":39,"date_updated":8,"content":202,"link":203},9804,"In collaboration with the Basel Institute on Governance, the Competence Centre for Arbitration and Crime at the University of Basel is planning a high-level workshop that brings together arbitrators, lawyers, forensics, academics, students and representatives of NGOs from around the world.\n\nThe workshop, entitled Legal Consequences of Corruption and Money Laundering in International Arbitration, takes place at the Faculty of Business and Economics, Basel University, on Friday, 10 January 2020. Attendees are warmly invited to a pre-workshop dinner on the previous evening, Thursday, 9 January. \n\nCorruption and money laundering affecting an underlying dispute are a considerable challenge for arbitrators and parties in investment and commercial arbitration. \n\nIf corruption and\u002For money laundering is established, arbitrators need to decide about the legal consequences for the parties’ claims. On the one hand, corruption cannot be condoned. On the other hand, parties should not be allowed to free themselves of their obligations easily. The consequences if an arbitration involves funds of illicit origin equally need to be discussed. \n\nThis workshop follows up on the 2019 [Toolkit for Arbitrators](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-international-arbitration-toolkit-arbitrators) workshop and resulting publication. It specifically focuses on the legal consequences of corruption and money laundering in international arbitration. Key speakers and session chairs this year include Professor Mark Pieth, Nicola Bonucci, Nadia Darwazeh, Lord Peter Goldsmith QC and Carolyn B. Lamm.\n\nFor full details, registration and the the latest agenda, please see the [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre website](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002Fworkshop2020).","2019-10-05","corruption-and-money-laundering-in-international-arbitration-university-of-basel-workshop-on-10-jan-2020-1008","Corruption and money laundering in international arbitration – University of Basel workshop on 10 Jan 2020","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F738938bb-e9e8-4abe-add8-efa866652747?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73],[97],[],1008,[73],[97],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:55.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcorruption-and-money-laundering-in-international-arbitration-university-of-basel-workshop-on-10-jan-2020-1008",{"id":205,"body":206,"status":6,"type":207,"date":208,"slug":209,"title":210,"image":211,"countries":212,"topic":213,"activity":216,"tags":218,"nid":219,"topics":220,"activities":222,"authors":223,"images":225,"websites":226,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":227,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":228,"user_updated":229,"date_updated":230,"content":231,"link":232},9759,"Mark Pieth, Professor Emeritus of the University of Basel President of the Board of the Basel Institute on Governance, offers an insight into the risks of human rights and environmental harms in gold supply chains. \n\nWhere are the risks and responsibilities? Collective Action with gold refineries, suppliers and other stakeholders, he concludes, could help ensure more responsible and sustainable sourcing of gold.\n\n### What is gold laundering?\n\nOn its way from the ground to your wedding ring or mobile phone, gold passes through a chain of transactions and transformations. It is traded, collated, processed, shipped or smuggled across borders – all multiple times by different actors - and then refined. \n\nOne of the challenges caused by the complexity of supply chains is that the gold we buy is easily disconnected from anything criminal or unethical that may have happened in the past. The trading of gold can therefore be misused in similar ways that criminals use complex financial transactions to obscure the money’s origins in crime and corruption.\n\n### What are potential risks in gold supply chains?\n\nEnvironmental risks in the gold industry range from [deforestation](https:\u002F\u002Fedition.cnn.com\u002F2019\u002F02\u002F08\u002Fworld\u002Fgold-mining-deforestation-peru-record-levels-trnd\u002Findex.html) to contamination of land, air and water with [mercury](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wired.com\u002Fstory\u002Fmercury-poisoning-gold-mines\u002F) and [cyanide](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Fpubmed\u002F15369321). \n\nWhen mines are decommissioned, there is a risk of [acid, radioactive water](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.earthmagazine.org\u002Farticle\u002Fall-glitters-acid-mine-drainage-toxic-legacy-gold-mining-south-africa) seeping out and contaminating the local area. All too frequently, there are also [accidents](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.mining-technology.com\u002Ffeatures\u002Ffeatureshould-cyanide-still-be-used-in-modern-day-mining-4809245\u002F) involving collapsed or leaking chemical pools. [Profits from illegal gold mining](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miamiherald.com\u002Fnews\u002Flocal\u002Fcommunity\u002Fmiami-dade\u002Farticle194187699.html) can be higher than those from drug trafficking. Gold is known to have fuelled serious conflict, for example in the [Democratic Republic of the Congo](https:\u002F\u002Fthesentry.org\u002Freports\u002Fthe-golden-laundromat\u002F) and [Sudan](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reuters.com\u002Farticle\u002Fus-sudan-gold-exclusive\u002Fexclusive-sudan-militia-leader-grew-rich-by-selling-gold-idUSKBN1Y01DQ). \n\nGold has also been used to fund [violent organised crime](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fglobal-development\u002F2016\u002Faug\u002F16\u002Fillegal-mines-local-mafia-take-shine-off-latin-american-gold-peru), in particular in Latin America. \n\nAn estimated one million children work illegally in the mining industry, from [underwater gold mining](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hrw.org\u002Freport\u002F2015\u002F09\u002F29\u002Fwhat-if-something-went-wrong\u002Fhazardous-child-labor-small-scale-gold-mining) in the Philippines to digging and panning amid heavy dust and mercury, for example in [Tanzania](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reuters.com\u002Farticle\u002Fus-tanzania-mining-children-feature\u002Ftanzania-struggles-to-end-child-labor-from-the-lure-of-gold-idUSKBN176007) and [Uganda](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fglobal-development\u002F2016\u002Fmay\u002F20\u002Fchild-labour-uganda-gold-mines-silence-far-from-golden).  \n\nAnother potential risk related to all types of mining is the displacement of indigenous communities. This can happen after governments try to [attract foreign investment by granting mining licences](https:\u002F\u002Fearthworks.org\u002Fstories\u002Fwassa_ghana\u002F) or simply through [corruption and intimidation](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.scmp.com\u002Fnews\u002Fworld\u002Fafrica\u002Farticle\u002F2142852\u002Fchinese-gold-mining-brings-killings-land-grabs-and-corruption).\n\n### Strong incentives to mitigate the risks\n\nAside from laws on responsible business conduct and conflict minerals, the gold industry is mostly self-regulated. \n\nCompanies may choose to commit to voluntary standards developed by industry associations including the [LBMA](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.lbma.org.uk\u002Fresponsible-sourcing), [Responsible Jewellery Council](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.responsiblejewellery.com\u002F) and [World Gold Council](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gold.org\u002Fwhat-we-do). \n\nThis voluntary system relies on third-party audits and is not enforced by law. However, there are strong non-legal incentives to mitigate the risks in gold supply chains. \n\nThanks to the work of investigative journalists and NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Public Eye, awareness of the issues is growing fast. Younger generations are embracing ethical consumerism and demanding products that haven’t harmed the planet or its people. \n\nSome jewellers and watchmakers, such as [Chopard](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.chopard.com\u002Fintl\u002Fresponsible-sourcing) and A. Favre & Fils, whose owner Laurent Favre is a founding member of the [Swiss Better Gold Association](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swissbettergold.ch\u002F), have started to pledge that they will only source gold from certified “green” or “ethical” sources. [Investors are also increasingly attentive to the environmental, social and governance risks](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.economist.com\u002Fbusiness\u002F2020\u002F02\u002F06\u002Fgold-companies-try-to-restore-their-sparkle) of the gold trade. \n\nIn my book _Gold Laundering_ I highlight the role of refineries, particularly in Switzerland, where most of the world’s gold is refined. This is not because the refineries are involved in illegal activities, but because they are located at a critical point in the gold supply chain. After the gold has been refined, it is almost impossible to trace its true origin. \n\nThis makes gold refineries potentially powerful players in efforts to ensure that gold supply chains are as clean as possible.\n\n### Spot-cleaning is not a solution\n\nWhen companies act alone to escape a common problem, their actions may have unforeseen and potentially negative consequences for others and in the long term. \n\nAn example is the action of one Swiss refinery that, with the aim of ensuring a more traceable and transparent gold supply chain, [imposed a blanket ban](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swissinfo.ch\u002Feng\u002Fcompliance-costs_swiss-gold-refinery-turns-back-on-artisanal-miners\u002F45036052) on all gold from small-scale miners. \n\n[Boycotting small-scale mining](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swissinfo.ch\u002Feng\u002Fopinion_metalor--mark-pieth-gold\u002F45037966), however, will harm and not help the estimated 100 million people worldwide who rely on it for their livelihoods. It is also not an action that will help the industry or consumers concerned about human rights. \n\nSmall-scale mining contributes around [20 percent of the world’s newly mined gold](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.worldbank.org\u002Fen\u002Ftopic\u002Fextractiveindustries\u002Fbrief\u002Fartisanal-and-small-scale-mining) and large-scale gold mining is not risk-free.\n\n### Collective Action: a golden opportunity\n\nBy coming together in [Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action), major players in the gold refining sector and other stakeholders can find real, practical solutions to some of the risks and problems I have listed above. \n\nHow about this as a first step? Most stakeholders agree on the urgent need to strengthen the third-party audits that are supposed to enforce the system of self-regulation. The OECD and others have criticised these audits as weak, leaving the whole approach of industry self-regulation open to question. \n\nOther areas of potential collaboration and support could be technologies to eliminate the use of mercury or blockchain technologies to increase the transparency of supply chains. Developing common due diligence standards and processes to lighten the burden on legitimate gold traders, and help flag bogus ones, could be another. \n\nMany such useful efforts are already underway by different actors in different parts of the world. Coming together will give them the critical mass they need to succeed.\n\n### A pathway to responsible sourcing\n\nEnsuring that gold supply chains are as clean as possible – and demonstrating this to consumers – will take time and effort. If there were easy answers, we would have them by now. \n\nThere are also clearly limits to what the private sector can do alone. Collective Action initiatives by refineries and mining companies must complement, and be complemented by, concerted efforts by governments such as tighter regulations, stronger customs checks and enforcement against organised crime. NGOs and civil society organisations still have an important part to play. \n\nAt the end of the day, “laundering” gold through tangled supply chains doesn’t wash the risks away but makes them harder to identify and mitigate. Collective Action can help to bring the risks and problems to light and find ways to truly clean them up, so we can wear our jewellery and use our phones with a shining conscience.\n\n### Find out more\n\n*   The [Basel Gold Day](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-gold-day-virtual-conference-gold-supply-chains-9-october) workshop on 9 October 2020 will gather gold industry leaders and experts to explore \"How to obtain clean gold: the consumer perspective\".\n*   My book on Gold Laundering was published in 2019 in English ([_Gold Laundering_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fgold-laundering-dirty-secrets-gold-trade-and-how-clean)) and German ([_Goldwäsche_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fgoldwasche-die-schmutzigen-geheimnisse-des-goldhandels)) by Salis Verlag.\n*   [Download a PDF of this quick guide in English, Spanish and French](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F1866).","Blog","2020-03-02","mark-pieths-quick-guide-to-gold-laundering-1094","Mark Pieth’s quick guide to gold laundering","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F801af88b-814d-4aa1-9261-53d6a24ef59d?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[73,214,215],"Collective Action","Compliance",[217],"Insights",[],1094,[73,214,221],"Business Integrity Ethics and Compliance",[217],[224],860,[],[22,214],[],"2022-05-26T22:55:17.000Z","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","2026-05-29T22:21:54.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fmark-pieths-quick-guide-to-gold-laundering-1094",{"id":234,"body":235,"status":6,"type":66,"date":236,"slug":237,"title":238,"image":239,"countries":240,"topic":242,"activity":245,"tags":246,"nid":247,"topics":248,"activities":250,"authors":251,"images":252,"websites":253,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":254,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":255,"user_updated":229,"date_updated":256,"content":257,"link":258},10135,"At the request of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) of Thailand, the Basel Institute carried out a three-day executive workshop on the role of good governance and anti-corruption in the context of national development for senior executives from various relevant public offices and related institutions of Thailand.\n\nThe workshop took place from 9 to 11 September at the University of Basel and covered specific topics such as international trends and developments in anti-corruption, private sector corruption prevention and Collective Action, the role of good good governance and anti-corruption for development, trends and developments in preventing money laundering in Switzerland, as well as anti-corruption law enforcement and the recovery of stolen assets.\n\nThe audience included some 60 senior Thai professionals from key public operators, including institutions such as the NACC itself, the Department of Public Works, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Bank for Agriculture, the Office of Constitutional Court, the Audit Office and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, to name just a few. \n\nBack in 2011 the Basel Institute and the NACC of Thailand signed an official Memorandum of Understanding with the intent to establish a strong partnership for the purpose of enhancing the sharing of anti-corruption knowledge and expertise between the two parties and other relevant stakeholders as appropriate. It is in line with this partnership arrangement that the Basel Institute regularly engages with the NACC to develop and implement joint activities intended to prevent and combat corruption as well as to promote anti-corruption research and training activities.","2015-10-07","three-day-workshop-in-basel-on-the-role-of-good-governance-and-anti-corruption-in-the-context-of-national-development-for-senior-executives-of-thailand-316","Three-day workshop in Basel on the role of good governance and anti-corruption in the context of national development for senior executives of Thailand","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F14c95197-6f16-4d47-9f76-fa5992d0ada4?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[241],7685,[243,244],"Asset Recovery","Private Sector",[16],[],316,[249,244],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[16],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:59:07.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:14.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fthree-day-workshop-in-basel-on-the-role-of-good-governance-and-anti-corruption-in-the-context-of-national-development-for-senior-executives-of-thailand-316",{"id":260,"body":261,"status":6,"type":207,"date":262,"slug":263,"title":264,"image":265,"countries":266,"topic":267,"activity":268,"tags":269,"nid":270,"topics":271,"activities":272,"authors":273,"images":274,"websites":275,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":276,"translation_of":20,"user_created":38,"date_created":277,"user_updated":229,"date_updated":278,"content":279,"link":280},10314,"_Article by Mark Pieth, Founder and former President of the Basel Institute on Governance._\n\nOn October 1, I officially handed over the baton as President of the Basel Institute on Governance to Peter Maurer. After founding and leading the organisation for around 20 years, this was a significant moment for me.\n\nI feel a mix of pride, anticipation and deep gratitude. First, for the tremendous [Board](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fgovernance) members that have supported our mission for so many years. Second, for the [leadership team](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople) and staff that have not only made our vision a reality but transformed it into so much more. It has been quite a journey.\n\n### A brief history\n\nBack in 1989, I was working as Head of Section on Economic and Organised Crime at the Swiss Federal Office of Justice. In that role I was involved in early efforts to develop international regulations on money laundering (as a Member of the Financial Action Task Force) and corruption (as Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery, a position I held for 24 years).\n\nThose experiences gave me significant hands-on knowledge of these topics. I developed strong personal views, but I also saw a wider need. The international agenda on corruption and money laundering was just starting to take shape. In those formative years, it was critical to involve people who understood the issues and cared deeply about getting policies and actions right.\n\nAfter becoming a Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Basel in 1993, I therefore decided to convene a core group of three individuals, plus interested academics and business representatives. This provided an independent platform for us to contribute our knowledge to policy dialogues and to fulfil specific advisory missions. We also experimented with early forms of [Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action), bringing together businesses with public sector and civil society representatives to tackle specific issues of business integrity.\n\nThe Basel Institute on Governance existed as a letterhead from the early 1990s. It was established as a Foundation and an Associated Institute of the University of Basel when we received a major donation in 2003.\n\n### Evolutions in corruption and anti-corruption\n\nIn the early days, corruption was considered a technical issue of criminal law. The awareness that it was a fundamental worldwide problem undermining sustainable development and trust in society grew over time. Gradually, anti-corruption approaches also widened beyond the early efforts in international law towards a much more holistic picture. That was the world into which the Basel Institute was born.\n\nFor me personally, the wider thrust of the Basel Institute’s activity has always been the challenges posed by the deregulated, globalised world that we inherited following the Cold War. The fall of the Berlin Wall opened up markets and brought positive developments for many people. But the free movement of capital and services did not necessarily raise standards of living for everyone.\n\nConflicts have continued to rage. Organised crime has been on the rise. Corporations have colluded with corrupt elites to embezzle the natural resources of desperately poor countries. Many citizens even in rich states live a precarious existence, thanks to the outsourcing of jobs to low-wage economies and to the instability caused by short-term policies and happy-go-lucky financial markets.\n\nAll these developments create dark spaces for corruption to occur. The ultimate goal of the Basel Institute‘s anti-corruption work under my leadership has always been to bring light to those dark spaces and to improve the lives of citizens everywhere.\n\n### Milestones and achievements\n\nIn its early days, the work of the Basel Institute was very much associated with my [personal activities](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pieth.ch\u002Fabout-me\u002Fcv) in fora like the UN, OECD, Council of Europe, World Bank and regional international financial institutions. Gradually, we entered the field of anti-corruption compliance, helping companies and organisations apply the international standards to which we had contributed.\n\nA key step was the creation of the [Wolfsberg Group](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wolfsberg-principles.com\u002F) of private banks in 1999. Now one of the longest-running Collective Action initiatives, the Wolfsberg Group recently became an [independent legal entity](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcollective-action-in-banking-the-wolfsberg-groups-role-in-a-fast-evolving-industry-2202) housed at the Basel Institute.\n\nOther [Collective Action initiatives](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F) followed as we tested different ways to bring diverse stakeholders together and build the trust they needed to overcome their common problems. Back then, Collective Action was still considered a novel approach. The Siemens Integrity Initiative, which emerged from Siemens’ [settlement](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fnews\u002Fsiemens-and-the-european-investment-bank-fostering-integrity-through-collective-action-and-constructive-settlements-2133) with the World Bank and European Investment Bank, gave a strong boost to our efforts. I am proud now to see that anti-corruption Collective Action tools and approaches have blossomed around the world. It is on the path to becoming a standard element of both state-led corruption prevention efforts and private-sector compliance.\n\nAnother key development was the decision in 2006 to create the [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) (ICAR). The idea was to help countries whose public funds had been plundered by politicians build capacity to recover the stolen money. This was and still is a major need, since only a tiny proportion of corrupt funds are ever traced, confiscated and returned to the countries they were stolen from. With the help of stable funding from ICAR’s core donor group, the Basel Institute has managed to build up a global team of some of the most experienced former law enforcement and legal specialists in this area. Demand for ICAR’s assistance continues to grow.\n\nBeyond that, the Basel Institute’s relentless focus on [evidence](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance) and its expansion into other areas such as [Green Corruption](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fgreen-corruption) are to a large extent down to the vision and talent of its Managing Director, Gretta Fenner.\n\n### Looking ahead\n\nSince retiring from teaching at the University of Basel, I have set up a boutique law firm (Office Pieth) and spent more time delving into abuses of power in particular areas.\n\nMy book on [_Gold Laundering_](https:\u002F\u002Felstersalis.com\u002Fprodukt\u002Fgschnaetzlets-mark-pieth\u002F) (in English and German) has triggered widespread concern about human rights violations and environmental harms in the gold trade. Among the initiatives to address these concerns is [Basel Gold Day](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.pieth.ch\u002Fgold-day-II), in which we convene relevant stakeholders including regulators, civil society groups and private-sector firms and associations involved the gold trade.\n\nMy most recent project has looked at problems in the shipping industry exacerbated by gaps in regulation, resulting in the publication of a book in German: [_Seefahrtsnation Schweiz_](https:\u002F\u002Felstersalis.com\u002Fprodukt\u002Fseefahrtsnation-schweiz-mark-pieth-kathrin-betz\u002F).\n\nCloser to my legal background, I am working on the effects of illegal activities like corruption, fraud or money laundering on the world of arbitration through the [Arbitration and Crime Competence Centre](https:\u002F\u002Farbcrime.org\u002F) and our annual workshops.\n\nIn all this work and more, now and in the future, I will continue to apply the principles by which I led the Basel Institute for the last 20 years. I look forward with great hopes and anticipation for the Basel Institute’s next steps in this ever changing world.","2022-11-08","mark-pieth-fighting-corruption-with-the-basel-institute-and-beyond-2297","Mark Pieth: Fighting corruption with the Basel Institute and beyond","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F79b82bd8-8cf9-4350-ad86-03aef103ce3a?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[10],[217],[],2297,[],[217],[],[],[22],[],"2022-11-08T11:01:25.000Z","2026-04-27T21:01:58.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fmark-pieth-fighting-corruption-with-the-basel-institute-and-beyond-2297",{"left":282,"top":282,"width":283,"height":283,"rotate":282,"vFlip":284,"hFlip":284,"body":285},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>",1780676420788]